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New Brunswick, Canada

I have my seedlings started in 4" pots and the first true leaves are starting to show. I want to set them out in the garden under an unheated coldframe, but the forecast is caling for highs in the mid 50's in the daytime and going down to mid 30's at night. Maybe I should replant to gallon pots and wait another week for hopefully better temperatures? Any suggestions?

5/9/2011 2:04:14 PM

Coventry R.I.

Get them in as soon as you can,, hook up heat lamp, sold at home depot or lowes,, You will be poll. in july,, when its really warm,,even in your area,, Your plant will start to get leggy,, the longer you wait.

5/9/2011 2:28:31 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Mine are getting snowed on right now.

If it were me, I'd say that to get them out and hardened off is better than keeping in the house for more than 10 days... but it's your call. Go with your gut! High of 50 is warm... my high today is going to be in the 30's.

5/9/2011 4:51:43 PM

Polson, Montana

Mine were put in the ground yesterday. Milk barn heaters and heat cables in the cold frames. Heat cables and a shop heater for the two in the greenhouse. The heaters do make a difference. I compared those with and those without this past year. The ones without took a while to get going even with a heat cable.

5/9/2011 6:05:02 PM

Buffalo, New York

cheap $8 heaters from wally world hooked up to a timer do wonders!

Mine are set to come on at 8pm and go off at 8am. Keep the air temp about 70 degrees

5/9/2011 7:22:38 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

ITG, I agree w/ JR...you need some type of heat source inside those coldframes if mid 30's at night!!! Hopefully you have an outlet close enough to allow you to run ext. cords to those coldframes...You won't need a lot of added heat (a single heat lamp will prbly be enough, depending on the size of yer coldframes) to keep the temp up (beware of temps getting extremely high, if you have sunshine...small hoops get way hot, way fast!!!...I start in 1 gallon pots...for any of these just in case events...and rain, rain, rain...now has me uping to 2 & 3 gallon pots...too wet to work up patch!!! Peace, Wayne

5/10/2011 2:05:24 AM

New Brunswick, Canada

Well. Decisions, decisions. The patch is about 300 ft from the nearest electrical so I don't think I'm going to invest in that many extension cords, this year at least. This is my first year and I have some extra plants so I think I'll put a couple of the "expendables" out to see how they do for a few days in the unheated cold frame. And repot my "stars" for now. It has been a cold wet spring here, a bit colder than usual and I expect any day the temps are going to change for the better. But I've been saying that for a month. I might try a candle at night to see how that does.

5/10/2011 7:16:12 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

I always transplant my plants to gallon and a half pots. Making sure they stay under cool white lights. My hoophouses are 4 x 6 and it stay pretty warm inside. If the temp are a little cooler I light a,candle inside of them. It warms it up quite well. The bigger the greenhouse the harfer it is to heat. The smaller the greenhouse the more prone you are to burning the seedlings. Its a gamble at this stage the plants rooting I taking shape so not much growth is seen keeping the seedling protected Is a must. I have never had any issues with a plant that had a coldframe over it along with a couple of candles burning inside it. Also I see no reason not to transplant into gallon pots. I do it every year and ive never had any issue with shock or plants being pot bound.

5/10/2011 8:17:15 AM

New Brunswick

ITG I am in north west N.B. and have had plants in cold frames for9 days now. Covering at night with foam coolers and Blankets. It's working so far. I am into 4th leaf at this point. Give it a go. Keeping them as warm as possible is the key.

5/10/2011 4:20:32 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

Itg. What I have found is as long as you have a way to keep the inside of the greenhouses warm you should be okay. Like I said invest in some candles at your dollar store. Put a few of em in your hoophoues and monitor the temps. I have cheap thermometers in my hoophouses that do the job well.

5/10/2011 9:34:32 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

ITG, cover the plastic hoops w/ blankets or sleeping bags...have read recently that it can make a world of difference!!! Peace, Wayne

5/11/2011 2:28:19 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Get 2 foam coolers and lay them both open on their sides on each side of the plant. Place as many 2 liter soda botles, milk gallons, or as many big plastic bottles as you can in the coolers filled with hot water right before you go to bed. The coolers help retain the heat in the bottles much longer.

5/11/2011 8:50:57 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Double cover, seems to be going around this year...a lil cold frame, inside yer main coldframe, covered w/ blankets, w/ hot water bottles is prbly a good way to go!!! Peace, Wayne

5/11/2011 11:57:50 PM