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Pulaski Tn blkcloud@igiles.net

oK HUFF..WHATS THE BEST WAY TO HARDEN OFF MY MATERS?? JUST PUT IN A ORDER FOR ABOUT 600 SEEDS TODAY, HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE A 50% SURVIVAL RATE..BIG ZAC, SOUTHERN NIGHTS (A BLACK TOMATOE) MORTAGE LIFTER, BRANDYWINE,PINK AND RED,A COUPLE OF BUSH HYBRID TYPES CASPIAN PINK, SUPERSONIC HYBRID AND SOME MORE BUT I DONT REMEMBER THEM RIGHT NOW..THANKS!!

2/5/2003 7:17:50 PM

canal winchester ohio

By hardening your tomatoes off, I would guess you mean to the direct sun, so your tomatoes won't wilt in the direct sun. The way I have always taken care of mine is to get the weed blocking fabric from Lowe's. Not the shiny plastic stuff, but the black cloth. 50% of light will come through. After you stake and plant your tomatoes, run more stakes between the rows and stretch the fabric about three feet high on both sides of the plants. This will protect them from sun and wind. And if you allow a little "sway" in the cloth it will deter birds a little. If I've taken this in the wrong direction & ya need more ideas just let me know..........Paul

2/5/2003 7:56:50 PM

Sask, Canada

Yep, wrong direction but cute...lol

Hardening off your maters refers to placing them out doors after starting them from seed indoors.

What you want to do blkcloud (depending on where you live)is once your seedlings are about a week or so away from planting in the garden is to "Harden them off" or acclimatize them to the outdoors.

I usually set mine out the first day for about an hour, just place them in the area you want to plant them, this is so they get the same light etc.

Bring them in again like I said after about an hour back under lights, continue this for a week adding a half hour each day till you plant. Once in the ground make sure they have protection from frost until the danger has passed if you live in the upper northern regions, like using wall of water or a mini-greenhouse.

Hope you luck with 600, go'in be alot of work...

Hoped this helped
TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

2/5/2003 10:56:26 PM

canal winchester ohio

Ernie, it may be cute but it works for me. I don't worry about the cold as I put mine out about May 25th. Long past any frost. And I don't have the time to take my plants in & out each day as I work long hours. So by doing it the way I do I can set them straight out without worrying. And please in the future don't talk down to me & refer to things I may say as "cute". I'm a grown man......speak to me as such.........Paul

2/6/2003 8:14:27 AM

canal winchester ohio

Man that ticks me off

2/6/2003 8:15:31 AM

Sask, Canada

Sorry Paul, I didn't mean to offend you. I was kind of in one of those moods last night. Budweiser does that.

I took what you ment "I would guess you mean to the direct sun, so your tomatoes won't wilt in the direct sun"

and

"This will protect them from sun and wind"

that you weren't quite sure what hardening off tomato's was as it refers to temperature change and not wilting, sun, wind etc...

So I thought I would put my two cents in to help blkcloud however 1) I missed the fact he addressed his question to you and 2) that your method was due to the fact you didn't have time to take them in and out and you put them out after danger of frost.

Maybe blkcloud should have e-mailed you directly and asked instead of posting it in public.

Sorry Again
TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

2/6/2003 10:44:35 AM

Pulaski Tn blkcloud@igiles.net

wELL BETWEEN THE BOTH OF YOU I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS I NEED!! THANKS!! I HAVE IN THE PAST STARTED SOME AND PUT THEM OUT WITH OUT GETTING THEM ADJUSTED TO THE CONDITIONS AND MAN THEY DIDNT MAKE IT 1 DAY!! HEY ERNIE..HOW DO YOU AFFORD BUDWEISER?? I ALWAYS HAVE TO LIMIT MY BEER MONEY TO NATURAL LIGHT, 12 PACK IS ABOUT THE SAME AS A 6 PACK OF BUD HERE..I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE EMAILED HUFF PRIVATELY BUT THEN I WOULDNT HAVE GOTTEN ALL THE ANSWERS..FROM MY PEA SIZED BRAIN I ONLY REMEMBER HUFF AS BEING THE MATER EXPERT AND I DONT REALLY HAVE TIME TO GO BACK AND SEARCH THE SITE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN ON MATERS.. I SHO DIDNT MEAN TO GET NUTHIN STARTED TWEEN Y'ALL..

2/6/2003 11:50:43 AM

Sask, Canada

Afford Budweiser hell I get the wife to buy it and yes Huff is quite knowledgable on alot of things learned alot from him and I just put my two cents in at the wrong time and ticked him off but we all do that to each other around here from time to time, albeit not this soon in the season, lol...

TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

2/6/2003 1:52:40 PM

canal winchester ohio

No problem Ernie.....It's all good. I knew that being from Tennesse sun would be a bigger problem than the cold.
:)

2/6/2003 3:50:40 PM