GA: Tomato "victim" for experiment! (cool nights coming up, and not yet sun-hardened)

Decided to throw caution to the wind and do an experiment by planting one tomato at GA now rather than waiting until the end of cool nights and before finishing the sun-hardening.

So, at the south-most edge, planted a Damsel.  Dug as deep as I could with the spade because the tomatoes are so dang tall.  Then sprinkled the usual (mrp, kelp, az, alfalfa) along with a few leaves.  Watered it, covered it more, added a few more of the amendments, then covered it the rest of the way.  The only babying I did was to tie it to the pole to help with wind support.

Several cool nights are coming up, the coldest being 8 degrees based on the forecast today.  Tomorrow will be full sun -- whereas the only sun hardening it's had so far is basically today with ~1 hour of morning sun!

So -- this will be a fun experiment to see what happens!

I'll probably try planting a pepper plant too for the same experimental purpose.

Tomatoes and ground cherries starting hardening off

Today was just 30 minutes in full shade.

Will do the usual very gradual hardening off, which as of this year entails NOT going back upstairs under lights, just coming inside on the kitchen table when not outside.

First direct sun for hardies (just 15 minutes)

The hardies are now outside in the shade along the fence all day, as long as it's +4 or warmer.  Today they got their first direct sun (aside from whatever sun they may get through the fence).  Kept it short at 15 minutes.

Hardening day 2 -- and now living downstairs full time (hardies only)

Today the hardies went out in full shade for 2.5 hours.

And I decided I'm done with lugging them up/down stairs, under / out from the lights -- so they'll live on the kitchen table when not outside.

Hardening off started today! Shade only, ~+5 to +8

Today I finally started hardening off!  Everything except the peppers and stevia.

So, here's what's getting hardened:

- broccoli

- parsley

- celery

- chard

- kale

- onions

- lettuce

- forget-me-nots

- coreopsis

(I think that's it?)

Today was after work, so it was all shade, and it was cool but above zero, somewhere around +5 to +8.  They were out for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The next couple of days will be too cold, and a couple of days next week look to be too cold, but other than that these babies are going to get used to outside (gradually, of course).

Bad weather -- delayed in starting to harden off -- no room left under lights!!

Argh, the three main shelves are completely full so I desperately want to start hardening things off so that there will be space next week when the next batch of seed-starting is due.

I'm hopeful that the weather will cooperate this week, to get started.  But first, I want to finish placing the chicken wire, to hopefully be sure that the local rabbit(s) can't come in and have a feast!

Started hardening the hardies

Putting them out in the shade for a few hours in the warmer part of the day, then back under lights.  (Only on days that are ~+5 or warmer.)

Started hardening the zukes, cukes, and begonia

Today was cloudy with showers, so I left them out for the whole daytime in the shade.

After these, the only thing left to harden will be the basil but I'll wait a smidge longer for that.

Hardening off tomatoes (many are very leggy, too tall for lights) and stevias

Weather forecast is very nice -- warm daytimes, lots of sun.  So, today started hardening the tomatoes and stevias.

Whatever imbalance in my homemade potting mix that affected the dill (leggy with poor roots) seems to be affecting several of the tomatoes too.  Not sure what their roots look like yet, but several are so leggy.  I'm assuming too much nitrogen, not enough of the other stuff.

The leggy tomatoes have outgrown the space under the lights, so I'm grateful for the warm weather to start getting them outside.

Dills starting to be hardened off (need to free up space under the lights)

Will do the "inside at night while cold, outside during day when +~3 degrees" dance with the dills.  Need to get them out to free up room under the lights.

Everything brought inside for tonight (0 degress) and tomorrow night (-5)

Will just keep them inside tomorrow during the day and put them back out on Thursday.

All cold-hardies have been outside 24/7 as of a few days ago

(Still in pots)

First day of direct sun for hardening-off plants

40 minutes today.  (In the shade for the rest of the day, and in at night because nights still going below zero.)

Hardening off of onions, parsley, broccoli, and celery started today

Hardening will be a bit sporadic because the weather forecast is so-so.

But today started with 1 or 2 hours in the afternoon shade, around 2 or 3 degrees.

Hardening update: Zinnias and tomatoes

Zinnias:  Started hardening a few days ago.  Outside all day (has been nice and warm) in shade, some sun.  Inside at night.

Tomatoes:  Started hardening today.  Just because they look so sad.  In shade in afternoon.

Have been hardening all of the cold hardies

For the last week or two most of the cold hardies (chard, parsley, celery, piracicaba broccoli) that I started inside have been hardening off, now just coming in on the coldest nights.  Should be ready to transplant soon.

Everything outside 24/7 with no protection (but weather has been great, warm/hot)

There are still a few cool nights in the forecast:  May 23rd will go down to 8 degrees, May 27th will go down to 7 degrees.

Planning to wait until past May 27th 7 degree night before planting the ground cherries, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and definitely basil.

Hardening off (see notes)

Zinnias and sunflowers fullish sun 9:55am to 3pm (by moving them to follow sun bec many of these will be planted out front) = 5 hours

 

Others (incl ground cherry) full sun from ~10:10 to 1:30pm = 3.5 hours

 

(there was occasional cloud; left everything uncovered today)

 

Hardening (see notes) - very hot today, almost 30 degrees

Zinnias and sunflowers in full sun from 9:55am to 2pm (by moving them to follow sun, bec many of these will be planted out front) = 4 hours

 

Others (incl ground cherry) in full sun from ~10:10 to 12:50pm (placed heavy cover at 12:50pm) = ~2.5 hours (very hot today, don’t want to overdo it) (removed cover at 3pm)

 

Basils had less time in sun bec forgot to put them outside until ~10:30am, then covered them at 12:50pm = ~2 hours

Hardening (see notes)

(I lost track of time so didn’t put the cover on until 12:30pm vs. the planned 11:45am):

 

Zinnias and sunflowers in mostly full sun (there was some cloud) from 9:55am to 12:30pm = 2.5 hours

 

Others (incl ground cherry) in mostly full sun (there was some cloud) from ~10:10 to 12:30PM = 2+ hours

 

Everything under heavy row cover from 12:30pm to 4pm (forgot to remove it sooner), then removed cover and kept in shade for rest of day.