When to start in unheated greenhouse.

Heirloom gard · January 9, 2014

I talked with Harmony staff and they've okayed me using the greenhouse at harmony learning center. I can start my seeds in there new outdoor greenhouse this spring.

Trouble is I live in zone 4, in twin cities, MN.. My garden planner says I can start pepper and tomatos indoors on April 19th. Indoors probably means heated, do I need to take this into consiteration.

When do you think I could start them.

bitterwort · January 10, 2014

Last year I started the hottest, longest-season peppers indoors at the end of February, the regular hot and sweet peppers early to mid-March, the standard tomatoes March 26, and the cherries on April 26. That was a bit later than I usually start them, but last spring was cold in the Twin Cities and since my plants usually spend some time out in the unheated greenhouse, I couldn't risk an earlier start. All were started in the house and grown under lights at first. That schedule worked out pretty well for last year's weather. Hard to say what this year will bring.

The size of the greenhouse available to you may affect the temperatures. I'd want to be doing some monitoring of both daytime and nighttime temperatures before I put any plants in it unattended.

Heirloom gard · January 10, 2014

okay i will call them today at work and see 1 how much space they have and what temp its at.

recruiterg · January 10, 2014

I start earlier than Bitterwort. She has a nice greenhouse set up. I don't have a greenhouse. I have used a cold frame in the past. I start tomatoes about 8-10 weeks prior to plant out date. Thus, I typically shoot for May 15th plant out I start tomato seeds on or about March 1st-15th. I start peppers 3-4 months prior to plant out. I start plants under florescent lights in my basement and the basement temp is cold (prob about 60 degrees F) so the plants grow very slowly and develop nice root systems. Once they get outside and the temps warm up, they really take off.

ddsack · January 10, 2014

My schedule is just like Bitterwort's - except cherries are started along with the other tomatoes. I have an unheated greenhouse as well, but don't mind (well ... I mind, greenhouse is down a hill about 250 ft away ...) carrying them back into the house at night before they get transplanted into individual pots, which I don't rush to do. I do have an electric oil filled radiator type heater, but it doesn't do much if the temps fall below 23-24F at night. Last year I bought a large pop-up cold frame which I put on our deck with blankets underneath. The intention was to bring seedlings in every night into the living room. I had planned to use it for earlier onion seeds and flowers, but did use it for tomatoes as well. I kept three thermometers - one a wireless remote - to be sure of safe temperatures. I have light shelving in my basement, but like to get seedlings out into real daylight as soon as possible. I know many people can't do the carry in/out thing if they are employed, because they have to leave for work before the early morning temps get safe enough to set out.

Cole_Robbie · January 10, 2014

The last two or three years, the weather has been all over the place. So I would interpret dates loosely based upon what the weather seems to be doing. Two years ago, March was warmer than May was for me last year.

Freezing is what kills them, so I would just watch the weather and bring them inside your house in the event of a late freeze.

Heirloom gard · January 11, 2014

I talked with helen at work , they might move things into centurys heated greenhouse- also I get 72 plugs.

January 9, 2014	#1
Heirloom gard Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: St paul MN Posts: 73	When to start in unheated greenhouse. I talked with Harmony staff and they've okayed me using the greenhouse at harmony learning center. I can start my seeds in there new outdoor greenhouse this spring. Trouble is I live in zone 4, in twin cities, MN.. My garden planner says I can start pepper and tomatos indoors on April 19th. Indoors probably means heated, do I need to take this into consiteration. When do you think I could start them.

January 10, 2014	#2
bitterwort Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MN Zone4b Posts: 289	Last year I started the hottest, longest-season peppers indoors at the end of February, the regular hot and sweet peppers early to mid-March, the standard tomatoes March 26, and the cherries on April 26. That was a bit later than I usually start them, but last spring was cold in the Twin Cities and since my plants usually spend some time out in the unheated greenhouse, I couldn't risk an earlier start. All were started in the house and grown under lights at first. That schedule worked out pretty well for last year's weather. Hard to say what this year will bring. The size of the greenhouse available to you may affect the temperatures. I'd want to be doing some monitoring of both daytime and nighttime temperatures before I put any plants in it unattended. __________________ Bitterwort

January 10, 2014	#5
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,220	My schedule is just like Bitterwort's - except cherries are started along with the other tomatoes. I have an unheated greenhouse as well, but don't mind (well ... I mind, greenhouse is down a hill about 250 ft away ...) carrying them back into the house at night before they get transplanted into individual pots, which I don't rush to do. I do have an electric oil filled radiator type heater, but it doesn't do much if the temps fall below 23-24F at night. Last year I bought a large pop-up cold frame which I put on our deck with blankets underneath. The intention was to bring seedlings in every night into the living room. I had planned to use it for earlier onion seeds and flowers, but did use it for tomatoes as well. I kept three thermometers - one a wireless remote - to be sure of safe temperatures. I have light shelving in my basement, but like to get seedlings out into real daylight as soon as possible. I know many people can't do the carry in/out thing if they are employed, because they have to leave for work before the early morning temps get safe enough to set out. __________________ Dee **************

January 10, 2014	#4
recruiterg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4) Posts: 945	I start earlier than Bitterwort. She has a nice greenhouse set up. I don't have a greenhouse. I have used a cold frame in the past. I start tomatoes about 8-10 weeks prior to plant out date. Thus, I typically shoot for May 15th plant out I start tomato seeds on or about March 1st-15th. I start peppers 3-4 months prior to plant out. I start plants under florescent lights in my basement and the basement temp is cold (prob about 60 degrees F) so the plants grow very slowly and develop nice root systems. Once they get outside and the temps warm up, they really take off.

January 10, 2014	#6
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	The last two or three years, the weather has been all over the place. So I would interpret dates loosely based upon what the weather seems to be doing. Two years ago, March was warmer than May was for me last year. Freezing is what kills them, so I would just watch the weather and bring them inside your house in the event of a late freeze.

January 11, 2014	#7
Heirloom gard Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: St paul MN Posts: 73	I talked with helen at work , they might move things into centurys heated greenhouse- also I get 72 plugs.