Could this be..? - General Gardening - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

dubwise · 04-23-2009, 04:47 AM

Hello all....I've got an odd situation and perhaps some of you can clue me in.
I've started a ton of various veggies & herb seeds and most everything that I've moved outside looks like crap. We're past the last freeze and we've had sufficient rain. Tons of sunshine too. The evenings still get a bit chilly (low 50's on occasion)
I begin in a perlite/vermiculite mix (fed BC 2 part nutrients and thrive alive, then if the plant is moving outside it gets transplanted in a larger container and in a nice soil. Once outside, they're fed molasses tea 1x a week, then I water as needed. The plants which stay inside, get transplanted into bigger containers in hydroton....they look nice.

So how come my plants outside look weak (real weak)? They've been outdoors for 2 weeks and the only things that look good are my collards, cabbage, brussel sprouts. My tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans look bad.

Could the problems be due to the cooler temps at night?
Could the problems be due to nutrient loses?
What do you folks think?

wastekan · 05-03-2009, 08:12 AM

When taking plants from the indoor "easy life" to the great outdoors you need to "harden" the plants, prepare them for the temperature changes, the sun, wind etc.
I use whats called a "cold frame" kind of a mini green house with a top that i can prop up, at first i open it for a couple of hours and gradually extending the open time taking about a week to 10 days till its open all the time.
Another method is to set the plants out a few hours (3 or 4), increasing the time outside and hour or so each day and bringing them back inside after each hardening period until they are outdoors full time. i wouldn't recommend putting them back with your other indoor grow...BUGS!!

Wait...What? · 05-03-2009, 04:45 PM

Your nights are still too cold. Your cool weather crops are doing fine and your warm weather crops are suffering. Funny, that

Its not enough to be frost-free. It needs to be warm [not cold] at night, and the soil needs to be warm too.

In my zone I don't waste my time putting warm weather crops out until after the new moon in May.

https://www.almanac.com/garden/plantingtable/index.php

dubwise · 05-05-2009, 03:25 AM

Thanks. You're 100% right. I studied up after posting and should have certainly hardened the plants. When you are first doing this, how many hours a day do you begin the process?

puffdragon · 05-05-2009, 11:01 PM

I also use vitiam B you get at the plant store for transplanting and the shock of good luck

SouthernGuerila · 05-06-2009, 12:15 AM

Well you just stated all your cool weather plants are doing fine and hot weather plants are not.

So I concur with whomever said it was still getting too cold.

maryjohn · 05-07-2009, 01:20 PM

get yourself some heavyweight floating row covers, and cover all those warm season crops, except the beans. Pull the beans and put them on your compost pile, and start them again directly in the soil when soil temps are above 65.

If you can't use a row cover because of your setup, you can use a cloche, wall o water, or put a carboard box on top every night.

Don't give up! With the row covers you may just wind up with the first tomatoes and no bug problems. Remember to remove the covers when it's time to pollinate.

You can get an idea of your soil temps here

04-23-2009, 04:47 AM	#1
dubwise in the thick of it Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: deep dark jungle Posts: 3,002	Could this be..? Hello all....I've got an odd situation and perhaps some of you can clue me in. I've started a ton of various veggies & herb seeds and most everything that I've moved outside looks like crap. We're past the last freeze and we've had sufficient rain. Tons of sunshine too. The evenings still get a bit chilly (low 50's on occasion) I begin in a perlite/vermiculite mix (fed BC 2 part nutrients and thrive alive, then if the plant is moving outside it gets transplanted in a larger container and in a nice soil. Once outside, they're fed molasses tea 1x a week, then I water as needed. The plants which stay inside, get transplanted into bigger containers in hydroton....they look nice. So how come my plants outside look weak (real weak)? They've been outdoors for 2 weeks and the only things that look good are my collards, cabbage, brussel sprouts. My tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans look bad. Could the problems be due to the cooler temps at night? Could the problems be due to nutrient loses? What do you folks think?
	Quote

05-03-2009, 08:12 AM	#2
wastekan Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 54	When taking plants from the indoor "easy life" to the great outdoors you need to "harden" the plants, prepare them for the temperature changes, the sun, wind etc. I use whats called a "cold frame" kind of a mini green house with a top that i can prop up, at first i open it for a couple of hours and gradually extending the open time taking about a week to 10 days till its open all the time. Another method is to set the plants out a few hours (3 or 4), increasing the time outside and hour or so each day and bringing them back inside after each hardening period until they are outdoors full time. i wouldn't recommend putting them back with your other indoor grow...BUGS!! __________________ Send lawers guns and birdshot...
	Quote

05-03-2009, 04:45 PM	#3
Wait...What? Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,125	Your nights are still too cold. Your cool weather crops are doing fine and your warm weather crops are suffering. Funny, that Its not enough to be frost-free. It needs to be warm [not cold] at night, and the soil needs to be warm too. In my zone I don't waste my time putting warm weather crops out until after the new moon in May. https://www.almanac.com/garden/plantingtable/index.php __________________ I'm just a simple gardener. 1ppm == 1mg per liter
	Quote

05-05-2009, 03:25 AM	#4
dubwise in the thick of it Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: deep dark jungle Posts: 3,002	Thanks. You're 100% right. I studied up after posting and should have certainly hardened the plants. When you are first doing this, how many hours a day do you begin the process?
	Quote

05-05-2009, 11:01 PM	#5
puffdragon Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: in a land called honilee Posts: 46	I also use vitiam B you get at the plant store for transplanting and the shock of good luck __________________ sorry about the spelling, but its the thought that counts
	Quote

05-06-2009, 12:15 AM	#6
SouthernGuerila Gotta Smoke 'Em All! Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Under the old oak tree. Posts: 1,188	Well you just stated all your cool weather plants are doing fine and hot weather plants are not. So I concur with whomever said it was still getting too cold. __________________ NORML - Take Action NOW!
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05-07-2009, 01:20 PM	#7
maryjohn Banned Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,160	get yourself some heavyweight floating row covers, and cover all those warm season crops, except the beans. Pull the beans and put them on your compost pile, and start them again directly in the soil when soil temps are above 65. If you can't use a row cover because of your setup, you can use a cloche, wall o water, or put a carboard box on top every night. Don't give up! With the row covers you may just wind up with the first tomatoes and no bug problems. Remember to remove the covers when it's time to pollinate. You can get an idea of your soil temps here
	Quote