Tagetes and Lettuce; when to plant out?

[Wilder]

(Phew, you even have a place for the really stupid questions!)

I sowed Tagetes and lettuce in January and they're big enough now to pot on. I've put the lettuce in bigger pots but how long before I can start to harden off and plant out? I don't have a coldframe as such but I make do with some see-through sturdy storage boxes on a warm south facing balcony. Can I put them out in that now? ???

[Wilder]

[1066]

the only thing I'd say is that it still seems quite cold at night so if you can tuck them up a bit it would help.  You could pop them outside in the day time and bring them back in at night for a few days  :-\  But If you don't try you won't know (you can always sow some more  ;) )

1066

ps I've only just got round to sowing some of mine and when they are ready to pot on / plant out I'll put them under a home made cloche type thingy - which will have fleece stuff / polythene to keep their tootsies nice and warm  :D

[plot51A]

Lettuce are actually quite cool customers and if they are a fair size I'd get them hardened off asap and out in the ground. I threw some salad mix under my PSB last autumn and now have a nice selection of little plants growing happily rather to my surprise.
Don't know about tagetes - think they might need a bit more mollycoddling than the lettuce.

[1066]

I love this site you get such good ideas - thanks for that one plot51A  - one to remember for later in the year  ;D

[Wilder]

what's PSB?? Peas and Beans?? ???

[1066]

Purple Sprouting Broccoli - and with any luck mine should be soon ready for picking  ;D

[Wilder]

thanks guys, what I've done is to pot them on and put on the balcony in see-through plastic storage boxes as my version of a cold frame. I can see from one lettuce I tested last week like this that's it's doing fine so fingers crossed for this lot.