[Elcie]

Hi everyone,
I planted some tomato seeds about a month ago in a seed tray, then 2 weeks ago transplanted them to individual modules (those plastic inserts with seed trays).  They have mainly lived on the windowsills but on sunny days I allowed them a trip to the (currently) unheated greenhouse.  They have been out there yesterday and today but I bought them in last night.

My question is, is it too early for me to leave them outside now in the unheated greenhouse?  I recently bought a heater so I can use that but was going to do it on nights when a frost is forecast, or should I do that every night?  I have potatoes in bags, leeks and broad beans in there too.

[peapod]

Ive an unheated GH too, and have just put my baby chillis and toms in there as I needed the room to sow more inside on the window sills.  You can always fleece/bubble wrap/newspaper the pots and save the heater for frosty nights

[garddwr]

I have my toms and peppers e.t.c on the windowsill in the office I think I'll wait until thye have 2 pairs of leaves and then put them in.

[richyrich7]

Be careful there's a few nights of frost forecast this week, your heater needs to be set at around the 5^oC at least. Depends on how big the greenhouse is as well, to keep the cost down I make a tent of polythene within the greenhouse and just heat that this time of year 

[Elcie]

It's a paraffin heater and I haven't plucked up the courage to try it yet!

I bought the tomatoes inside tonight so they are sat on the kitchen table again!  Will put them out again tomorrow but just can't face the chance they might die overnight!

Must get used to the heater soon!

[richyrich7]

Best site I've found for the weather is www.Metcheck.com their forecasts seem very accurate so far. I never feel it's safe till about the end of May.

[garddwr]

Thanks for that Richy.

I will leave the tomatoes in the house for a bit then because I don't have any intention of heating. I decided against it end of last year as it  clearly wasn't practical for me.

I could put the toms in the greenhouse now according to metcheck there is no frost until next saturday but I'll keep them in to be on the safe side.

[Elcie]

I have had a look at that site (thanks RR) and the lowest temp over the next couple of days is 2C.  At what point will my tomatoes not be happy/die?  0?  -1?  Never worried this much about overnight temperature before!

[richyrich7]

3^oC would be worrying IMHO anything lower than that then I know they definitely need extra care however they could do with really not going below 5^oC these kind of temp's probably wont kill them but could check their growth.

However to get them growing at their best around 18^oC is probably more like it !

At this moment in time mine still live in the heated propagator, they are about 3" tall with one true set of leaves. The lids off during the day but at night the lids on and so is the heat from about 4.30pm till 9am

[wendywoo]

Hi Richy & Peapod

Can I just check something........ is it ok to put my skinny tomato seedlings in an un heated greenhouse as long as I cover them with plastic - or will it still be too cold if theres a nippy frost.... ta.

[richyrich7]

During the day they should be ok with out any covering it's night time temps that tend to be the worry, Why not put them out in the morning and bring them back in at night ? bit fiddly but safe if you have no heat, it's so easy to get caught out... I forgot to cover up my spuds chitting in the greenhouse last night and found ice on my car at 5.30 this morning lucky they seem to be ok.

[Sadgit]

Mine are staying in the house for the next 2 weeks as I suffered with dead chillis and toms last year due to cold in the greenhouse.

[hectic]

I put my chilli seedlings in the greenhouse yesterday as there is no room inside, I will probably nip out and get some fleece or a heater later to protect the little chaps 

[wendywoo]

smashing, thanks folks.  I will try and hang on until you cant swing my cat in the conservatory before I put my toms seedlings in the greenhouse - still some floor space left so will carry on until then!

[rivkele]

3^oC would be worrying IMHO anything lower than that then I know they definitely need extra care however they could do with really not going below 5^oC these kind of temp's probably wont kill them but could check their growth.

Oohh, now you've got me worried. when you say cold will check their growth is that just a temporary thing that will pass when they get warmer, or does it have a long-term effect on them?
i ask because i've had my tomato plants outside in a pot all night since they came up a couple of weeks ago. i'm in spain so it's not so cold, but i reckon it must have got down below 5º a few times at least. they look ok, although they are growing quite slowly. will they be ok?