Took them outside for 1/2hr. of SUN!!

Jetstar · March 14, 2018

It was warm & sunny here today so the tomatoes & peppers got to go outside and catch some rays after that they sat for another 20 min. in water. They needed it, I'm debating if when I transplant them into bigger containers if I should go with the white styrofoam or the colored plastic cups. My thoughts on this are I'll use whatever I find in the pantry unless someone here make a strong cases for one type over the other. Also now that they got there 1st taste of sun and as time goes on should I adjust the indoor time their under the lights, or does it make any difference?

Nan_PA_6b · March 14, 2018

The little darlings grow up so fast!

I'm thinking that the time outside qualifies as part of their time under lights. So if they were under lights for 14 hours, and then after some hardening they're outside for 4 hours, you only need 10 more hours of light for them that day.

Nan

MadCow333 · March 21, 2018

I use the colored transparent plastic cups, 16 oz or Solo cups size. Cut a slot in the bottom of each to allow drainage. I wash and reuse same cups year after year. I stand them up in plastic baskets from Dollar Tree. Later in the season, I use the baskets for tomatoes I picked. I use the $20 greenhouse as a rack for seedlings, the move it to the basement in fall and use it as a rack there. I pick tomatoes before frost and put them on racks in the basement to ripen. I have gotten my $20 out of that greenhouse for sure.

Jetstar · March 21, 2018

MadCow333, those are some great ideas never considered utilizing my 20.00 greenhouse as a way to ripen tomatoes in the fall. I plan on using the 9oz.cups they will fit my small grow box better than the 16oz ones will.

March 14, 2018	#1
Jetstar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: N.E. Wisconsin Posts: 308	Took them outside for 1/2hr. of SUN!! It was warm & sunny here today so the tomatoes & peppers got to go outside and catch some rays after that they sat for another 20 min. in water. They needed it, I'm debating if when I transplant them into bigger containers if I should go with the white styrofoam or the colored plastic cups. My thoughts on this are I'll use whatever I find in the pantry unless someone here make a strong cases for one type over the other. Also now that they got there 1st taste of sun and as time goes on should I adjust the indoor time their under the lights, or does it make any difference?

March 14, 2018	#2
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	The little darlings grow up so fast! I'm thinking that the time outside qualifies as part of their time under lights. So if they were under lights for 14 hours, and then after some hardening they're outside for 4 hours, you only need 10 more hours of light for them that day. Nan

March 21, 2018	#3
MadCow333 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NW PA 6A Posts: 159	I use the colored transparent plastic cups, 16 oz or Solo cups size. Cut a slot in the bottom of each to allow drainage. I wash and reuse same cups year after year. I stand them up in plastic baskets from Dollar Tree. Later in the season, I use the baskets for tomatoes I picked. I use the $20 greenhouse as a rack for seedlings, the move it to the basement in fall and use it as a rack there. I pick tomatoes before frost and put them on racks in the basement to ripen. I have gotten my $20 out of that greenhouse for sure.