My seedlings were doing just fine until I put them out in my greenhouse/coldframe. I burnt them a little bit one day, and I brought them in at night. but after a week or so, I've been leaving them out all day/night because the temps are ok. but for 2 weeks now they haven't grown at ALL. the herbs that were doing really well before I put them out there are now maroon instead of green. And my tomatoes and my flowers haven't grown a single bit at all. what on earth is going on? I"d hate to bring them back inside when I feel like they're getting better sun outside. but apparently they're not happy.
I don't know if it is because sometimes they dry out too fast or what? they're never droopy or anything.
that could possibly be it. it is getting around 40 at night and then 70* in there during the day. some days a lot higher. should I just take them in at night? Oh how I hate doing that hehehe.
I brought the herbs in. and also the hibiscus because they were looking bad too. I killed a lot of stuff out there
I fail miserably. when I did everything inside and kept it in? I never had any problems. now I kill everything. I killed a lot of stuff last year too.
Out there right now is tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, stevia, hollyhock, onions, zinnia. and I killed ALL the begonias CRY!
I brought the herbs in. and also the hibiscus because they were looking bad too. I killed a lot of stuff out there
I fail miserably. when I did everything inside and kept it in? I never had any problems. now I kill everything. I killed a lot of stuff last year too.Out there right now is tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, stevia, hollyhock, onions, zinnia. and I killed ALL the begonias
CRY!-
applestar
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Aw. It's always tough when you're starting out. Then you find out a few things and it gets easier.
I always look up optimum temperatures or max/min temps for growing things when I start them from seeds. They usually have vastly different preferences for germination, seedling growth, and mature/blooming growth.
Out of the ones you listed, I think tomatoes and stevia would be fine with nothing else done, but it's too cold for eggplants and peppers. Hibiscus would depend on what kind. Onions should be grown outside without any protection. I don't know about zinnias and hollyhocks -- hopefully someone else has experience with them.
Some herbs will do fine outside in the cold too, so it really depends.
Right now with temp swings in the 60's High/40's Low dipping into 30's, I have about a dozen tomatoes in the ground that I'm covering at night with buckets and tubs when forecast is for low 40's or below, and the rest of the hardened off tomatoes have been hustled into a shelving unit greenhouse. Just zipping it closed might be enough for tomatoes but I also had to put the bigger peppers and okra in there along with one each yellow squash, watermelon, and zucchini I started for fun. So I'm covering the unit with woven mesh shadecloth cover (for airspace/insulation) and thin black nylon blackout cover over the PVC.
As soon as the sun hits the unit, I take off the covers and open the top and bottom vent a bit for air circulation to dry the condensation, then I open the front zips and top vent all the way as soon as it's in the 50's -- it can get REALLY hot inside in full sun.
As for begonias, more power to you if you got them to germinate and grow. I tried starting wax begonias and angelwing begonias from seeds last year and germination was miserable and what did sprout died within a couple of weeks. So I still have a lot to learn.
I always look up optimum temperatures or max/min temps for growing things when I start them from seeds. They usually have vastly different preferences for germination, seedling growth, and mature/blooming growth.
Out of the ones you listed, I think tomatoes and stevia would be fine with nothing else done, but it's too cold for eggplants and peppers. Hibiscus would depend on what kind. Onions should be grown outside without any protection. I don't know about zinnias and hollyhocks -- hopefully someone else has experience with them.
Some herbs will do fine outside in the cold too, so it really depends.
Right now with temp swings in the 60's High/40's Low dipping into 30's, I have about a dozen tomatoes in the ground that I'm covering at night with buckets and tubs when forecast is for low 40's or below, and the rest of the hardened off tomatoes have been hustled into a shelving unit greenhouse. Just zipping it closed might be enough for tomatoes but I also had to put the bigger peppers and okra in there along with one each yellow squash, watermelon, and zucchini I started for fun. So I'm covering the unit with woven mesh shadecloth cover (for airspace/insulation) and thin black nylon blackout cover over the PVC.
As soon as the sun hits the unit, I take off the covers and open the top and bottom vent a bit for air circulation to dry the condensation, then I open the front zips and top vent all the way as soon as it's in the 50's -- it can get REALLY hot inside in full sun.
As for begonias, more power to you if you got them to germinate and grow. I tried starting wax begonias and angelwing begonias from seeds last year and germination was miserable and what did sprout died within a couple of weeks. So I still have a lot to learn.
Oddly enough, the peppers look the best out of everything!
yeah, the begonias sprouted and they lived a few weeks and then I killed them when I moved them outside they were a gift for my mom. guess I'll have to buy her some!
my tomatoes are so pathetic. they're like 3 inches tall. they'll never be ready in time. not sure what to do!
