Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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March 28, 2018 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,836
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Screwed up again...
Planted/germinated way to early... I'm out of lights and grow space...
My 10 day forecast doesn't look good... |
March 28, 2018 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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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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March 28, 2018 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Phoenix, AZ (zone 9b)
Posts: 796
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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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I could sail by on the winds of silence, and maybe they won't notice... but this time I think it would be better if I swim.. |
March 28, 2018 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Southeast Kansas
Posts: 878
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Bigger pots and plant them deep!
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March 28, 2018 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NE Texas
Posts: 425
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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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March 29, 2018 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
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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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Gardeneer Happy Gardening ! |
March 29, 2018 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,793
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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. |
March 29, 2018 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 992
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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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March 29, 2018 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Philly 7A
Posts: 739
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LOL, we all have done that.
I found a decent spot for expanding last year. Hanging from the ceiling |
March 29, 2018 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,836
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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. |
March 29, 2018 | #11 |
BANNED FOR LIFE
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
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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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March 29, 2018 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Central Georgia
Posts: 366
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Farmers don't wear watches; they work until the job is done! |
March 29, 2018 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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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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March 29, 2018 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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March 29, 2018 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,836
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