Windowsill to Coldframe?
Blue Onion
Posts: 2,995
Can I put my tomatoes/squash/peppers/etc (tender veg) directly from the windowsill into a coldframe? The coldframe I built is movable, so it can be direct sun or shade. I can bring plants in for the night if necessary. My problem is I'm fully employed, and can't do the gradual hardening off as some can (ie. two hours mid-day the first day, three hours next day, four hours after that, etc). Can I just pop them in the coldframe and leave them for eight hours the first day? I imagine I can start this weekend, so they can have two days of gradual outside time.. but this weekend is forcasted rain and wind, so not ideal. BUT, they are ready to go out, and my last day of average frost is next week.. so I would like to have them hardened and ready to plant out in two weeks time. We have a very short growing season here (Rocky Mountains), so I need to take advantage of every day possible.
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You can put them in the cold frame for a whole day and bring them in at night for about a week until they are a bit more robust and then they can stay in the cold frame until you are ready to plant them out.
Thanks.. that is what I was hoping to hear.
Early morning sun and afternoon shade okay for the coldframe? I don't want to sunburn or cook the plants. Or should it be all shade for the first few days?
It depends on the T in the frame. Peppers really do not like less than 10C and 4C stunts growth. I have mine in my glass coldframe, overnight too. Mine adds 3-4C compared to the air T. Part of the reason is that it has been in place months, and has warmed the soil lots. My polycarbonate frame seems to be less effective.
What kind of peppers are they? Capsicum chinense are very sensitve beasties.
Generally you put them in the frame with the lid slightly open for a few days, to,expoe plants to gentle wind. Strong winds are a no no. Especially if the frame is light, it could blow away.