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Old March 28, 2018   #1
pmcgrady
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Default Screwed up again...

Planted/germinated way to early... I'm out of lights and grow space...
My 10 day forecast doesn't look good...
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Old March 28, 2018   #2
Cole_Robbie
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Either buy a bigger light, like a 400 watt metal halide (or better yet a 1000w), or cobble together a plastic house outside. You'll only need it to last 1-2 months.
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Old March 28, 2018   #3
sirtanon
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You could also get one of these nice little portable outdoor rolling mini-greenhouses. This one is only $30 on Amazon.
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Old March 28, 2018   #4
Patihum
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Bigger pots and plant them deep!
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Old March 28, 2018   #5
ChristinaJo
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Don't beat yourself up. We all screw up. I agree with Patihum, repot and plant deep until weather lets you put them in the garden.
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Old March 29, 2018   #6
Gardeneer
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How about starting hardening off process ? This is if you anticipate planting off in 15 days or so.
This way you don,t need anymore indoor lights. I have done just that. I kept/put them in the garage at night and on real cold days. Now I am planting out.
Tomato plant can stand a night low in low 30s, IFF hardened off.
Also in cool tems they won,t get leggy.
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Old March 29, 2018   #7
bower
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Been there done that, and expecting the same in two weeks time... I took the early gamble again this year. My plan, if it's too cold to plant I'm putting them out in the greenhouse anyway for the hardening off effect and let the cool weather keep them small. Last year I held them back two weeks due to bad weather - really bad as in greenhouse snow covered and freezing temps - and they were insanely overgrown before they went out. If the same thing happens I will just cover them at night inside the gh and hope for the best.

So if I were you, I'd go for rigging up an outdoor plastic cover if you can.
I would use a bench or table that the seedlings fit on. Tack on some supports for the plastic cover. And I would let the cover droop to the ground as well to keep cold air from blowing in under. If extreme cold, you could try Cole's trick of putting a heater to run underneath the table. Using christmas lights - the old ones that give off heat, is another trick people use if they have electrical options to add a little heat when needed.
Using mass to moderate temperature is also really helpful. So if you can set up against a wall that gets the sun or other sheltered area that helps. Also sealed buckets of water under the table, smaller juice or pop bottles full of water can also be on the table around the plants, to help retain heat and moderate temperatures.

Come to think of it, just buying a bigger light bulb sounds a lot less work.
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Old March 29, 2018   #8
Spike2
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LOL I feel your pain! I hung a 4' shop light in my laundry room because of the same thing!
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Old March 29, 2018   #9
SQWIBB
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LOL, we all have done that.
I found a decent spot for expanding last year.

Hanging from the ceiling


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Old March 29, 2018   #10
pmcgrady
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I’ve got six 4’ shop lights (12 bulb total). Some tomato plants are over a foot tall and have been repotted once. I would top some of them and make clones, but don’t have the room or the lights.
I planted too much, too early.
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Old March 29, 2018   #11
AlittleSalt
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pmcgrady, I did the same thing. I lost about 15 plants - they were backups, but still, I wish I had planted less plants.
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Old March 29, 2018   #12
Miss_Mudcat
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SQWIBB View Post
Hanging from the ceiling
Brilliant!! Genius!!
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Old March 29, 2018   #13
BigVanVader
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I feel ur pain, almost 1k plants of mine got frost burn and are to ugly to sell...this weather has been insane.
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Old March 29, 2018   #14
Cole_Robbie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigVanVader View Post
I feel ur pain, almost 1k plants of mine got frost burn and are to ugly to sell...this weather has been insane.
wow, that sucks, man. sorry to hear that.
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Old March 29, 2018   #15
pmcgrady
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigVanVader View Post
I feel ur pain, almost 1k plants of mine got frost burn and are to ugly to sell...this weather has been insane.
Wow and I thought I had problems... sorry to hear that.
10 day forecast shows lows in the low 20’s here Wednesday.
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