I guess I ought to go back to keeping everything inside. I never had problems doing it that way. huge happy seedlings.
yeah, the begonias sprouted and they lived a few weeks and then I killed them when I moved them outside
they were a gift for my mom. guess I'll have to buy her some!my tomatoes are so pathetic. they're like 3 inches tall. they'll never be ready in time. not sure what to do!
I guess I ought to go back to keeping everything inside. I never had problems doing it that way. huge happy seedlings.
Stop beating yourself up so much and relax-- Everyone makes mistakes every year, and no gardener is perfect. Everyone (including me) got too enthuastic with the warmer weather and thought about putting our stuff out earlier. However, seedlings are too sensitive (especially when started under lights) and can't just go directly out there all day and night. Personally, I'm keeping mine out for sunshine during the day, and bringing them in at night these next few nights where it's dipping into the 30's.
It sounds like you're moving them out too quickly. Nice and easy are the words of the day- let them acclimiate slowly and work up to staying out all day. Paitence, paitence, paitence. They'll explode and grow when they're ready!
And your tomatoes are the same size as mine, and I've got mine living outside. They're just now growing their second set of leaves. They'll be fine, as will yours.
It sounds like you're moving them out too quickly. Nice and easy are the words of the day- let them acclimiate slowly and work up to staying out all day. Paitence, paitence, paitence. They'll explode and grow when they're ready!
And your tomatoes are the same size as mine, and I've got mine living outside. They're just now growing their second set of leaves. They'll be fine, as will yours.
I just have never had problems at all until I started putting them outside. I've been starting seedlings indoors for years and have wonderful seedlings.. Then I think a green house would make better seedlings, but no. it is just more of a hassle. I end up losing half my seedlings. Hopefully the ones that look like they're dampening off will make it. perhaps I should bury them in the dirt more since the stems are really long.
It is just really hard to work on the seedlings and get all excited to end up losing most of them.
perhaps I should bury them in the dirt more since the stems are really long. It is just really hard to work on the seedlings and get all excited to end up losing most of them.
But it seems its just a matter of wanting to put them outside all day and too quickly. Just slow the process down a little bit and expose them to sunlight and the outdoor temps slowly. All plants will make their way along, it just requires paitence. And by indoors, I'm assuming you mean starting them indoors, then planting them out? or planting them indoors? Are you starting under lights?sheeshshe wrote:I just have never had problems at all until I started putting them outside. I've been starting seedlings indoors for years and have wonderful seedlings.. Then I think a green house would make better seedlings, but no. it is just more of a hassle. I end up losing half my seedlings. Hopefully the ones that look like they're dampening off will make it.
It is just really hard to work on the seedlings and get all excited to end up losing most of them.
Yes, I start under the lights. I did put them out for a little bit and took them in. Did shady days and also I put a large towel over the mini green house for shade during the days. I did burn a few still since I forgot to bring them in one day... I have small kids and sometimes I forget stuff because they're terribly distracting LOL. it is amazing how fast they can burn!
it is weird as the peppers look the healthiest and I thought they liked it hottest. they aren't seeming to mind the cool nights. the tomatoes look horrible and are all purple.
it is weird as the peppers look the healthiest and I thought they liked it hottest. they aren't seeming to mind the cool nights. the tomatoes look horrible and are all purple.
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rainbowgardener
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Unfortunately, I do think greenhouses are difficult and not necessarily very useful for the ordinary backyard gardener (non-commercial). There's only a few weeks in early spring and late fall when they benefit very much. But even then you have to be really careful. If unheated, they get just as cold at night as the outdoors, but then if it is sunny they can get WAY too hot in the daytime, even on cool days, unless carefully vented. But then you have to be really careful about opening and closing the vent (unless you have an automatic one, which I would really want, if I were going to have a greenhouse).
I've been a serious gardener for 20 years or so, start about 600 plants from seed every year and don't own a greenhouse.
I've been a serious gardener for 20 years or so, start about 600 plants from seed every year and don't own a greenhouse.
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applestar
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Yeah I YEARN for automaticallly vented and thermostatically controlled greenhouse. 
Right now, I look out the window on what was a cloudy/drizzly chilly day, see sunshine and rush outside to unzip and open vents (muttering something like "@#%$!!! WHERE did the sun come from!?") and near dark at night, check the temp forecast one more time to change my mind and go zip everything tight or even cover up the thing.
Right now, I look out the window on what was a cloudy/drizzly chilly day, see sunshine and rush outside to unzip and open vents (muttering something like "@#%$!!! WHERE did the sun come from!?") and near dark at night, check the temp forecast one more time to change my mind and go zip everything tight or even cover up the thing.
