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Light vs Heat

Clumber1Clumber1 Posts: 6
in Fruit & veg
Hello everyone, 

Another amateur veg grower here. I’m normally not organised enough to start my veg growing in the spring so usually end up just picking up a few plug plants in June/July. This year iv finally got the time to really invest in a real veg project and start everything from seed. I’m really enjoying it so far but the more I learn, the more I realise I’m making a lot of basic errors! So I’m afraid il be boring you with a lot of probably quite basic questions, il try to spread them out over a period of time so I don’t flood the forum.

My first question is quite a general one. Should you prioritise light or heat? I have tomatoes, chillis aubergines and courgettes in a south facing window but they only get about 4/5 hours of good direct sunlight. They aren’t obviously leggy so they aren’t starved of light but could probably do with a bit more. Would it be better to move them outside on a still day where the temperature is several degrees lower than inside but I’d be able to move them during the day so they are in constant direct light? The forecast temperature here is about 15 degree during the afternoon for the next couple of weeks. 

Also would there be any benefit to moving the chilli and aubergine seedlings into the airing cupboard during the night? I know they both like warm temperatures but all the advice I’ve seen about airing cupboards says get them out when they germinate. If it’s dark where they are in the window at night wouldn’t they be better off in the dark somewhere much warmer? The seedlings are about 2 inches tall at the moment. 

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Yes, as long as the outside temp is 15C or above (and not windy as you say), the plants you mention would benefit from being moved outside during those periods.  It can get cold on windowsills at night (especially if curtains are closed) so the chillies might benefit from being moved away from there at night (or don't close the curtains), but no need at all to put them in the airing cupboard.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Clumber1Clumber1 Posts: 6
    BobTheGardener said:
    Yes, as long as the outside temp is 15C or above (and not windy as you say), the plants you mention would benefit from being moved outside during those periods.  It can get cold on windowsills at night (especially if curtains are closed) so the chillies might benefit from being moved away from there at night (or don't close the curtains), but no need at all to put them in the airing cupboard.
    Thanks for your advice. Thats what I’ve been doing (putting them outside while it’s warm and not windy).  Was fairly confident that was the right thing to do whilst it’s been 20 degrees here the last few weeks but wasn’t so sure with the temperature set to be a bit cooler. 

    When inside they are on the floor by a 10+ ft floor to ceiling sash window with no curtains. I think il start moving them elsewhere as night as it likely gets a bit cold where they are. 
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    It's a balance, the warmer the plants are the more light they need, so no to putting the chili peppers in the airing cupboard.
    When you put them outside put them in dappled shade for the first couple of days if you can, if not then only have them out for 3-4 hours the first time. They're not used to full sun and can easily get burnt.
    Tomatoes can go outside down to 10C but no colder.
  • Clumber1Clumber1 Posts: 6
    Skandi said:
    It's a balance, the warmer the plants are the more light they need, so no to putting the chili peppers in the airing cupboard.
    When you put them outside put them in dappled shade for the first couple of days if you can, if not then only have them out for 3-4 hours the first time. They're not used to full sun and can easily get burnt.
    Tomatoes can go outside down to 10C but no colder.
    That’s very interesting what you say about increased warmth requiring increased light. I definitely won’t be putting any seedlings in the airing cupboard then.

    Does what you say about dappled shade and only giving them 3/4 hours in the sun apply every time I put them out, or is it just for the first time ever they are put in direct sunlight? I have had them all out in the sun on several occasions and they have seemed to get on fine. However after being indoors for a couple of days, the courgettes wilted quite badly when I bought them out. Wrongly I assumed they needed more water so gave them a good soaking and now the stalks have split on a couple of them from over watering. It’s amazingly easy to make mistakes when you don’t know what you’re doing! 
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