[Pony Girl]

Do you think it's still too early to plant out my 100s and 1000s cherry tomatoes into troughs outside?

They are starting to trail everywhere and have got lots of baby tomatoes already! I would obviously harden them off for a week or so first.

[DD.]

Darn sarf I reckon you might be.

A week hardening off will take you to late May, about a week before I hope to start getting mine out, which should be about right given our locations.

However, I think this year we're going to have to keep a closer eye on the forecast than usual.

[andyw]

I'm keeping mine in the heated greenhouse now for a while, mine are growing really well compared to the ones that I've given away that have been kept outside.

[m1ckz]

i put some of mine out yesterday (10) plants,,leaving lots as backup,,,gl

[Willow_Warren]

4 of mine are going out during the day and in at night, but only to the shelter of the boot room which isn't that well insulated!

I don't think they are doing quite as well as the ones in the conservatory but my conservatory is only small and space was becomming and issue!

My plum and beef tomatoes are still quite small so happy on the conservatory windowsill still... (phew!)

Hannah

[Scotch Thistle]

I am in the process of hardening all mine off, with a view to planting out the larger ones this weekend. Long range forecast indicates the last of the very cold nights are past (fingers crossed) after this week.
The smaller ones will still be coming in at night for now, but these are going into the allotment when i start lifting the early spuds so there's no rush for those...

[LeeR]

Well after a couple of nights of leaving them outside, I've potted mine up in their grow bags this evening.  Fingers crossed it's the last of the cold nights.  If not I'll move them to the shed overnight.

[Pony Girl]

I think I might plant them out in containers that can come inside at night until they've hardened off and risk of frost is over.

How much difference does fleece make? It looks so thin it's hard to imagine it would offer much protection.

The ones I put out in the polytunnel last week are all doing well at the moment. 

[JayG]

How much difference does fleece make? It looks so thin it's hard to imagine it would offer much protection.

The idea of fleece is to deflect descending cold air, which could be below freezing point, away from whatever it's laid on top of, whilst at the same time helping to retain any warmth which is still in the ground.

As you say, it's pretty thin stuff, best used in at least a double layer.

[Pony Girl]

OK - good to know. There's so much to learn! 

[angelavdavis]

Hi Ponygirl,

My plot is TN38 and my plot neighbour has just put theirs in the soil this year.  I must admit, I put the first couple of courgettes in yesterday (under plastic bottle cloches) as I am tired of them taking up so much room in the greenhouse!

If you have some to spare, I would give it a whirl.  All my runner beans are out under fleece and all look OK for the moment.  Being in pots has got the be the best option for you anyway as you can drag them back inside the greenhouse if needed.

[Dopey113]

Im going to start putting things out, had a look at the BBC weather and a few others, and it seems like it wont dip below 10 this week, so i will keep an eye out, and be prepared to cover things up if it dips much below that

[Willow_Warren]

Looked at next weeks forecast too, think my hardened off ones will have to start staying out and my next lot going into the hardening off area, they seems desperate to get out of their pots and into something larger!

I'm meant to be taking a few tomato plants down to my mum's in a couple of week, they are really quite tall at the moment, if they keep growing I wont fit them into the car!

H

[shokkyy]

We're forecast mild nights for the next 5 days, with 19 degree daytime temp for next Tuesday. Woohoo! And the long term met for this area is now looking quite positive too, they think it'll be warm and settled right through to the middle of June.

My tomatoes have all been in an unheated polytunnel with the door wide open in the daytime for a couple of weeks now and they're doing well. The basket toms are all planted up and have been sitting in the very cold greenhouse all week, and they're fine too. The courgette and squash have been going out in the daytime to harden off for the past week. I'm certainly going to start chucking everything out this weekend. It'll be so nice to have a bit of space again

[andyw]

I've just moved 6 of mine outside by the greenhouse now as I've no longer got the room, fingers crossed they will do ok now.