I just read a bit in a magazine from a well known gardener where he said you didn't need to harden off plants before planting out, you just planted them then to protect them, cover with fleece, I have never tried planting straight into the soil, but have moved them out of the greenhouse and protected them at night with fleece, has anyone just planted then protected straight from the greenhouse and if so we're you pleased with the results?
Just to add, would it work with potatoes
What about the temperature of the soil when you plant out?
Would you transplant something that was in warm compost in the GH into frozen soil? I wouldn't. not without warming up the soil first.
(03-01-2021, 09:58 PM)Veggie Wrote: [ -> ]What about the temperature of the soil when you plant out?
Would you transplant something that was in warm compost in the GH into frozen soil? I wouldn't. not without warming up the soil first.
I agree Veggie I think the cold frozen ground would shock the plant. Also there’s no way I would move potatoes, once in the ground leave them there but don’t plant till end of March
I don't tend to harden plants off too much before planting out. Out of the greenhouse today, into the ground tomorrow. If you sow at the right time, the soil should be the right temperature when it is time to plant out. The one crop I have most problems with is french beans. This is partly my fault as i sow may be 60 to 80 seeds in a seed tray. So there is not a lot of leeway for planting out as, if you leave it too long, the roots are a devil to disentangle and will be damaged. also the plants are quite tender. For some reason, when I want to plant the out, the temperature drops somewhat and the wind picks up. Their initial leaves are tender and easily damaged. Covering them with fleece when it is windy will result in quite a bit of damage to french beans. I can attest they do recover but I think the crop is then reduced somewhat.
Sorry I now realise that I missed part of the advise, it would appear that pre-warming the soil makes no difference to new plantings, hence the question would it work with potatoes, I generally cover the soil with black plastic for about 2 weeks before planting
I don't understand your question?
Do you mean planting potatoes in cold soil and covering them with fleece?
Why do potatoes farmers cover the potatoes in Black polyethylene is it to speed up the warming process for soil and tuber ?. Would I benefit by doing the same when I plant my drills in March/April?
(04-01-2021, 12:19 AM)Veggie Wrote: [ -> ]I don't understand your question?
Do you mean planting potatoes in cold soil and covering them with fleece?
Yes, if planting plants straight from the greenhouse, without hardening off and warming the soil makes no difference to the growing of the plants, do you think planting potatoes straight into the soil, again without trying to warm the soil up,( as I have done in the past) , do you think it would make any difference to the growth of the potatoes, evedently I would need to cover the shaws with either fleece or soil for frost protection, as the come to the surface but I am wondering if I have been giving myself unnecessary work in the past and if warming the soil makes no difference to the plant growth are the farmers spending time and money unnecessarily, after all good marketing makes you think some unnecessary things are needed
I don't know much about how farmers grow spuds as they're not grown in quantity around here but I'm sure that farmers wouldn't spend money on anything unnecessary - it eats into their profits.
I've never used fleece for any outdoor crops - too much hassle.
Veggie if I don't use fleece it cuts down my garden season by 4 to6 weeks I noticed a photograph that you had posted showing trees still holding their leaves the trees round about my garden have been completely bare for the last 5 weeks