I started tomatoes, lavendar, and red salvia plants indoors and take
them out for sun every day. The weather has not been kind to us and
is still in the low 50's.

Without killing my small plants, or letting them get long and leggy,
or just die, how cold can it be for them outside????
TIA, Nanzi

Where do you live, state would help?


BetsyB



"Nanzi" wrote in message
ups.com...
I started tomatoes, lavendar, and red salvia plants indoors and take
them out for sun every day. The weather has not been kind to us and
is still in the low 50's.

Without killing my small plants, or letting them get long and leggy,
or just die, how cold can it be for them outside????
TIA, Nanzi

"Nanzi" wrote in message
ups.com...
I started tomatoes, lavendar, and red salvia plants indoors and take
them out for sun every day. The weather has not been kind to us and
is still in the low 50's.

Without killing my small plants, or letting them get long and leggy,
or just die, how cold can it be for them outside????
TIA, Nanzi


I wouldn't push your luck below 50 for tomatoes. The flowers...maybe 40.
Cabbage family laughs at adversity - high 30s for them. But, remember that
it can often be quite a bit colder at ground level than where your
thermometer is mounted.

On 19 Apr 2007 09:26:57 -0700, Nanzi wrote:

I started tomatoes, lavendar, and red salvia plants indoors and take
them out for sun every day. The weather has not been kind to us and
is still in the low 50's.

Without killing my small plants, or letting them get long and leggy,
or just die, how cold can it be for them outside????
TIA, Nanzi


Lavender is OK, although less so if they are very young. The tomatoes
will die at 32 degrees. Take them in or protect them if low
temperatures (anything in the 30's) are in the forecast. Not sure
about Salvia.

betsyb wrote:
Where do you live, state would help?


BetsyB



"Nanzi" wrote in message
ups.com...
I started tomatoes, lavendar, and red salvia plants indoors and take
them out for sun every day. The weather has not been kind to us and
is still in the low 50's.

Without killing my small plants, or letting them get long and leggy,
or just die, how cold can it be for them outside????
TIA, Nanzi



I know what my frost date is, Temperature is temperature no matter
where you are, however I am in Delaware. I'm not talking about
leaving them out overnight, just the lowest temps that will be healthy
or safe for them. They did fine at 54 all day, and I think we're
finally getting some decent weather here. over 65 today.


Thanks for everyones help and advice.

"Nanzi" wrote in message
ups.com...

betsyb wrote:
Where do you live, state would help?


BetsyB



"Nanzi" wrote in message
ups.com...
I started tomatoes, lavendar, and red salvia plants indoors and take
them out for sun every day. The weather has not been kind to us and
is still in the low 50's.

Without killing my small plants, or letting them get long and leggy,
or just die, how cold can it be for them outside????
TIA, Nanzi



I know what my frost date is, Temperature is temperature no matter
where you are, however I am in Delaware. I'm not talking about
leaving them out overnight, just the lowest temps that will be healthy
or safe for them. They did fine at 54 all day, and I think we're
finally getting some decent weather here. over 65 today.


Thanks for everyones help and advice.


Although gardeners are often too busy in the fall, it's good to pay
attention to which plants are killed by first frost, and which ones laugh at
the cold. Also pay attention to possible "mini-climates" around your home.
East side, near the foundation, you may find certain plants live quite a bit
longer in the fall, and sprout sooner in the spring. This can be a guide to
planting in the future.

Tomatoes, Lavender & Salvia?

Seems to me young tomato plants are prefectly safe at 50 degrees,
although they'd grow faster wigh more heat. Our (established) lavender
seems brutally hardy so I'd reckon youngsters can easily stand some
cool days. Salvia we've grown in the past but I don't recall how hardy
it was. Seems to me it didn't always overwinter (zone 7 maybe 8.) But
surely almost everything will survive 50 plus?

I've done it myself!

Alexander Miller
Port Alberni, B.C. (The Province, not the Era )

Your plants will survive above freezing, but growth won't actually
occur until about 10 C degrees or so (about the low 50's I think so
you should be OK). More for most cultivars of lavender. Pansies will
go to about -7, and most of my spring bulbs are fine with temps down
to -5C or so at night, but I wouldn't try that with your tomatoes.

Consider springing for some lights next year. You start plants early
to give them a head start on growth, and putting them out in marginal
temperatures doesn't let them do that. Yet it's very awkward to cover
them at those temperatures because the plants can heat up quickly and
do themselves in. I lost a whole tray of plants last week because I
didn't vent my cold frame. I left in the morning when it was about 0C,
and the temperature went about 12C in the afternoon. By the time I
came home from work they were just fried! You can get row covers
though that are permeable and continue to allow air circulation.

If your plants are looking a bit peaked, I wonder if your plants were
hardened off before you put them out. They can basically go into shock
if just suddenly put outside for the entire day.
Dora

On Apr 20, 8:05 pm, bungadora wrote:
Your plants will survive above freezing, but growth won't actually
occur until about 10 C degrees or so (about the low 50's I think so
you should be OK). More for most cultivars of lavender. Pansies will
go to about -7, and most of my spring bulbs are fine with temps down
to -5C or so at night, but I wouldn't try that with your tomatoes.

Consider springing for some lights next year. You start plants early
to give them a head start on growth, and putting them out in marginal
temperatures doesn't let them do that. Yet it's very awkward to cover
them at those temperatures because the plants can heat up quickly and
do themselves in. I lost a whole tray of plants last week because I
didn't vent my cold frame. I left in the morning when it was about 0C,
and the temperature went about 12C in the afternoon. By the time I
came home from work they were just fried! You can get row covers
though that are permeable and continue to allow air circulation.

If your plants are looking a bit peaked, I wonder if your plants were
hardened off before you put them out. They can basically go into shock
if just suddenly put outside for the entire day.
Dora

Dora I think you are right about the hardening off, although I've not
had a problem with it in the past. I've lost part of the lavender, and
a few 'maters, but I had so many planted I'll still have enough
tomatoes for half the county. Those lavenders are tender little
things. I hope I can keep a few of em alive.
Nanzi

On Apr 22, 9:17 am, Nanzi wrote:

Dora I think you are right about the hardening off, although I've not
had a problem with it in the past. I've lost part of the lavender, and
a few 'maters, but I had so many planted I'll still have enough
tomatoes for half the county. Those lavenders are tender little
things. I hope I can keep a few of em alive.
Nanzi- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Good luck. I finally came to the realization this year that I don't
start plants off from seed every year to save money. After all I lose
half of them and then usually have to buy supplements from the
greenhouse.

Hopefully my seedlings will make it. I'm beginning to have doubts
about the Cherokee purples (tomatoes). They are suffering from some
kind of fungal disease - maybe damp off, but they're about 6 inches
tall so it takes longer. Their lower leaves start wilting and dying
and next thing I know the entire plant is compost. The cherry
tomatoes are unaffected but then they're already twice the size. I've
put some of that anti-damp stuff in the water, and plan to get them
outside this week - it will be warm enough during the day and the air
circulation will do them good.

Dora