In the Garden with Pat Rubin

Bee garden writer Pat Rubin writes about everything that grows, from flowers and trees to vegetables and lawns. Pat volunteered for several years as a Placer County Master Gardener and has written about gardening for many national and regional publications. In addition to gardening, she spends time raising and showing miniature horses and miniature donkeys.

In the Garden will include news, events, advice and other gardening tidbits. Pat will also answer reader questions.

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March 27, 2008

Putting seedlings outdoors

I live at the 3,000-foot elevation. How do I move my tomato seedlings from indoor lights to the outside? When should I plant my tomatoes outside?
Andrew Peterson, Placerville

Moving seedlings from the warmth of indoors or of a greenhouse into the big, big world is called hardening off. The key point to remember is it is a gradual process.

Take any nice spring day, the sun is out, it isn’t windy, there is a definite feeling of warmth in the air. Put the seedlings outside in a protected spot for an hour or two. Bring them back in before the sun starts its downward trip.

Do the same thing the next day, but for an hour or two longer.

Repeat until the seedlings are out all day, then leave them overnight.

If you push them outside too soon, they’ll die from the shock.

For tomatoes, the seedlings should have at least one, preferably two or more, sets of true leaves. These are the leaves that look like tomato leaves, not the seedling leaves the plants have when they first sprout.

By late April, the plants can safely be in the ground. If you want to put them in the ground sooner, protect them with a piece of row cover, or a milk jug with the bottom cut out (a mini greenhouse), or products like the Wall-O-Water.

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