Well, I have been doing what all good gardeners are supposed to do - "hardening-off" my seedlings by gradually acclimatising them to outdoor conditions prior to planting them out. My Tomato plants were really in desperate need of more light than they could ever get when living on a windowsill.. They had already gone thin and spindly, and looked far too pale. So I have had them outside in the garden for a few days, protected by the ever-faithful mini-greenhouses. Until the last few days I had been bringing them indoors at night, but last weekend I potted them up into larger pots since they had outgrown the tiny 3" pots in which they had been living since germination, and I judged that it was no longer practical to bring them indoors. I therefore took a chance and left them outdoors overnight from Thursday night onwards. It looks as if this may have been a costly mistake, because many of them have gone droopy.
I hadn't expected this. I had hoped that the plastic greenhouses would provide sufficient protection for them to successfully survive the night-time temperatures of 5 or 6 degrees Celsius we have had. Evidently not. Many of them are floppy and shrivelled up! The next photo is of a "Ferline" plant, normally one of the biggest, strongest types, but the one seen here is looking very sorry for itself.
Will they survive? It could go either way. Fortunately some varieties are affected less than others. In the next photo there is an "Orkado" one at the left, still looking OK, but the "San Marzano" one at the right looks as if it may be finished.
Maybe my plans to have just the right number of Tomato seedlings this year rather than far too many like I normally do will be thrown into confusion? Not that I had exactly the right number: I actually had only twice as many as I needed, so hopefully there will be enough survivors to keep me happy! :-)
Meanwhile, here's a view of the Intensive Care Ward.... Will a couple of nights in the warmth put them back on their feet, so to speak???
Wow, wish mine were this big! Hope enough survive for you. This year maybe shows why they put so many seeds in the packet. My first lot all damped off, except 2 hardy little seedlings. Not enough light in the house, too cold in the greenhouse. I replanted and let them take their chance in the greenhouse, but they've had to come back in again with frost the last 2 nights.
ReplyDeleteOh Mark...what a sad thing to have happen. I know the love that goes in tomato seedlings. I over planted big time, and now I'm scrambling to get in pots. It never ends does it....all in a good way,
ReplyDeleteAnd this morning we have frost everywhere!!! Most of the plants are ruined. That's it. I'm off to Africa for some heat and sunshine and won't be back till July!!
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is a really difficult year this year - shall I, shan't I. I had hoped to do lots more outdoor tomatoes this year - I have potted on once already. Hope yours all pick up (you can always buy some as replacements) it wouldn't be the end of the world!
ReplyDeleteI vaguely remember this happened last year to Matron at http://veggies-only.blogspot.co.uk/
ReplyDeleteI think she took cuttings from the plants, grew them on and ended up with a successful crop. Of course, I could be delusional, it is early and I've only had one coffee.
Hope things work out, my tomatoes haven't even germinated yet :{
I do find that recently potted up plants can be less tolerant of extreme conditions that those which have been in their pots awhile. In hindsight it might have been better to either harden them off completely before potting up or alternatively pot them up and keep bringing them in. Its hindsight annoying??? I hope that enough revive for you.
ReplyDeleteThe first one doesn't look too bad?!?!?
Oh dear - we've even had frosts this week! Can you wrap an old duvet (I know everyone has one - well maybe bubblewrap) round the greenhouse overnight to give a bit more protection
ReplyDeleteOh no! Fortunately some don't look too bad and will hopefully survive. It's amazing how the weather can differ from year to year, and how some years we can get things outside much sooner than other years. I think we're destined to have the windowsills in use for a much longer period this year.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking San Marzano was more cold resistant. I sowed Alicante, Amish Gold, Moneymaker and San Marzano on 16th April and left them to germinate in our unheated greenhouse. So far only San Marzano have germinated - I'm assuming the others aren't going to. I have a feeling it's going to be a bad year for tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! Hopefully they can come back. I wonder if you transplant them deep the roots will help out the tops...
ReplyDeleteFortunately (for me), I don't garden in the extremes of temperature that you do but having said that, I've had almost full grown tomato plants look just like yours and they have thrived. Tomatoes are quite hardy and robust, really. I reckon with a bit of a prune of the worst affected leaves, they will bounce back and you will be grappling with a jungle in no time!
ReplyDeleteI think they will come back. I planted out several polish linguista and brandywines weeks ago. Placing them under cloches at night. Some of the brandy wines were a foot or so tall when planted. (Ended up planting most of it beneath soil) Didn't realize it was going to be mid 20F/-4C one evening. Forgot to put on the cloches and bam. Instant death. Or so it seemed. They were still sprouting leaves out of the "dead" stem. So long as the roots are good and prolific, they are good to go! :)
ReplyDeleteIt just happens to look very ugly.
Oh I think they will recover and be fine!
ReplyDeleteI think (hope) you're only looking at a setback. Most will recover (fingers crossed). So at worst, your harvest may be delayed by a couple of weeks. This may be a good thing if the cold, wet weather sticks around.
ReplyDeleteI hope your "sad looking" Tomatoes recover. I've got only 3 outside which are just about surviving. Only a couple of hours sunshine (yesterday) for ages, cold temperatures and a constant cold breeze are not the ideal conditions for Toms. My Cucumbers (ridge) are still in the greenhouse along with 30 more Tomato plants. At the moment it's 100% cloud cover and rain again, so no chance of anymore planting out yet.
ReplyDeleteI hope they recover... I'm going to wait a few weeks and buy some seedlings for tomatoes this year. I've only got room for a few plants and they'll stay in the greenhouse! A.
ReplyDeleteGood luck. I have a May 15th planting date for my tomato. I'm hoping it is a tad warmer by then (or at least like it is today). If not I'll plant them out under plastic. I hope yours survive.
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of courgettes, cucumbers etc. in our mini greenhouses at the moment. I have been covering them overnight with fleece and thick netting aswell as corregated plastic at the sides to keep as much warmth in as possible!
ReplyDeleteI hope they make a recovery, I don't know why they wouldn't..
Martin