Just make sure they don't get cooked on a hot sunny day.

Yeah, I definitely need to pay attention to the weather forecast because if I forget to lift a side, it could spell doom for those tomato plants. There's an outdoor electrical outlet adjacent to the table. I could suspend a small box fan inside (or small space heater if we get hit with a cold snap). The tomatoes grew unexpectedly fast this year (compared to last year.. planted 2 weeks later, but they germinated and grew larger faster thanks to the worm casting soil starter mix I made).

Don't feel bad...I have a similar cold frame. Mine is from recycled windows and wood pallets! My tomatoes are much smaller than yours...started about 3 weeks ago, but are stocky as anything! Broad leaves - about 4-5 inches in diameter across the plant, but only about 1.5-2.5 inches tall. I've never done tomatoes from seed before, but so far things are looking very good!

I started mine on 2/2, which was 2 weeks later than the previous year. They also grew faster, so I have to keep them sheltered awhile longer before it is officially safe to deploy them out into the wild. The bag over patio table seemed like a quick, easy solution. It seems to be working pretty good. Your plants sound great as well. I used shop lights and a small fan continuously blowing on them. The stems are as thick on mine as well. Here's March 16th
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Listen if it works it is good! Kudos to you!

I've got much the same problem with my tomatoes....I started them the first of March and they are getting way to big for the mini greenhouse I have them in, indoors. How low can the outside temps go with your setup? We're still getting 30 degrees some nights here in middle Missouri. I do have a place I could create an outdoor cold frame fairly easily, but will it protect to below freezing with no added heat?

Chuck

Chuck, it got down to 32 the other night here in Kentucky and the tomato plants made it through fine in the makeshift greenhouse. By the time I was outside at 7:30am it was nippy, but I didn't see any frost on anything. According to my photo journal from last year we got a hard freeze on April 14th 2008, so I'm not convinced we're 'out of the woods' yet. My photos showed me trying to cover tomato plants IN THE GROUND with pieces of old carpet, C2 Christmas string lights and loose straw. That was a pain to setup, but it worked. If we should have a freeze like that anytime soon I will simply add the string of lights to the patio table's support ring above the tomato plants. Those old style C2 Christmas lights put out some fair heat.

So how are the tomatoes doing now? I just ran across this post today while I was looking for info on greenhouse floor materials. I don't think it looks so bad, besides what else were you going to do with a picnic table in March anyway?

Tomato plants are doing great!

That patio table was a perfect, super easy, inexpensive solution to put the seedlings outside earlier and free up some shelf space under the grow lights in the basement to start other plants. Amazing what a plastic bag over a table can do. :)

The plants got HUGE under there and I sold\gave away most of them.

Just before I sold a bunch at a friend's community yard sale:
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How they look growing in EarthTainers today:
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Thanks for asking! I'm definitely going to make use of the patio table again next year with the bag over it. You're right.. what else was I going to do with the table in March? lol

Here's what I have come up with this year. I'm using parts from a junked trampoline. Much more elegant, don't ya think?
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I love your creativity.

Speaking of ghetto, I'm going to use an old car for a greenhouse.

Great car idea! :) Greenhouse on wheels!

A friend thought I stole a bike rack and buried part of the frame. LOL

You say getto, I say creative!

Your plants look way better than mine and I started mine before you did...

I started this year's on Valentine's Day.. a little later than the previous year, but the plants are not that much smaller. lol