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sma_gal

hardening off my tomatoes

sma_gal
9 years ago

About one week ago I repotted my tomatoes for the 2nd and final time in which I buried almost the whole plant and then I started hardening my tomatoes off. The first couple days were in the 60's, but recently they have been outside during the day in the 40's. They have only grown about a 1/2 in. this week and they are looking kind of wilted.
So my questions...
1. Should I keep bringing them in the house at night or should I put them in the garage where it would be colder?
2. Should I keep bringing them outside when it is so cold?
3. Should I try to give them sun, or not?
4.How can I make them grow better?

Comments (19)

  • carolyn137
    9 years ago

    There are three threads on this first page about hardening off and maybe best to start with the one started by Sue in CT;

    I know that your questions have already been answered in those three threads and maybe best to start with the one put up by Sue in CT as I said above; I could answer myself and so could some others here but it sure saves typing when answers are already here;

    Thanks in advance for understanding and if you can't find your answers in those three threads please come back here to your thread and ask,

    Carolyn, who notes it's the hardening time of the year for tomatoes in many places, thus all the threads here about that. ( smile)

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    Plus it would be a big help to know where you are located or at least your garden zone. That makes a big difference in the answers given.

    Dave

    Here is a link that might be useful: Long current discussion on hardening off

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    I guess that the reason for wilting is probably they need water. At low 40sF tomatoes should not wilt, though as you have noted they will not grow much. Water them late in the day with luke warm water (70 to 80F). That should help to keep them warm overnight.
    But if you are still concerned with low 40s (39F to 42F) , shelter them over night, in unheated garage or by inverting some buckets or cardboard boxes over them outside, starting at sundown. That will minimize heat loss as the air cools down at night. And even more than that, from winds/breeze chill faactor. Temps in mid 40s(43F +) is 100 percent safe for tomato plants.
    My plants, after hardening off took temps down to 38F and did fine.

  • sma_gal
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I am in zone 4. I read the other posts and I guess it made me feel more confused that is why I asked my question. They were talking about putting the tomatoes in the garage. I have been having my tomatoes outside during the day at 40 F and then in the house at night at 70 F. Should I have them in the garage at night which is about 40 F? To keep the temp. consistent or give them a break with warm temps. The garage has no sun, why would a person put a tomato plant in the garage for the day, when it could be indoors in a window sill until it gets warmer? How important is the sun at this point in a tomatoes life?

    I am new to garden web, when I don't understand advice in the other threads, should I add my question to the thread, or are questions suppose to start a new thread?

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    I think it's still too early to be hardening off in zone 4. But if/when you want to, the idea is to get them outside, in shade at first, then gradually give them more sun over the course of a week or 2. Ideally, you'd leave them outside 24 hours but if the nights are still a little too cold, I bring them in. Carolyn said garage being cooler than a house is OK and won't set them back ;-)

    What you DON'T want to do is what you're doing - bringing them back into warm house and sticking them under the lights. just undoes whatever hardening you've been doing outside, and with temperature swings like that (while 30 degrees is fine) along with light (all the time?) you're just stressing them more. I don't know how much sun they've been getting outside, but either you've suddenly reversed night and day (70 and bright must be "day", right?) if the days are overcast or they're in shade (though they still get a lot of UV even on overcast days), and if it's sunny when it's cold too, your plants aren't getting a break at all from intense light.

    I'd put them back in the house full time until about your last frost date, then start bringing them outside during the day, whether to leave them outside or bring them in to sheltered but unheated space at night is you call, depends on how cool the nights are, if there are animals you're afraid will munch on them, if expecting rain or high winds, etc. All that was discussed on Sue's thread. We all have different ways of doing it, but I think we were all in agreement that once you start hardening off, you don't bring them back in the house and stick them under the lights. HTH

    Oops, sorry, just read your post again, don't know where I thought I saw you were putting them under lights at night. But still best to keep them warmer during "day" or under lights, and when you start to harden them off part of that is getting them used to cooler nights, so when you do bring them outside during the day just leave them out (or in sheltered cool place) overnight.

