Bringing VFT's out of the garage

[DelawareJim]

When do fellow growers in the colder parts of the country start to bring their VFT's out of the garage or fridge?

I've been following the Wilmington, NC weather these last few weeks and temps are starting to reach houshold temps.

Cheers.
Jim

[Fred P]

Hey Jim,

I live in Southeastern, MI (Zone 5/6) and I usually bring mine out (with my Sarrs) around mid April or so but I always have to watch the weather to make sure we're not going to get a hard frost which might damage flower buds that have usually already started to form (on my Sarrs). It's kind of a balancing act between the garage and outside because in nicer weather, the garage starts to heat up faster forcing the plants the start blooming/growing. So on days that get above 38F or so, I have to open the garage door so it doesn't heat up too much. Just like today, it got to a high of 38F outside and the garage warmed up to about 55F while I was away (much too warm). I had to open the main door for the rest of the day to equalized with the outside temp. I'll be playing this game from now until April but I think I'm to try to take them out sooner this year. I use my S.Flava as a barometer since they are the first to send up buds in the spring. As soon as I see some forming, it's not much longer before they go outside. And trust me, with the size of my collection, I only want to make this move once. ;D

Good growing,
Fred

[Fred P]

Jim, btw, I would watch your weather in PA and not NC since that is where they are going to be when you take them outside.

[DelawareJim]

Thanks Fred.

I was wondering if everyone follows local weather and goes directly outside, or follows NC weather and goes into the house first then outside. The latter, although providing about one month extra of growing season, is much more labour intensive since you'd have to harden VFT's off to go from the house to outside.

Cheers.
Jim

[elgecko]

I take mine outside once the weather stays above freezing consistently.
I do have to bring them back into the garage from time to time if I take them out too soon and temps are below freezing.

[fredg]

When you all say outside, do you mean outside or outside inside a greenhouse?

[Fred P]

I mean outside in the back yard.....not in a greenhouse or any other structure. Just good old mother nature.

[DelawareJim]

Outside, outside...al naturale...on the deck.

Cheers.
Jim

[maureenbasden]

I was curious if your weather has been consistently below freezing. I live in NC near the coast and we have some cold weather yet to come. Today for example our morning temps were 28 degrees.

[Fred P]

Yes, its pretty cold here in Michigan. Only a high today of 32F and we got 4 inches of snow as well (about 70 inches already this winter season - well above avg). Sunday and Monday though are supposed to be a high of 45F and some rain. Hopefully it will melt some of this snow. Our low tonight is supposed to be about 18F to 20F. Feb is typically our coldest month where we might go for 6 to 12 days in a row that the high never breaks 32F. These are the times when my plants would freeze solid in the garage.

[DelawareJim]

It's been really squirrelly here this year; upper 50's to low 60's one day and 34 and snowing the next. Or we'll have a run of a couple of really nice days and then just as many below freezing. Most of my early spring bulbs are shot. Flowers open and then freeze off.

Cheers.
Jim