i potted up some french marigolds yesterday and i am wondering if i can move them out of my conservatory into the unheated greenhouse with a propagator lid over them at night for extra protection against the cold.
would they be OK or should i keep them in the conservatory and if the should be kept in the conservatory at what consistent night time temp would be OK for them to be moved out into the greenhouse ???.
to give you an idea of their size most of them have two true leaves or the starting of their first true leaves. also so far, the night temps over the last two weeks have ranged from 4 to 8 degrees with a couple of nights where we had some frost which didn't affect the greenhouse plants.
trying to make space all round the great spring shuffle is certainly on :D
My 30+ varieties of Tom are going out under fleece today... marigolds next week... :) Chillis next week as well... hopefully! :)
saddad when you say out do you mean into an unheated greenhouse/ outside.
Into the unheated greenhouse... under fleece, but it's the school's one so I can keep them away from the glass... in the 8x6 things often get too close to the glass and get frosted, where things say 3" from it in the big one are fine.. :)
Quotetrying to make space all round the great spring shuffle is certainly on
Tell me about it!
There is no right/wrong answer to this one.
It is a risk choose what you do, having said that there are various forms of protection you can take;
Can you make a fleece tent over your greenhouse bench/bed as a temporary measure? Make it so that it is removable and you can lift it back during the day and put it back in the evening.
Ideally you don't want to get below 4°C (40°F).
If frost is forecast fetch them indoors overnight then take them back the following morning. I know this is a hassle but its for safety reasons.
Keep them on the dry side, marigolds can stand it. You will find if you do keep them relatively dry the root temperature will be a few degrees warmer than the air temperature around them.
Thats all I can offer I am afraid its a perennial problem with gardening and its another reason I sow later than most, I don't have to put up with the hassle as long!
I'd say keep them indoors as long as possible. Remember how tasty they are to slugs and snails? :( >:(
G x
thanks guys for all your replies i think they will be going out today and i will keep a very close eye on the nighttime temps forecasts but in the mean time i would also use a propagator lid over them at night as extra protection.