tomatoes and peppers in or out?

[rainbowgardener]

So I have all these tomatoes and peppers (and a bunch of other stuff, but the tomatoes and peppers are the tenderest) sitting out on my deck, hardening off and waiting to be planted or sold.

Tonight and tomorrow night it is predicted to go down to 36 degrees, which is a little cold for them.

But the prediction for tonight says temperature does not dip below 40 degrees until 4 AM and then by 9AM it is back up to 40. I am often a degree or two warmer than the prediction, especially on the deck which is backed up by the house, so protected.

So what do you think... can I risk leaving them out through these two nights or do I have to bring them back in? They are big sturdy plants (though some of the tomatoes have gotten a little leggy) and many of them are blooming already.

[sepeters]

If they're mostly hardened off you can probably get away with leaving them, especially if they're spending the night outside and temps are already around 40. If you're worried just cover 'em up for the night. I've learned not to coddle my plants too much, or they get spoiled and throw fits when the weather doesn't go their way.

[applestar]

I would leave the tomatoes out but cover them as well if the tendency is for the temps to be ABOVE what is forecast. I think I would bring the peppers in though.

I usually get 2-3 degrees LOWER than forecast, so I wouldn't trust any of them outside with a 36°F forecast. Only the cool weather crops. I just uppotted the last of the cabbages, kohlrabi and parsley and they're going outside for the weekend. This made room for the eggplants and peppers that needed to be spread out while they wait to be uppotted until after this drop in temp.

[gixxerific]

Rainbow I keep mine out above 40 maybe 38.

Supposed to be 36 tonight and as much as I don't' want to I have to bring 30+ seven gallon pots in for one night. I thought about covering them but that's too many to loose. If it were 3-4 plants I would give them the test.

Now that is for tomatoes, peppers are not outside yet still too cold for them in my opinion. I would definitely bring them in for the next few day's.

Good luck RBG

[gixxerific]

Just checked the latest forecast now it's 32 tonight, uh oh I have one in the ground. I will take care of it though. But than back up from 52 tomorrow to 70 on Mon but down to 33 Mon night, welcome to MO.

What do you do? I feel I planted too early again. At least my dwarfs, the non dwarfs I think will be just about right.

[Dillbert]

oh what a slippery slope we slide . . .
when we first the weatherman belie.

on the bright side, if they all freeze, saves you the trouble of having to sell them.

personally I do not risk it. in them come.

[applestar]

That will be us tomorrow night (34°F patchy frost after midnight) and Sunday night (36°F). Tonight, I've left the tomatoes, celery, alyssums, and the banana plant out side in the approaching thunderstorm (Dillbert's getting it now probably) with possibly 1" of rain. This way they will get thoroughly watered before coming in tomorrow night.

The Main Pepper seedling flat and the densely planted peppers/eggplants, basils, toothache plants, Mexican Mint Marigolds, and Malabsr spinach webflat came back inside.

There is one weather station that is forecasting 48°F instead of 55°F for tonight like every other station.

[JayPoc]

lol....I just logged on to ask pretty much the same question, with this follow-up:

So, our 90% last frost date is somewhere in the first week of May. After Sunday night, the 10 day forecast shows no night time lows lower than about 40. Stick them in the ground Monday or wait a few more days just to be sure?

[rainbowgardener]

Well I did bring in a whole bunch of tomatoes, peppers, and basil. By midnight last night, they were already looking a bit wilty and worse for wear. I'm glad I did, because at 8 AM I went out and there was frost on my car windshield.


I think they can just stay in today and rest and recuperate since the forecast for tonight is 34. Sigh... we are already past average last frost date. Our lows for this time of year would normally be 45. It's been a difficult spring so far.

[gixxerific]

Jaypoc if your plants are not too big I would let them go another week, I am and mine are almost too big. What is your ground temp? That is more important than air temp, 65+ degrees is where tomatoes like it.

Glad you got everything in RBG. I one in-ground plant died and I lost a bunch of basil. Time to replant that.

[rainbowgardener]

So I'm still struggling with it. They were in for awhile and are back out right now and I still am going in or out tonight? But I swear this will be the LAST cold night (I so decree it!!)

[JayPoc]

yeah....they're not too big. I up-potted them last weekend to solo cups. Supposed to get down in the mid 30s tonight...which leads to this question. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and somewhere around 60. When I leave for work, it will be less than 40. Put them out or no? I'd hate to lose ground on the hardening...

For what its worth, I put them out the last two mornings when it was in the low 40s...

[applestar]

IMHO --If it was cold during the day, ground won't provide the thermal to protect them like it did the first night. Be even more conservative on the 2nd night of frost warning.

[Duh_Vinci]

Oh what a roller-coaster for us too!

Dipped into low 30's two nights ago, but this morning was 29F... Covered as much as I could, as well as I could. Already at work, had to scrape ice off the windshield, and still have no clue to what the garden looks like...

I have 5 tomato plats in the ground for 2 weeks now (covered with trashcans), dwarfs and peppers in containers on the deck (covered with landscaping cloth) and 4 extra earlies in the buckets along garage wall on the south side (not covered), though I parked the SUV right along the, hopefully the warmth from the concrete and the SUV would be sufficient barrier?

And 4 trays of 6" potted transplants (hardening off) - actually put them in the garage last night, so i know those are safe!

Will see when I get home I guess. Good luck to all "risk takers" out there!

Regards,
D

[rainbowgardener]

They did come back in last night, but later today will go back out and then some more stuff will come out from the basement and more will go IN THE GROUND ...

The 10 day forecast is mostly for highs in the 60's and 70's and lows in the high 40's and 50's - except of course Wed and Thurs nights predicted for 40 and 38. This time of year drives me crazy.