    My garage has some light, so on rainy (periodic downpours) days like today they may stay in the entire day, but I just started hardening them off a few days ago. We're supposed to get rain every day next week, but as long as it's not heavy, they'll stay outside the whole day and night. But there have been many times I've woken up in the middle of the night to hear the rain beating on the roof and water gushing down the downspout, and ran out to get my pots in the garage b/c I don't want them to be swamped (or stems broken). Once they're in the ground, they're on their own but ground drains better than pots, and either they've been planted deep recently, or have grown and been supported somehow (caged, trellised). If a few trusses break then, no big deal - though if we're expecting hail I do try to cover them.

    This post was edited by ajsmama on Fri, May 16, 14 at 10:21

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    having my tomatoes outside during the day at 40 F and then in the house at night at 70 F. Should I have them in the garage at night which is about 40 F? How important is the sun at this point in a tomatoes life?

    I strongly agree that it is too early to be hardening off tomato plants in your zone and at those temps UNLESS they are under protective cover. 40 degrees is too cold IMO for the plants to be outside. You can't possibly plant them in the garden for another 3-4 weeks or more in zone 4 so why start hardening them off now?

    But then to bring them back inside to 70 degree temps? No. The 40 degree temps back to 70 degree temps is a big shock to plants. Find some medium temp location.

    Don't focus on just sun. Sun exposure isn't the primary factor. Temp exposure is just as important if not more so at first. That's why shade, not sun, is stressed for the first few days. So moving plants from a warm house to a cooler (not cold) garage as the first stage can be fine although outside under protective cover is better.

    First get them used to lower than in house temps, then get them used to shade, and only then get them gradually into partial sun.

    I am new to garden web, when I don't understand advice in the other threads, should I add my question to the thread, or are questions suppose to start a new thread?

    Start a new thread as long as it isn't just asking the same questions over again. Let folks know in your post that you have read the other discussions but still have questions.

    Dave

  • sma_gal
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for that link, Dave.

  • sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
    9 years ago

    Many problems with various methods of re-potting, and getting your plants ready for planting in your garden soil. They, (web blogs and such), give you step-by-step what to do without explaining why. Maybe they don't know why and just do as someone else did...i agree it gets confusing and conflicting.
    If you were so close to hardening off, 7-10ish days to planting...(may take more if weather is off)...you may have not needed to re-pot? That alone needs a bit of adjustment for your plants i think? In new soil, different from the last pot they were in, they need a bit of weak food and time to adjust. Not much time, but they should at least perk up and look strong from the re-potting.
    Before heading out to the real world. (?)
    I'm asking and wondering and should be corrected by others.
    Oh, and zone 4 was added since last night? I agree to let them adjust a bit more from re-potting...and too early for your zone.
    Carolyn a Dave explained the 'why'.
    Some just do it their way and that is fine. But they often have experienced methods of warming soil ahead of time, very healthy soil, an have hoops and double covers to try and get a head start in colder climates.
    Those in the NYC area or close by are having 60-65 nights and 70-75 average daytime. A dip cooler but just a random night or two.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    In early spring, USDA zone numbers has some co relation to the growing condition but not much. Past your LFD the game is played with different rules and the role of USDA zoning is no longer has a significant meaning.

    SO TO ME TO USE usda ZONE NUMBERS AS gardening zone IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
    IOW, in one zone 4 you might be able to plant out, right now in another have to wait few more weeks. Just check your statistical historical temperature/weather data for your location. Right now with my Weather Channel I can look up my "the rest of May and JUNE" weather data.

    More than anything else, I use 10 DAYS extended forecast. Sure, from time to time it changes and is revized but all in all a very good tool.

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    If daytime highs are in 40s it's going to be a while before she can plant out without HT GH WOW or like

  • carolyn137
    9 years ago

    Thanks in advance for understanding and if you can't find your answers in those three threads please come back here to your thread and ask,

    *****

    Is what I wrote in my first post in answer to your recent question about whether or not you should start a new thread. ( smile)

    Carolyn

  • sma_gal
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks everyone, I moved my plants into the shade and plan to put them in the garage tonight.

