I am so crushed. I grew several vegetables from seed, and several types of tomatoes. My house was full of plants. I finally transferred 2 nights ago, and they have all died (turned white and wilted).
I hardened them off as best I could (an hour or more a night for a week). I also planted later in the day so the sun wouldn't be too strong. This is the 2nd year those has happened to me.
What did I do wrong? ? ?
Unfortunately, it sounds like the sun killed your plants.
You need to harden the plants during the day, otherwise they will be sunburnt when moved to the garden.
This blog entry describes hardening (for sun, heat, and wind) pretty well ...
https://www.mastergardeners-rc.org/1/category/vegetables/1.html
You need to harden the plants during the day, otherwise they will be sunburnt when moved to the garden.
This blog entry describes hardening (for sun, heat, and wind) pretty well ...
https://www.mastergardeners-rc.org/1/category/vegetables/1.html
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Francis Barnswallow
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rainbowgardener
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The turning white is the clue. Agree with farmerlon, it was the sun that did that, not the cold. Hardening off at night does nothing to help plants get adapted to sun exposure.
Francis, when you start seeds outside, then the plants are adapted to outside conditions from the beginning and don't need to be hardened. But folks that aren't in Florida, especially people in Canada, do not have long enough growing season to start a lot of things outside. At the time they need to be started, it would still be freezing out.
But in my experience, sun and wind are much more damaging to tender seedlings than cold as long as it is above freezing. Tomato and pepper seedlings that would be ok being put out into 40 degrees, will just burn up if put directly into full sun.
How I harden off when I bring tender seedlings out, I put them in a spot where they get NO direct sun (UNDER a garden bench, with fence behind them). If it is too cold for them at night, I bring them back inside for the night. After they have been used to that for a few days, then I put them in a corner where they get just a couple hours of AM sun and are pretty protected from wind. Then I gradually more them to more exposed locations.
Francis, when you start seeds outside, then the plants are adapted to outside conditions from the beginning and don't need to be hardened. But folks that aren't in Florida, especially people in Canada, do not have long enough growing season to start a lot of things outside. At the time they need to be started, it would still be freezing out.
But in my experience, sun and wind are much more damaging to tender seedlings than cold as long as it is above freezing. Tomato and pepper seedlings that would be ok being put out into 40 degrees, will just burn up if put directly into full sun.
How I harden off when I bring tender seedlings out, I put them in a spot where they get NO direct sun (UNDER a garden bench, with fence behind them). If it is too cold for them at night, I bring them back inside for the night. After they have been used to that for a few days, then I put them in a corner where they get just a couple hours of AM sun and are pretty protected from wind. Then I gradually more them to more exposed locations.
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!potatoes!
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