Should these go outside or stay under the lights?

Time to vote on what happens to Joyce's tomatoes. Should I keep them under the lights a bit more, or should they go outside and weather the cold? Here is when I planted the seeds, Tomatoes and Peppers were planted 25th of January, the tomatoe sprouted and were put under the flourescent lights on February the 1st where they have been ever since. On the 28th of February I planted eggplant and cucumber seeds, they are up under the lights now also. Following are pics of my tomatoes and cukes as of today:

Another one:

I gave two of the biggest away to friends and here are some more:

Here are my cucumbers:

Let's have a vote:
Should the tomatoes stay up under the lights? Yes or No
Should the tomatoes go outside using Jaywhackers' method of toting them outside; so, if I get another frost which is very likely, I can tote them back inside, you make the choice for me.
joy

I say go outside in filtered sunlight with protection from the wind for a few days, then go to direct sunlight.

It's forecast 38º in Crestview, FL for tonight....Wed night - 47º, Thur night - 51º, Fri night - 55º, Sat night - 47º, Sunday night - 42º. It will be near or above 70º every day this week at your place. The plants will love that temperature.

What I did under these temperatures when I started was to take the plants out every morning at around 9:00 am and bring them back indoors before dark to a cool room in the house. However if you have a green house say like on your patio it may be good to just put the plants in it at night unless a freeze is forecast.

Jerry

This message was edited Feb 24, 2009 11:01 AM

Joy, keep those babies and give them a field trip everyday. They will probably be sturdier because of the hardening off process. I think you should plant some more seeds as insurance but take heart. If you can get them in and out without too much hassle you should go for it. That's my vote and I'm sticking to it. D

What Devota said....

It's a go then, they must get some fresh air and sunlight naturally, under my table out side they go and back in at night or if it gets cold.
joy

Joy,

You've got to check out this thread. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/943457/#new

This woman does most of the work herself....unbelievable!

This is where you will end up if you are not careful. LOL

Jerry

Jerry: Nah, not me. LOL I have a table that big though, the kind you see that are real long? That is what I had moved to the deck this evening, and the plants are going under it and if it gets too windy can put up some plastic I got all the way around it. The sheet, a white one I got, is for setting the plants on. The cucumbers are going outside too, I am going to put them in the Bloommaster basket where they will hang up in the back yard, easy to remove and bring in should I have to. The tomatoes are going to be in Bob's bags and buckets. I will continue the burying the stem routine with them. Gets too cold in the house they come. Now, it's right now cold, cause it's night, but it warms up during the day, so hope they make it. I'm also putting two tomatoes into the square footers soon. The ones in Bob's bags will be transferred to the hanging topsy's later on in late March or early April when they are supposed to be.
joy

I haven't seen CricketsGarden in little while, I need to ask her if she is still placing 2 tomato plants per 1 of Bob's growbag.....Bob and I both noticed it in pictures a while ago. I think she prunes well to be able to do that......I would like to know because 2 tomatoes per bag would be a space saver for me.

Bob's growbag is a 5 gallon bag. Have any of you ever planted 2 tomatoes per 5 gallon planter?

Karen, I saw that too and Bob asked her about 2 in a bag but she must not have seen the question. What kind of pruning would she have to do to get those 2 in a bag?

I don't know if she puts two to a bag but Cricket (we are talking the one in Alabama correct?) does prune her GH plants, or at least she did