Tiny plug plants - when can I put them outside?

Hi folks

I'm a real novice gardener and have just bought some trays of mini plugs from Tescos for (what I think is) a good price. They are the really tiny ones maybe an inch in size. I have repotted them into little 2" pots (it said to do so on the packaging) but I dont know if I can put them outside yet - I have one of those metal racks with a zip up plastic cover. Is it too early yet or will they be ok in there? The are all in trays sat on my dining table at the moment, so hoping to get an answer before dinnertime!

The plants are petunias, impatiens and geraniums. They'll eventually be going into hanging baskets.

My other question is - seedling compost - bought some from Wilkos the other day to pot these up and its rubbish compared with other stuff I've bought in the past. Anyone know any good CHEAP bags of seedling compost please? The Wikos stuff has so much rubbish in it its more like normal compost than seedling stuff.

Thank you

 

Hello Karen. I can't see where you live so don't know what your weather is like. (Go to UserCP - personal profile - enter a location and it will show in your posts.
Those little plugs you bought are half hardy so they won't stand any frost. but if the weather is decent and mild, with care, you can put them outside now. If they'e been living indoors I would harden them off - put them out during the day and take them in at night - for a few days. After that they should be fine in your little plastic greenhouse as long as you keep an eye on the weather. Watch out for frost !
You can buy a sheet of fleece for putting over them at night if it's cold.
Hope your plugs make great baskets for you.

PS And make sure the plants don't fry in the greenhouse.

 

Thanks Alice.

I live in Birmingham, but my garden is quite windy, although the plastic should protect them from that I think! ??

Havnet had any frost for a while here. I'll do as you suggest - put them out in the day for a week then bring them in at night.

The fleece - do I just lay it over the tops of the plants?? - geez thats probably a really stupid question and I bet you're laughing just reading this - I usually buy bigger plants later in the season for my baskets so I havent a clue! - sorry!

 

I bought cheap stuff from netto, just seived the lumps out.
I've got a plaggie shelf type too. With a decent thermometer in their I've found it rockets to 30degree easily so careful eye on opening and closing the zips will be required to stop em cooking or freezing.
I'm doing it for first time too. Hopefully an old hand can give you a more definative answer.
Good luck.

D

 

Thermometer!! - hadnt even thought to get one! - oops!

Back to homebase I guess! - whats the ideal temp - any ideas?

 

Hi Karen. You'll get the fleece in Homebase if you're going anyway. It doesn't cost much. It's very lightweight so doesn't squash plants. You just put it over the plants like a blanket - in several thicknesses if you like or kind of scrumpled into a bundle.
In an ideal world the temperature should be above 5 degrees at night and not too much above 20 during the day.

 

Thanks Alice. My little plugs will be all cosy in their duvets tonight lol

This is a fab site - sorry for the stupid questions!

 

Hello Karen
I agree with the advice from Alice ,your plugs will be OK in the plastic green house at 5°c+ . Just keep an eye on the night temp for your area , the Meteo group weather site link below is a pretty good one. It gets a bit chilly Tuesday night / Wednesday morning in your area As for the compost we have had lots of threads and posts on the best quality compost . Seems like there is lots of poor multi purpose stuff about . The advice seemed to be, to avoid the peat free stuff. Wickes and B n Q's own brands had the thumbs up

City weather: The weather for Birmingham, United Kingdom.

 

Thanks Harry - I've saved that weather site as a favourite. I have a Wickes fairly close so I'll stock up ready for when I make up the baskets later on.