Rain Forecasted - What to do With Seedlings?

[SLC]

So I have been taking my plants out for the last week and the last couple nights I left everything out all night (except the tomatoes and peppers), and now I just watched the news and it is going to rain for the next FIVE days!!! Then turn cooler (low 60s - it's been in the low to mid 70s).

Should I leave my plants out under a picnic table in the rain? It will be off and on, heavy at times with some thunderstorms possible. They are all in the little starter self-watering trays.

Not sure if it matters, but what's out there is marigolds, pansies, carnations, broccoli, chives, celery, cilantro, lettuce and onions.

What should I do? Should I take them in for the next five days even though they've been out for almost a week already? OR should I leave them in the wind and rain for the next five days under a picnic table on my deck?

[Dillbert]

I think the only caution needed is that those trays do not stay filled up - and drown the roots over an extended period.

'out of the rain' would be best - a pounding rain can flatten young plants.....

[applestar]

Yep. Drip trays should be removed (you can turn them upside down and put your pots on top if you like). not sure about self-watering since it will depend on the mechanism.

Be sure to go out and check first thing in the morning or after a couple of hours and make sure the pots are not sitting in a low spot where it puddles.

Also be on the lookout for slugs.

[Susan W]

Do you have a sheltered area such as porch, carport? If you can get the trays of babies out of the rain it sure does help. Trust me, been there done that, just this past week!

[SLC]

These would be located on my back deck under a picnic table. I've been putting them on my deck every day cuz it's partially shaded through the railings. I am hoping being under the table would protect them somewhat, but I have never done this before so I was looking for advice. These self-watering trays have a tray you fill with water, then place a riser with a mat on top, which soaks up the water and stays wet, then the cells are on top of that. The roots are all sticking through the bottom holes and taking in water from the mats. The plants seem to be doing okay like this even though they are still in the little 2x2x2 trays. I was hoping to get everything in the garden within the next week, which is why I don't want to transplant them all nor bring them in for five days and have to start over acclimating them to the outdoors again. Does all this make sense? I can take a picture if that helps?

[Fourspot]

You should be fine to leave it under the picnic table. I left my peppers and some tomatoes underneath my deck table at night. The only concern is how far along are your lettuce and broccoli if they're still in those trays? It won't be long until it gets really hot.

[rainbowgardener]

Re: Not sure if it matters, but what's out there is marigolds, pansies, carnations, broccoli, chives, celery, cilantro, lettuce and onions.

Much of that is cool weather stuff and should have been in the ground awhile back, you are missing the season for it. That includes pansies, broccoli, chives, celery, cilantro, lettuce, onions. Just get them all planted! In the rain is a good time to plant, avoids transplant shock -- as long as your soil is already prepared. You don't want to be turning or hoeing wet soil.

The rest will probably be fine in the rain as long as it isn't really heavy rain AND they get out of the self-watering system. As applestar said, just take the top pot part out. They have to be able to drain the water back out.

[SLC]

Thank you for the advice!

Yup, I know they should be in the garden already, but this year time got away from me. But last year I planted maybe just a week earlier, and everything but the lettuce did awesome. Every broccoli plant produced a nice 4-6 inch head with many side shoots, and I got plenty of onions as well. This year I am trying a heat tolerant broccoli. And I was able to get some cilantro, and the pansies did beautifully and seeded themselves and also, surprisingly, came back this year as I thought they were annuals. Not knowing this, I planted more, but I have a place for them. The only thing I lost was lettuce cuz I only palnt Iceburg. I started them sooner indoors this year and hope that makes a difference. Next year will be my 3rd year planting with a "real" garden, so hopefully, 3rd times a charm!