How windy has it been?

tj

Was that 5 weeks inside under artificial lights? Generally I'll place mine outside as soon as they pop up as long as the temp is at least in the mid-50's under a warm sunny sky and it's not too windy. When indoors I'll place them in a sunny window if it's too cold or windy outside. This gives them a head start on the hardening process.

Do you give them a good watering first? As our friend above says, perhaps it's the wind. They would need to be sheltered.

I put them inside a large kiddie pool which blocks the wind and used a lawn chair to cast shade over them. They have been grown under grow lights and indirect light from glass french doors. It was too cold in Pennsylvania for me to have had them out before now.

This is a picture of one of the leaves from after I brought it in

My first thought would be wind too for the plants to wilt like that once outside. Even in a deep kiddie pool the wind isn't going go be entirely blocked- though it will help reduce the wind a lot. I wouldn't be the temps outside since 65 is around what indoors is unless it's a big change. OP. Like if in the house it's full light 68 with no air movement and outside it's 65 in the shade with some breeze that might make a tomato wilt a little. Not a lot or for very long, but it could happen.

The pic of the plant does not look wilted at all, that looks fine. The leaf damage could be wind, or errant air liquids hitting the leaf. Random like bird pee or a drop of collection off a tree or structure that happens to blow over and land there. Sometimes a lonely raindrop or few falls randomly.

I wonder what the soil temperature is under the kiddy pool? Pots sitting on soil below 42 degrees can cool down enough to cause stunting and wilting even if the air temperature is in the 60's.. Pot soil going from 70 to even 50 in a hour or so and could be a shocking experience for a young plant.

Heat rises so wouldn't the pool act like a cold sink?

I have it sitting on top of my deck. Interesting point you bring up. I will have to do some researching. Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can harden them off correctly?