Will I have to

[Southern Gardener]

harden off my tomatoes and peppers that are growing in my greenhouse? I leave the door and windows open during the day and they get the temps that are outside and good air circulation (we've had pretty strong winds for the last few days) and they all look great.

 

[lesa]

Yes!! Being out in direct sunlight is not the same... Take your time and make sure they are ready. You don't want to lose your seedlings! If you have them outside for a few hours a day, for 3 or 4 days, they should be fine.

 

[ducks4you]

I don't know about where YOU live, but MY biggest problem is wind!!! I bring in geraniums every winter and replant them in the same places in front of my house and in 2011 I had to put wood up to block the wind in April. These plants were big and hardy, but they were falling over and losing leaves.
Little 3" seedlings don't stand a chance. Do you have any sunny window places to put a few tomato plants? You could get 3-5 of them really big inside then wait until late April to put them outside to harden--they'll survive better, IMO. And, yes, I want early tomatoes, too.

 

[Southern Gardener]

Thanks Lesa - I'll definetely harden them off then. I'd hate to loose them after all the babysitting I've been doing! Ducks, we've had a lot of wind here also.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

I don't know about where YOU live, but MY biggest problem is wind!!! I bring in geraniums every winter and replant them in the same places in front of my house and in 2011 I had to put wood up to block the wind in April. These plants were big and hardy, but they were falling over and losing leaves.
Little 3" seedlings don't stand a chance. Do you have any sunny window places to put a few tomato plants? You could get 3-5 of them really big inside then wait until late April to put them outside to harden--they'll survive better, IMO. And, yes, I want early tomatoes, too.

Same here. It's like living in a wind tunnel up here, we are onto of a hill and that makes is worse. I can put them the shade to start hardening but the wind is so wicked that they loose more leave to wind burn.