Cold & Seedlings - OK or Start Over?

ermentrude · March 4, 2015

First year planting from seed in earnest. Tried a few last summer for fall planting but failed.

I planted my tomato seeds on the 7th or 8th of February. They stayed in the house for about a week until they started germinating and then they went out into the unheated garage where I have a very simple setup. A little stand made out of PVC pipe, wrapped in foiled bubble wrap insulation, with a couple little grow lights overhead. I started 24 seedlings and am hoping for 8 plants - any others will go to friends.

Right after the seedlings went outside, we had the annual Charleston cold snap. I was distracted during this lovely time (had to put a cat down unexpectedly and then handled my parent's house closing for them). While my garage is not heated, it is well insulated and according to my unquestionably accurate car, it didn't get below 32. I kept watering during this time but they just sat there and did nothing.

This past weekend the temps started going up and magically my seedlings have their first set of true leaves coming in - almost a month after planting. I was planning to transplant into bigger pots this weekend but then started to worry, will the cold have hurt them somehow? Should I just start over? I know that it would be cutting it close, but I don't want to be without plants.

March 4, 2015	#1
ermentrude Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Charleston SC Posts: 34	Cold & Seedlings - OK or Start Over? First year planting from seed in earnest. Tried a few last summer for fall planting but failed. I planted my tomato seeds on the 7th or 8th of February. They stayed in the house for about a week until they started germinating and then they went out into the unheated garage where I have a very simple setup. A little stand made out of PVC pipe, wrapped in foiled bubble wrap insulation, with a couple little grow lights overhead. I started 24 seedlings and am hoping for 8 plants - any others will go to friends. Right after the seedlings went outside, we had the annual Charleston cold snap. I was distracted during this lovely time (had to put a cat down unexpectedly and then handled my parent's house closing for them). While my garage is not heated, it is well insulated and according to my unquestionably accurate car, it didn't get below 32. I kept watering during this time but they just sat there and did nothing. This past weekend the temps started going up and magically my seedlings have their first set of true leaves coming in - almost a month after planting. I was planning to transplant into bigger pots this weekend but then started to worry, will the cold have hurt them somehow? Should I just start over? I know that it would be cutting it close, but I don't want to be without plants.