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Hardening off after short period indoors

cairnsiecairnsie Posts: 388
in Problem solving

Its my first post so be gentle. I have been growing plants in a small unheated mini greenhouse since september. The plants have managed fine coping with the temperatures as the greenhouse seemed to provide enough protection however due to the cold temperatures of -6 and below i brought them in the house. They will have been indoors for 2 weeks will i need to harden them off or should i just put them back out in the greenhouse when it warms up a little as i cant keep them in the house theres no room and i am growing a reasonable amount of plants.

Thanks for any replys

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Posts

  • kate1123kate1123 Posts: 2,815

    Which plants?

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 23,078

    Yes, it would be helpful to know what you are growing. Some plants are hardier than others. If they are hardy enough they would be better in the greenhouse as the light would be better, but if half hardy or tender they may need more protection. If you had a maximum/minimum thermometre you would know how cold it gets in the greenhouse.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • cairnsiecairnsie Posts: 388

    I took them in as they were starting to freeze. I am growing campanula carpactica, snow in summer, aubrita, sweet peas, dianthus deltoids. They have managed fine so far and i wouldnt have took them in otherwise.

    Thanks for the reply

  • cairnsiecairnsie Posts: 388

    I do have a thermoneter and its normall 3 to 5 degrees warmer than the outside temperature and have never frozen till the latest weather where we had prolonged temerature of minus 6 overnight

  • kate1123kate1123 Posts: 2,815

    I have most of these growing outside with no protection. I would get them back outside as quickly as possible but do it in stages, do you have a frost free garage ?

    When you say growing, what size are they?

  • cairnsiecairnsie Posts: 388

    They are in the larger platic trays which are about 2 to 3 inchs wide and the plants a wider than this now. if anything the plants look a bit better certainly my aubrita look alot better. Ill get them out on friday as we have 1 more bout of minus 6 thursday then its suppost to warm up

  • cairnsiecairnsie Posts: 388

    Unfortunately i dont have a garage

  • kate1123kate1123 Posts: 2,815

    I was just trying to think of somewhere that will be frost free, they will not enjoy going from central heating to freezing. what about a shed? Some fleece will also help.

  • cairnsiecairnsie Posts: 388

    I have a shed but to be honest it is not much warmer ill just take my chances see what happenes i might put them out during the day in the night for a few days to lesson the blow i have far to many plants apart from the sweet peas and can afford to loose over half of them. They were brought in for a couple of days in december when the cover tore on the greenhouse and i just put them back out. I just have to pray.

    Thanks for all the advice

  • kate1123kate1123 Posts: 2,815

    Good luckimage

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