I, for one, in zone 7B in PNW have started hardening off my matoes. It is a bit early but I want to beat the nature in its own game by extending my season. I have been planning and working on this since last fall by :

== Building a Cold Frame. It is a dandy little thing short of a greenhouse in early spring and in the fall. I have already germinating lot of veggies in there and I can shelter my matoes in there in case of an unexpected cold snap.

== Little Hoops over raised beds (3' x 6' by 3'tall). I have made them portable. So that I can use them where ever and when ever needed.

== Plastic Mulch: I will cover the beds with BLACK plastic AFTER planting, to keep the soil/roots warm AND keep out the excess rain water. In the words of G. Bernhard Shaw "Keep your feet warm and your head cool". That is what n how tomatoes like it. :)

We might not be in danger of frost anymore but our REAL warm summer like weather won't arrive until July. BUT I am determined to taste my first ripe tomato in celebration of the 4th. Again , I have planned and planted quite few EARLY tomatoes. Some of my seedlings are about 10" and stocky. and READY & WILLING to perform. YEAH !

So what have you been up to so far ? Are you also itching to get out there and plant ?

Meanwhile I have more healthy and happy tomato and tomatillo seedlings than I could ever use. I really hate to let them go but with the next potting up I won't have enough space for them all under the lights anymore. Germination rate far exceeded last year, which is a pretty great problem to have!

Four more weeks (or so) under lights and these bad boys are movin' out. I'm jealous you're already there!

Next is putting in the first level of my cages. Won't take
long for that though. Already have the first levels built
with identification labels. Just need to pound in the uprights
and attach the levels. I use PVC pipe for my cages.

Follow the link to see how I do it.

Also of interest to know : What are your night low temperatures like ?

I have purchased wireless thermometers that will tell me more about how much warmer it stays in the tunnel compared to the outside temps. and over the next couple of weeks should have a better idea of how much they will help.

It has been a very warm spring for me but that can change very quickly so i'll just have to wait and see.

My seedlings are a couple of weeks old, and I am hoping to have them outside by the end of the month. I am putting them out in the sun when it is over 60 outside to start getting them used to the real outdoors.

I am in a new house and new city with low tunnels that i have never before tried so this is all an experiment. If my temps aren't good enough under the tunnels I will pot up and wait a few more weeks and plant in mid May.

jon

I also do think that with low tunnel you can extend your season 2 to 3 weeks, depending what your weather around mid April is. Extended forecast is a good tool. Although not a 100% accurate but can help a lot .

Right now it is about my LFD. But 10 days forecast looks good. Lowest of lows will be 42F. So I think there is a better than 95% chance that our LFD is behind us.

Mar 30 low was 55, Mar 31 low was 53, Apr 1 was 47.
Average for March was 51.8, never got below 50.

Didn't get frost this winter. LFD is usually in early Feb

Anybody else has planted out ?

Today I planted about 10 tomatoes. The seedlings had been hardened off already. Now tonight they are on their own, in their own home in the garden. Tomorrow is supposed to rain. So the day after I will plant some more.

TEMPERATURES:
Not very warm. Lowe are around 42F and highs about 62F(average/median). We are getting more sun and less rain. Thats a plus here. If i have to wait til it gets real warm, it will be like in June some time. That feels like eternity to me :)
I know that tomatoes can tolerate cool weather, though they might not grow much but I could not baby my seedlings inside anymore. They were close to 10" , some even taller. Once it warms up a bit, they will take off.

I aim at having some ripe tomatoes to celebrate The Fourth. That is not easy here at the PNW. Our zone number is just meaningless when it comes to summer gardening.