When should I move my tomato seedlings outside?
I had to start a little late- I moved which made it impossible to start at the correct time- but began at the tail end of six weeks which I believe is ok.
I have three varieties:
- Black Krim
- San Marzano
- Cherry
I am living in Asheville, NC in Zone 7a- LFD is April 15th. I have raised beds with trellis' prepped for these.
Assuming I do this correctly (fingers crossed) when should I start hardening off and transplant outdoors?
Thanks in advance for the help!
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gummystar2
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- Location: Asheville, NC
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
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- Location: TN/GA 7b
Well partly it depends on weather and watching the forecast closely. That LFD is just an average. That means some years the actual last frost date will be earlier and some years you can still get a frost after the average LFD.
According to NOAA your 50% last frost date is 4/4. Your 10% last frost date is 4/20 (that means only 10% of the years have a frost after that date).
https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/fre ... efrost.pdf
Hardening off for me usually means bringing them in and out for awhile.
Once you have sturdy little plants in pots, with say at least three sets of true leaves, you can bring them out to start hardening off anytime you have a nice day (not too breezy - wind can wreck new seedlings faster than almost anything) with temps about 60.
At first you just want to put them out in a very protected spot and then bring them back in for the evening/night, so it doesn't matter what the night time temps are. You can gradually give them more daytime exposure, less protected locations. If they have been doing all right with that, and night time temps are up about 50, they can start staying out. Then you are watching the 10 day forecast to be sure it is ok to plant, no cold snap coming.
If by chance a cold snap does come after they are in the ground, just cover them well and they will probably be fine.
According to NOAA your 50% last frost date is 4/4. Your 10% last frost date is 4/20 (that means only 10% of the years have a frost after that date).
https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/fre ... efrost.pdf
Hardening off for me usually means bringing them in and out for awhile.
Once you have sturdy little plants in pots, with say at least three sets of true leaves, you can bring them out to start hardening off anytime you have a nice day (not too breezy - wind can wreck new seedlings faster than almost anything) with temps about 60.
At first you just want to put them out in a very protected spot and then bring them back in for the evening/night, so it doesn't matter what the night time temps are. You can gradually give them more daytime exposure, less protected locations. If they have been doing all right with that, and night time temps are up about 50, they can start staying out. Then you are watching the 10 day forecast to be sure it is ok to plant, no cold snap coming.
If by chance a cold snap does come after they are in the ground, just cover them well and they will probably be fine.
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gummystar2
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:40 pm
- Location: Asheville, NC
Yeah, I was trying to average between the 90-50-10 dates- I based most of my planning and organization around the 15th, but I know it can vary! However I am in a new area AND I've never started from seed for transplanting- this feels like such a big undertaking!
So basically you're saying: wait until the ten-day says nothing below 50ish, and start hardening off when daytime is in the 60s with low/no wind and I have 3 sets of true leaves?
I hope I got all that right. Thank you so so much for the help! Very much appreciated.
So basically you're saying: wait until the ten-day says nothing below 50ish, and start hardening off when daytime is in the 60s with low/no wind and I have 3 sets of true leaves?
I hope I got all that right. Thank you so so much for the help! Very much appreciated.