[Praxxus]

Hi !

I am getting itchy fingers and need to know if my seedlings started indoors ( peppers, chillies, aubergines, beef toms, asparagus and melons ) can go out in my cold frame. I am keen to get them out but I heard that snow is forecast for this Tuesday/Wednesday, making me a bit apprehensive, I am about to run out of indoor space as a back-log is starting to build up.
Chillies/Peppers - 1 1/2" high
Aubergines/Beef Toms - 2" high
Asparagus - 6" to 8" high

Opinions please ?

Prax

[penance]

I would keep them in, a frost will see most of those off in a cold frame.

I wont be putting my tom or chili seedling into the greenhouse for another month yet.

[JayG]

Turfing young seedlings outside into a cold frame just before a cold snap is forecast is a bad idea whatever they are.

Of the things on your list the asparagus seedlings are the only plants likely to survive; it's too early even on the south coast for all the others which are very tender.

[Praxxus]

Righty Ho !

I'll just make do for space - I dont want to kill them !

Cheers

[Goosegirl]

I too get itchy fingers at this time of year but, from experience, it's early days yet even for sowing things like sprouts, toms and parsnips.  Things grow on just as well left for a week or two longer or left for more time in the unheated greenhouse or sowed a bit later - they will catch up. Deffo DON'T put them outside yet. It's going to get cold next week and there may be sleet or snow.  

[Trillium]

I have the same problem, but was able to put mine outside for a few days - until I heard the cold snap warning and rushed everything back inside. A bit of a nuisance really but better than a lot of dead seedlings. The only things under the cold frame at the moment are really hardy plants like new hostas, lilies, peony and young lilacs. When the warmer weather returns later this week, the seedlings will go back out and relieve the crush in the living room 

[Praxxus]

Ha Ha ! Same here, well atleast I'm not the only one, LOL.

Yep, Johns book says dont get too eager at this time of year, better out late than dead.
I was just wondering if they could go out.
I will just make a note in our diary telling myself not to get over-keen, along with a warning about late Snow !

Prax

[pink aubergine]

W have a very knowledgable guy on our allotments who hasn't even sown his toms, peppers and aubergines yet. He starts a good 6 weeks later than everyone else, he sneers at us even contemplating it! His stuff however just romps away as it doesn't have any fluctuations in temperature.
However I always give it a go, because I have itchy fingers and am bored without any plants to care for, and probably 3 years out of 10 the weather will go my way and I will have early crops to gloat over.

Cant say its worth it as I have to endure the shaking of the guys head on the majority  of years as he says I told you so!!

[Praxxus]

LoL

[pink aubergine]

I read in some book somewhere if you can sit on the soil "bare bottomed" (comfortably!) then its warm enough to plant out. Not that I would recommend such practice of course!!