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Old October 23, 2010   #8
wordwiz
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: OH
Posts: 29
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i lived in Zone 5 until this year. Didn't move, but has been 35 years since Cincy had temps in the minus 20s or lower.

Anyway, I start my toms in to-go plastic containers from a restaurant, usually around the middle of March. It takes them 3-6 days to sprout and within about two weeks, most of them have reached the 3" height level with a couple sets of true leaves. I transplant them into nursery cell flats, either the 18 or 36 per 1020 flat variety. By then, it is early April so they go into the greenhouse. It has a 13-mil fiberglass reinforced top and the typical AC coating. The GH faces south and has a 1200 watt electrical heater - just in case.

Because it is a hill-jack GH, the front is simply reclaimed house windows (but with plastic on the inside to act as an extra layer of insulation without significantly cutting down on light transmission). As long as the forecasted temps are above 45, I don't worry about turning on the heater. Even when it is, I can set the thermostat to the lowest setting.

Cool temps, IMO do not hurt seedlings - if anything, they make them stronger and contribute to a bushier plant. Warm temps, especially in combo with a moist soil and plants that are fertilized, will lead to leggy seedlings that take a lot more care to prepare for transplant.

YMMV,

Mike
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