[Eightball]

My tomatoes, celery, courgettes, squash and pumpkins are all getting way too big! I'm currently putting them out in the day and bringing them back in at night. I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now. The night time temperatures in Oxford are ranging from 7-10 at the moment. Do you think 7 is a bit too low for these plants?





As you can see everything is on the large side.

[RJR_38]

That's the temp range where I am and mine have been out a week and are thriving. I hardened them off properly before hand, leaving them in the blowaway greenhouse overnight for a week or so first. Mine were just suffering being in pots

[Salmo]

Your next stage in hardening off is to leave them out in a sheltered position at night. Then they will be ready to go out into the big wide plot. The biggest problem then is often wind damage to the big soft leaves so some sort of shelter for a day or two is useful, tunnel cloches are good for this.

[3759allen]

to be honest i think the night temperatures in the poly houses won't be too much difference to outside any way, just get a lot hotter during the day. assuming you haven't got a secret little heater in them.

hard them off and put them out.

to be honest i think it's unlikely we'll get frost now, and the longer they stay in there the harder it will be to harden them off.

[New shoot]

Your next stage in hardening off is to leave them out in a sheltered position at night. Then they will be ready to go out into the big wide plot. The biggest problem then is often wind damage to the big soft leaves so some sort of shelter for a day or two is useful, tunnel cloches are good for this.

This was my plan for mine.  I dug manure into the planting positions yesterday and was going to plant out today and cover with net tunnels.

Just checked the weather and dithering now    They need to go out once and for all really, but there is some cool wet weather due over the next few days 

[Flowertot]

My tomatoes have been doing the in-out dance (in the kitchen at night, outside during the day) for a couple of weeks now so last night I left them outside next to the kitchen door. They are fine this morning so I'm going to  leave them by the house until the weekend and then take the plunge and put them out in their final positions.

[madcat]

I was worried last night in N Oxon when the sun set in a very clear sky and at 2am the moon was brilliant in a clear sky - but it only got down to 5 degrees even up on the ridge where we live, so I think we are now safe from the frost.

My squashes and courgettes are going to have to go out this weekend.  They wont fit in the blowaway any more.  I might give them a fleece fence for a couple of weeks to protect them from the wind and make a little microclimate for them to thrive.

[Beetroot Queen]

Mine have been out for a few weeks now, had no choice it was the plants or the kids who needed rehoming.
my toms in hanging baskets at home are doing well they look good.