    I had planned to plant them in the garden on Tuesday, May 20th. Monday is the average last date for frost for my zip code and next week we are suppose to have highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's (much warmer than the it was this week), but I guess maybe I should wait a bit longer?

    These are a picture of my tomatoes, do you think they still have hope?

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    They're a little small but don't look bad considering. But tomatoes usually go out about 2 weeks after LFD, not the day after. No sense bringing them back in the house now though, if next week is going to be that warm. Just start the normal hardening off (out during 60-70 degree day, leave out at night unless it gets down less than 45 or even 40 considering they've already been out in that, if it gets colder put them in garage overnight). But plan on it taking 10-14 days so you're still looking at 2 weeks until transplant - and hope the weather holds.

    I plan on planting anywhere from May 23 -31 in a normal year.

  • sheltieche
    9 years ago

    Bit on a small side for me. My experience that on a good year with stable warm soil and lots of sun it is perfectly fine, on a varied year like this one I will wait till those tomatoes get a bit of start in those cups. I wonder what kind of medium do you use, looks like garden soil to me...

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    Those looks like quart size containers, you said you buried them deep so how deep? Hope you used potting mix - I didn't really look at the medium.

    Doesn't look like much top growth but since temps are going to be so warm I thought maybe you could take 2 weeks to harden them off and plant out maybe a little early for your zone.

    Do you even have lights or just a windowsill to set them inside? If temps are going to be 70's outside and you don't have lights I'm thinking they'd grow better outside right now.

  • sma_gal
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The plants were about 3 inches last Thursday, and I buried them so only about 1/2 an inch was showing. I used potting soil when I first planted them and during my 1st repotting I used potting soil with most of the tomatoes but I experimented with some of them using something called "Dick's Super Soil" It is soil that is taken from Northern Minnesota that is sort of like a mix between compost and peat moss, (a man named Dick runs it) My father in law who is a big vegetable gardener had recommended that I put some of it in my raised beds after he tried it. The tomatoes that I used the Dick's super soil seemed taller and stronger, so for my 2nd repotting I used about 2/3 Dick's Super soil and about 1/3 of a soil mixture I took from a mixture I put in my raised beds. But overall I feel like they are growing so slowly.

    I used grow lights until the I repotted them the first time, then there wasn't enough room to fit them, so then I moved them to a table next to my large living room window.

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    Next year consider using the more standardized approach for better results. Smaller containers and soil-less potting mix.

    Soil in containers, especially small cups and containers, compacts and causes drainage problems that leads to slow or poor root development. And small seedlings in such large containers creates excess moisture problems that only compounds that issue.

    Growing things in containers is very different from growing things in the ground so different methods and techniques are needed for best results. Lots of good info about all this over on the Growing from Seed forum here including FAQs that cover all the basics.

    Dave

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    Really you should repot, but I hesitate if they were over a foot tall (leggy) b/c you could damage them in the process, best to just do it once (at transplant) than twice (repot and transplant a couple of weeks later). Best I can recommend at this point is to water sparingly, make sure they don't get soaked with rain, and try to harden off and get them in the ground in the next couple of weeks. When you plant, plant them deep again - they're not likely to have much of a root system so be careful taking them out of the containers, the soil is going to fall off of them.

    I hope you have lots of drainage holes in the bottoms of those yogurt cups - if not, try to take a drill and put some in.

    I will defer to Dave's experience - he may have a different opinion on the best approach. But you may find yourself buying new plants no matter what.

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    Whoa sorry I'm bit reading carefully on the phone. You reported when they were 3 inches tall not 13? When did you start them? I'd repot even if in individual cells if 6 packs or something about 2 to 3 inch diameter and 3 inches deep so you can fit them under lights and let them grow abut. Harden them off the end if May and plant after the 7th of June should be about right.

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