41 degrees to cold?

pmcgrady · April 11, 2017

It's calling for a low of 41 tonight and I have over 200 tomato plants beginning to harden off under a covered patio, should I bring them in tonight or take my chances?

BigVanVader · April 11, 2017

I'd cover them with plastic and or frost blankets and leave em. I'd prolly bring in a few flats of my favs to be safe.

edweather · April 11, 2017

Wouldn't worry about it too much. Nights are shorter now, and there will be some residual heat on the patio if it's near the house. 41F won't do any harm.

SteveP · April 11, 2017

We got down to 41f this morning. I left my small tomato and pepper plants outside on the uncovered patio last night and they look fine today. I had been hardening them off for a week and I think they are ready.

AlittleSalt · April 11, 2017

Frost can happen at 42F when the conditions are right. http://www.weather.gov/arx/why_frost

Otherwise, 41F isn't going to hurt them.

pmcgrady · April 11, 2017

I'm a chicken, I just filled the kitchen at the old house ... With plants

Mary's getting used to it... I could have worse addictions I guess.

Worth1 · April 11, 2017

Wise move.
I have tried to kick myself in the a$$ before it doesn't work.

Worth

Jimbotomateo · April 11, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmcgrady

I'm a chicken, I just filled the kitchen at the old house ... With plants

Mary's getting used to it... I could have worse addictions I guess.

It's a good addiction. Looks like you got it purty bad though.

. Jimbo

slugworth · April 11, 2017

the dog is even amazed

Cole_Robbie · April 11, 2017

At cold temps like that, you do kind of spin the bacterial wheel of fortune. Sometimes a few plants will get sick and turn yellow.

Is the dog a Malinois, or a German Shepherd mix? I love shepherds, as you can see from my avatar.

edweather · April 11, 2017

Better safe than sorry.

bower · April 11, 2017

Ah, the tomato rescues... been there done that!!

Fill er up, kitchen party.

Future reference, row cover is the choice, plastic is dicey for temperatures like that. You can get condensation on the plastic and if it touches the plants, they will frost damage more easily.

OTOH if the plants are quite dry, ie soil dry leaves dry and all, then you have less worry whether they are covered or not, or with one or the other.

Wet soil on a cold night can be deadly...

Sweet dog, and I really get it, thinking, wow, I can hardly move in here now and, he really cares about these things.. sheesh...

Gardeneer · April 11, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Frost can happen at 42F when the conditions are right. http://www.weather.gov/arx/why_frost

Otherwise, 41F isn't going to hurt them.

The other night we got frost at 39F.
Tomatoes (50 plants ) , potatoes (2and peppers did get any sign of bite but the eggplants lost most of their big leaves laying on the mulch.
Tomatoes are tougher than most thing. Only temperature @ 32 and below can kill/harm them.

I have my own remote temp sensor and also check hourly forecast.
The low happens just before the sunrise. 3 hours before the sunrise the temperature is about 3 degrees higher than low for the night.

AlittleSalt · April 11, 2017

That's the way it is here too. Coldest right before sunrise.

Oh yeah, the dog is thinking - I wanted to sleep there.

BigVanVader · April 11, 2017

I lost about 160 plants this March to a unexpected frost when 41 was the forecasted low. Live and learn, from now on I won't risk it. I'd say wise move.

April 11, 2017	#1
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	41 degrees to cold? It's calling for a low of 41 tonight and I have over 200 tomato plants beginning to harden off under a covered patio, should I bring them in tonight or take my chances?

April 11, 2017	#3
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	Wouldn't worry about it too much. Nights are shorter now, and there will be some residual heat on the patio if it's near the house. 41F won't do any harm. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

April 11, 2017	#11
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	Better safe than sorry. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

April 11, 2017	#2
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	I'd cover them with plastic and or frost blankets and leave em. I'd prolly bring in a few flats of my favs to be safe.

April 11, 2017	#4
SteveP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Joplin MO Posts: 1,398	We got down to 41f this morning. I left my small tomato and pepper plants outside on the uncovered patio last night and they look fine today. I had been hardening them off for a week and I think they are ready.

April 11, 2017	#5
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Frost can happen at 42F when the conditions are right. http://www.weather.gov/arx/why_frost Otherwise, 41F isn't going to hurt them.

April 11, 2017	#7
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Wise move. I have tried to kick myself in the a$$ before it doesn't work. Worth

April 11, 2017	#9
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,152	the dog is even amazed

April 11, 2017	#10
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	At cold temps like that, you do kind of spin the bacterial wheel of fortune. Sometimes a few plants will get sick and turn yellow. Is the dog a Malinois, or a German Shepherd mix? I love shepherds, as you can see from my avatar.

April 11, 2017	#12
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Ah, the tomato rescues... been there done that!! Fill er up, kitchen party. Future reference, row cover is the choice, plastic is dicey for temperatures like that. You can get condensation on the plastic and if it touches the plants, they will frost damage more easily. OTOH if the plants are quite dry, ie soil dry leaves dry and all, then you have less worry whether they are covered or not, or with one or the other. Wet soil on a cold night can be deadly... Sweet dog, and I really get it, thinking, wow, I can hardly move in here now and, he really cares about these things.. sheesh...