Thanks for 'helping'

13 years ago

Hubby is at it again. He "helped" me by putting out ALL of my seedlings from the basement. He thought that getting them out from under the artificial lights and into the natural sunlight would be good.

But it has been cool here (40 at night, maybe 50 during the day)so he thoughtfully put them in the hoop houses that are over the sfg. And, I need to add, closed up the hoop houses so they would stay "warm"

They are warm alright! He aparantly has never heard of hardening off. I tried to explain that they were getting too much sun and would probably burn up. He will not hear of it.

So I have resolved that regardless of the weeks of tending my babies, watching out for damping off (had none), keeping them close to the lights but not too close, talking to them and occasionally singing them to sleep, my seedlings have been sentenced to death by UV rays.

IF any survive the next few days I will be amazed. I thought about trying to rescue them but decided a few burned seedlings were not really worth hurting hubby's feelings. I guess I can plant again direct in the hoop houses.

Pray for my babies. They are all alone in a hostile environment.

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Comments (8)

sleepy33
13 years ago
You're right; they're probably going to die. I know you don't know me from Adam, and I guess it's none of my business, except that you've posted this on a public forum. But by golly, if my husband did that and then tried to tell me I was wrong and wouldn't let me take them out again...we would have a serious problem, Houston. You say you don't want to hurt his feelings, but doesn't he care about your feelings? Not to mention the time, effort and money you've spent thus far to start those seedlings. I say save your seedlings now and think about feelings later. If he has never 'heard of hardening off', then print off the FAQ and let him read for himself. Take a thermometer out there and measure the temps inside the hoop house. Tell him you'll do an experiment; move the rest of the seedlings to a shady spot to start hardening off, and leave one seedling inside the hoop house to fry. That'll show him.
oilpainter
13 years ago
I agree with sleepy. He never would, but if my husband did that there would be war. I certainly wouldn't pander to his lack of knowledge and his ego. Take your plants back into your own hands or they will be dead.

It made me mad just to read your post
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nutsaboutflowers
13 years ago
Did your husband move all your plants when you weren't home? Were your plants in the house annoying him? If he honestly was being nice and trying to help you, isn't he reasonable enough to listen to " Thanks Dear for trying to help, I really appreciate it, but........."

If you're the gardener and he's not, how can he "not hear of it" when you tell him your plants are going to die?

Take back control of your plants. You didn't do all that work for nothing. Good luck =:)
momstar
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you all for the virtual wake up call. What sleepy said motivated me. I went home at lunch yesterday and explained the idea of UV versus temperature. He had called in the morning and told me that they were all looking happy and loving it. So I took him out there about 1 and showed him they were sad and sunburned. So he helped me move them to the covered patio where they could spend the rest of the afternoon in the shade.

I'm pretty sure I lost my maters. Peppers looked okay. Some of the flowers were a little stressed out so I'll have to see how they look today before I'll know if they are fatally wounded.

We moved them back to the hoop houses at dark last night. He has instructions to let them stay out until around 9 am and then move them to the shade again.

I could see he was genuinely concerned about them and he really just thought he was helping. I was a fool not to speak up sooner.

Thank you all!
oilpainter
13 years ago
Good! Being kind to your husband is one thing-- being fool hardy to please him is another. I am glad that was the case and that both of you learned something from this experience.

The tomatoes might not be a lost cause. A few sunburned leaves does not kill the plant it just sets it back a bit. Just keep them growing and see what happens. Good Luck.
sleepy33
13 years ago
Oh good! I am very glad you guys got it worked out. I posted a few days ago about how my husband 'helped' by mowing the yard- right over my thriving new foxglove plants. So I know where you are coming from with the 'helping'.:) I'm sorry for your tomatoes, if they don't pull through, but at least you resolved the issue and saved what you could. And nice of your hubby to 'babysit' the plants while they are hardening off!
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b
13 years ago
I want to chime in and say how great it is that he is learning through this about the plants so that in the future he'll most likely be such a helper you'll wonder what you ever did without him. Kudos to him for being teachable and willing to admit his helping wasn't quite up to snuff, and kudos to you for nicely teaching him via experience how he can REALLY help! Sounds like ideal gardening partners.
momstar
Original Author
13 years ago
Update. We went out to put the babies to bed last night. They had to go back in the hoop house because the low last night supposed to be 30. My 16-yo looks at the pathetic maters and asked "what is wrong with these?" Before I could speak hubby jumps in and says "sunburned".

By George, I think he's got it!!