Planting out tomatoes, chillies, aubergines, melons etc

[Allotmenteer]

Hi Charles

I am based in South London. My heat loving plants are all quite grown (indoors). When could I hope to set them out at the earliest in my polytunnel? I also have many chillies, peppers and tomatoes to set outdoors. When could I risk those? The spring has been so mild!

Your advice is appreciated

[charles]

Allotmenteer, I am afraid you have sown too early, in portion to your propagation facilities, if your plants are too overgrown for their current location.
You will appreciate after this experience what is your best sowing date. The ones I suggest in my timeline are an average, for example I sowed tomatoes 20th March and they are still quite small, which is fine for my ready-date, after salad finishes, and nights warm up, of early to mid May. I shall not plant aubergines in the tunnel before mid May.
I would keep your plants going indoors as best you can, for about another two weeks, when it should warm up. Tomatoes are the exception and may be ok to go out now esp as you are in a big city.

[Allotmenteer]

I sowed my peppers and chillies after mid-february following your timeline. Some of my chilli plants have flowers.
Are your plants still in a heated environment? Maybe mine grew a little fast as they are under grow lights indoors?

[charles]

Wow then they have grown fast. But should be ok to keep growing undercover, they can grow quite large if you pot them on, no rush to plant out, unlike say lettuce.

[Allotmenteer]

Thank you for the advice. Here they are: Costoluto Fiorentino and Cayenne Chilli

[Allotmenteer]

Costoluto planted after mid march and chilli mid february

[charles]

Sounds good and normally one plants tomatoes at 8 weeks old, chillies up to 10 weeks

[Author]

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