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with the weather being so nice lately.. i am soooo ready to get planting... though it still may be too soon for the tender annuals. [I've got really tall MG's and Hyacinth Beans]
i've got many of my seedlings outside on the front porch after reading last weeks article about hardening off.
Porches are great sheltered spots for hardening off seedlings! You're right though, I think, about it being too soon to plant out the tender ones -- if you do, you'll end up worrying about the weather forecast and running out to place jugs of warm water around the plants and to cover them with sheets, blankets, whatever you can find in your linen cupboard... been there, done that! LOL
Yes I put all mine on the covered shelving unit on my deck last week (faces north)...so far so good - everyone's still "happy." Only concern is when I see forecast for nite temps below 50. Course I'll also have to start moving it toward back of deck bit by bit (more sun exposure).
The more slowly you can let them adapt, the better, I think. I'm glad you're taking the "bit by bit" approach. I was a little concerned about even including a 3 day quickie method in the article on hardening off, although the point I was trying to make was that even a little hardening off is better than none at all. (Plus, it's easier to explain a 3 day schedule and then suggest stretching out the process rather than to go over a 10 day hardening off schedule in detail.)
I'm following your advice but doing the extended version. I'm in no rush b/c I started late and mine aren't nearly ready to go in the ground any who. On warmer days I'll unzip or remove the cover...keep that air circulating.
our over night lows have been mid-40's and so far i've only had 1 MG leaf shrivel up ... but i do think that was due to the high winds one day, as this morning, all the plants seemed fine. It's Eastern Exp .. so they are still getting quite a bit of sun, til roughly 1pm-ish. A few days ago, when the winds were whipping out of the north, i put them all on the south side, where i was thinking they'd get too much sun... but did fine.
I figure, if they keel over... i still have lots of seeds... the only ones i'm being very careful with are my Heirloom 'Maters.
I've only got 3 plants going so far ... and do not want to lose any of them. I'm on my 3rd seed of Aunt Ginnys Purple... the first 2 died.
Maybe I'll have to pick up one of those zip-green houses for next season. Sounds like a good idea ,,, and since we move the BBQ grill into the sunroom [for winter storage] I have a place for the zip-room.
Have fun with your tomatoes this summer! I like to have a bunch of different varieties, because there are always some that do better than others -- and which ones do best tends to vary from year to year. there are a couple of varieties i've just had back luck with as seedlings, so I still haven't been able to try them in the garden -- so I feel your frustration with your Aunt Ginny's Purple seedlings! I'll keep my fingers crossed for your little survivor. :-)
