Tomato plants

thomas_beasant

Hi,
my tomato plant seedlings have been growing well but now there leaves are discoloured. I have put them out in the sun during the day but was it to cold? Have I done something wrong?
see picture:

Kili

If your in the UK, yes it's too cold to put them out at the moment, even though the suns out the cold wind wont do them any good. If you have a greenhouse you can put them in there during the day once its warmed up but, you need to bring them in at night ( unless your heating the greenhouse). 
You need temperatures to be consistently at 10 degrees or above before leaving them out permanently.

Mine are still in the house under grow lights (and I have a greenhouse). Mine wont go out until the end of April at the earliest and that will be in the greenhouse only (not outside)and I'm as far south as the bay of Mont St Michel of the coast off France.

thomas_beasant

Hi Kili,
So keep them indoors in the warm is the way forward, do you think they will survive by the look of them?
Thanks

BobTheGardener

They will probably survive but may just sit there for a while before starting to grow again (known as being 'checked' in gardening terms.)

Fairygirl

Yes - it's light they need just now @thomas_beasant but it's too cold for  tiny plants like that outside just now. 
Don't be fooled by any good weather and warmer temps you may have had recently either 

Can I just clarify - it's night time temps which need to be consistently above 10 or 11 degrees. Also - make sure you avoid fluctuating temps. Greenhouses and especially those plastic ones, get very hot through the day, and very cold at night. Even on days which aren't particularly hot, the temps in a greenhouse can soar. 

Kili

You want to slow there growth really as you've sown about a month to early. I've sown early because I have a greenhouse I can put mine into.
If you have a sunny porch at your home stick em in there during the day ( as long as temperatures are not below 10 degrees and bring them back into the house at night

The leaves that look faded look like the seed leaves to me not true leaves but, I'm no expert there are many on here who I'm sure can chip in and advise but looking at your images I would say they will be okay they may have been been put in check by the shock of the cold winds. Once those damaged leaves ( They look like the seed , not true leaves so I'm not sure there is any damage) start to deteriorate just pull them off. 

If you have spare seed wait a couple of weeks and sow so more then they will be just right for going out in May when temperatures have risen to the season norm. ( Hopefully).