bornlucky
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Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 10:01 am

zone 7 rain help

My tomatos are indoors for 3 weeks now under a grow light from seed. I want to transplant outside to garden but it is supposed to rain all week off and on. Should I wait?.

JayPoc
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Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

I would certainly think you could start hardening them off and then get them in the ground in a week or so, soil conditions permitting. Remember that plants that have been grown exclusively under lights can still get sun-burnt on even an extremely overcast day...

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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

If you can, put them outside only when it's not raining, or only when it's misting or drizzling, but not when the rain is heavy -- bring them inside or put them under an overhang -- roofed carport, porch, maybe patio table, etc. Put the drip tray upside down underneath them so they are not sitting in collected water and they are above any puddling if you have them on the ground. Or put the trays out in the open to collect the rainwater to water them with. (If the rains fill the drip tray with the pots in them, I pour/save the water in a bucket for later use because all the nutrients leaches out.)

Be careful of the sunny breaks if you are keeping them in "convenient" locations to bring them in if the location is in full sun when it's sunny. Watch out for wind gusts if the weather is stormy as well as rainy and keep them in protected location. Also keepin mind that wildlife may still come around -- in my garden rabbits won't bother tomatoes and no deer here, but I hear deer will eat tomato plants. And rainy weather brings out slugs so be sure to check under the containers and drainage holes once in a while.

You may want to move them to a more protected location for the first couple of nights since it will get colder and also since the weather conditions may change.

After a couple of days, they can be exposed to more rain, more wind, more sun, etc. it's all part of acclimating and hardening off.



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