i'm growing cherry tomatoes from seeds again this year and just planted the seeds a few days ago. next year, i think i'll do what you did, and start the plants indoors.

I scoped out the weather and decided that the maters are going outside on Sunday, after tomorrow's "wind event." I will protect them from full sun and wind for a few days. I hope to plant them in ground by tax day or sooner.

I've got three outside protected by "Wall O-waters" and so far, so good. I don't normally set them out this early but the seeds were sown and the seedlings were doing so well that I went ahead and took the risk. They are the cultivar 'Stupice' which was developed for greenhouse growers in the far north so the plants handle cool temps better than most. The fruit is small and not all that exciting. The plants have been in the ground for two weeks and have already doubled in size and are blooming. I put large flower pot over them at night.

You do understand that the send-them-outside, never-to-bring-them-back-inside approach isn't really in line with "hardening them off". You're supposed to baby them those first couple of weeks even if it means bringing them back inside.

Boy, that sounded snooty. Sorry, that wasn't what I wanted to say. If space and light are limited inside sometimes you have to just close your eyes and take the risk outside. I did it this year only because I found three wall-o-waters in the garage (I've had them for years and don't remember ever using them nor where I got them). I must say that they really seem to work. The three seedlings I have outside are growing just fine even with last weeks frost.

I have upwards of 30 tomato plants potted up (and some more inside I still need to pot up) and no space for them inside with good enough light. I put them outside over the weekend and built a protective enclosure on the deck to keep the wind, direct sun and DOG away from them. Last night was their first night out.

I will probably haul them inside tonight due to the big storms predicted as well as the low temps. I don't trust the layers of horticultural fabric to protect them from a 1" severe rainstorm. I can't wait to get through this first year of hardening off seedlings. I am probably being overly protective, but next year I will know better. I need a "seedling sponsor" to help me through these steps LOL. Two things I have learned so far: 1) the germination rate is very high (i.e., I overplanted); and 2) don't start too soon...

I try to start a few things early and then sow some more in the middle of the season and then a few towards the end to be replacements if something horrible happens in the garden.

There's no way to predict the weather and I remember an early May freeze a few years ago. Most of the time early tomatoes don't have much flavor even if you are picking them the first week of May. I know none of mine ever have.

There is a point in the sowing and garden planning moments where I hear a voice in the back of my head asking "just how much of this are you really gonna eat?"

I plan to start sending mine out this weekend. The weekends
are much easier, as you can control when they go out and take
care of them in case of emergency (ie. wind/rain)

I know one who sends his 1000s of seedlings out mid/late March
to harden off. He has a good wind/sun protected driveway that
allows for relatively quick transport back into the garage on
frosty nights, which facilitates the hardening off process for
him. But man are his plants hardy!

As for planting out, there are 2 schools of thought.

1. The earlier the better. - I don't like this one, as no matter what kind of temp protection you give above ground, the roots will still be cold. Thus the plant will just sit there until the soil warms up.

2. Wait til after the first or second weekend in May. Around here, that's a pretty safe bet for no frost and a warmed up soil for good growth.
However, those that did this approach last year, didn't have mature enough plants when the heat hit, and production suffered.

Me, I like end of April as a good compromise. Soil is warm and it gets them in early enough to set fruit before the
big heat waves arrive.

Lee

I checked the weather forecast and the temps for the next 10 days are all above 50 at night (according to weather.com). I think I will risk planting some of mine this weekend. Even if the flavor isn't the greatest, they are too big to keep inside any longer.