Hardening off your tomatoes

Plantersville · January 30, 2014

just wondering how long after planting up into a larger pot does everyone start to harden off your plants by taking them outside? I have some plants that are now 6" or taller that Im thinking of hardening off now....been replanted into larger pots for about 10 days now....

Tom A To · January 30, 2014

I start hardening off as soon as weather allows, regardless of pot size. The sooner the better. When I do re-pot, I give them a day of rest. The more time they spend outdoors, the more robust the stems will be.

ginger2778 · January 30, 2014

I start hardening off as soon as their first set of true leaves forms, my climate allows for that. It works great, just started doing that this year, so no more leggy seedlings.

Marsha

roper2008 · January 30, 2014

I harden off by weather. Doesn't matter what size the seedlings are. If I could
I would start them outside

Cole_Robbie · January 30, 2014

Isn't the hardening process almost entirely about acclimating the plant to UV light? When I take plants straight from artificial light to the greenhouse, they get sun burned very badly. Maybe this year I will try to ease them more slowly into contact with sun light.

Worth1 · January 30, 2014

If it's not freezing they go out side.
I have a place that gets a little sun and then filtered light.
I do this as soon as I can regardless of how small they are.
Treat this like you would yourself just a little bit of sun at a time maybe only one or two hours until they get used to it.
Worth.

tlintx · February 1, 2014

Well, my tray of mostly germinated seedlings survived outside yesterday and last night just fine, and some of the stragglers are starting to show up (it's nearly 70 today). Supposed to be 60s day/50s night for the rest of the week, but rainy and overcast. Hope the low sun levels don't adversely impact them but there's not much I can do about it now.

tlintx · February 8, 2014

So... I don't think this is going to work. There's just no sun. Three or four days ago we had about four hours in the morning, but that's about it for the past two weeks. Most of the poor little things haven't grown at all, the ones that have are spindly and unfortunate-looking.

I guess there's no harm in waiting a little longer, but I'm starting to get discouraged.

Worth1 · February 8, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlintx

So... I don't think this is going to work. There's just no sun. Three or four days ago we had about four hours in the morning, but that's about it for the past two weeks. Most of the poor little things haven't grown at all, the ones that have are spindly and unfortunate-looking.

I guess there's no harm in waiting a little longer, but I'm starting to get discouraged.

I dont have the area lights or ambition to start seeds in the house this year.
This weather has really put a damper on me this year.

Worth

madddawg · February 8, 2014

Tell me about it Worth, in the last 3 weeks we have had 3 days of temps above 40 degrees. We got 5" of snow on the ground now, a couple weeks ago we had 8. It feels weird planting seeds in these conditions. but I did it cause I have a serious case of cabin fever. Can't work in freezing temps. (masonry)

Worth1 · February 8, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by madddawg

Tell me about it Worth, in the last 3 weeks we have had 3 days of temps above 40 degrees. We got 5" of snow on the ground now, a couple weeks ago we had 8. It feels weird planting seeds in these conditions. but I did it cause I have a serious case of cabin fever. Can't work in freezing temps. (masonry)

I hear ya I have a whole pile of limestone in my yard and need to pour footings and put the stone in for a corner planter.
Too cold for me to mix mortar in this weather.

Worth

tlintx · February 8, 2014

It's been all over the place here, a few nights below freezing, one or two days that cold, some days in the 60s and 70s. But there's literally no sun. I feel like I'm back in the PNW. I might get Seasonal Gloomy Depressed disorder.

I guess it won't be the end of the world if I have to buy transplants, and our season is long enough that I can try seedlings again in a couple of weeks if I'm still feeling up to it. And the dwarfs and micros actually don't look so bad!

January 30, 2014	#1
Plantersville Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plantersville, Texas Zone 8 Posts: 138	Hardening off your tomatoes just wondering how long after planting up into a larger pot does everyone start to harden off your plants by taking them outside? I have some plants that are now 6" or taller that Im thinking of hardening off now....been replanted into larger pots for about 10 days now.... __________________ Chuck I love to eat, sleep and fish........not necessarily in that order!

January 30, 2014	#2
Tom A To Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Pilot Hill, Ca. Posts: 307	I start hardening off as soon as weather allows, regardless of pot size. The sooner the better. When I do re-pot, I give them a day of rest. The more time they spend outdoors, the more robust the stems will be. __________________ -Dennis Audios, Tomatoville. Posted my final post and time to move on.

February 8, 2014	#10
madddawg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Missouri Posts: 407	Tell me about it Worth, in the last 3 weeks we have had 3 days of temps above 40 degrees. We got 5" of snow on the ground now, a couple weeks ago we had 8. It feels weird planting seeds in these conditions. but I did it cause I have a serious case of cabin fever. Can't work in freezing temps. (masonry) __________________ I grow a garden not just for the food I harvest, but for the creation of life itself. Johnny Cash

January 30, 2014	#3
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	I start hardening off as soon as their first set of true leaves forms, my climate allows for that. It works great, just started doing that this year, so no more leggy seedlings. Marsha

January 30, 2014	#4
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	I harden off by weather. Doesn't matter what size the seedlings are. If I could I would start them outside

January 30, 2014	#5
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Isn't the hardening process almost entirely about acclimating the plant to UV light? When I take plants straight from artificial light to the greenhouse, they get sun burned very badly. Maybe this year I will try to ease them more slowly into contact with sun light.

January 30, 2014	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	If it's not freezing they go out side. I have a place that gets a little sun and then filtered light. I do this as soon as I can regardless of how small they are. Treat this like you would yourself just a little bit of sun at a time maybe only one or two hours until they get used to it. Worth.

February 1, 2014	#7
tlintx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: SeTx Posts: 881	Well, my tray of mostly germinated seedlings survived outside yesterday and last night just fine, and some of the stragglers are starting to show up (it's nearly 70 today). Supposed to be 60s day/50s night for the rest of the week, but rainy and overcast. Hope the low sun levels don't adversely impact them but there's not much I can do about it now.