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Ive grown some lovely strong courgette & cucumber seedlings (my first ever) & today they had there first day outside in a plastic greenhouse with the door open all day. I was going to leave them in there tonight (with door closed) but Ive just brought them back indoors because it seems quite cold (low 2 degress forecast for tonight). Ive put them on windowsills in unheated rooms without double glazing so they dont get too warm again.

But Im wondering if they would have been ok if I had left them outside in the unheated plastic greenhouse?

I think Im being abit over protective of my new babies  ;)   

If they are just out of the propagator or a warm place since they germinated I would be doing the same. It may take a few trips in and out till they harden up a bit.

Better safe than sorry is my motto. You will kinda 'know' when to leave them out in the greenhouse with fleece. :)

I think you have done the right thing.

I remember leaving some courgette seedlings out in a plastic greenhouse on the bottam shelf and the next morning the snails had eaten the lot.Just lots of little stumps left. :)

Why expose young seedlings to freezing temps?I know you can fleece them but surely a lot easier just to bring them in as you have done. :)

Thanks Star, Im such a newbie I had no idea that Im supposed to take them in & out for awhile, Ive never hardened off any plants before....thought I was being obsessional  ;) :D  

Thanks for warning me about the snails Betula.
I wouldnt have thought about protecting them from that kind of attack & would have been mega gutted to wake up to stumps  :'(

Quote from: Crystalmoon on April 09, 2008, 21:29:56
Thanks Star, Im such a newbie I had no idea that Im supposed to take them in & out for awhile, Ive never hardened off any plants before....thought I was being obsessional  ;) :D 

Its not obsessional.....honestly. I mean Im not, no your not..........we're not ;D ;D ;D

Its just that they are so young and the night temps dont do the newly germinated tender things any favours. I would rather take a few extra trips than lose things.

My g'house is 2' x 6' and I would say its similar to a plastic house in the respect that it has not a lot of floor space for radiating heat at night.

A large polytunnel on the other hand has lots of floor space which gets warmed up by the sun through the day, and radiates much more heat at night. I feel we are doing the right thing with the conditions we have  :D ;)

Happy growing ;)

saying that, my gherkins have been growing away in an unheated greenhouse for over a month now and i noticed that tomatoes are germinating, i only light candles in there at night if its going to be cold, but they seem ok. Carmens on the other hand are staying indoors being mollycoddled for the time being, at over a pound a seed!!!

How big is your greenhouse Gunnerbee? I would put candles in mine, but they would be too close to my green things. Mind you I dont need to light them, do I? ....... ;D ;D ;D ;D

mines 8x6 but i made a frame so i have a path in the middle on the floor, i stand my candles on a piece of glass with tealights and holders, i buy the big church candles from tescos £2.50 for two and they last for 72 hours each.

Oh that brings back such lovely memories. I used to have one 10' x 12' :'( :'( It was fab and heated too. I manage well with what I have now.......but memories hmmmm. Lovely memories and HOURS of happy pottering. Then again I had a garden big enough to warrant a large greenhouse........not no more though ::)

i need more staging got stuff all over the floor!!

Snap, we have some 1" angle coming at the weekend. So thats hubbies next project ;D ;D ;D