Question
Greetings.

I (rather stupidly) started some vegetable seedlings indoors about a month before I was supposed to. Our frost date is sometime in May (We live in Ohio), and we still get frost at night...the usual high temp during the day is 40-some degrees.

Anyway, a good deal of my plants are already capable of being transplanted outdoors. Is there any way to halt their growth until I can move them outside? If not, what should I do?

I have some canteloupe, pumpkins (Lumeria, the white ones), and carrots that are ready to be replanted.

Thank you for your time,
Amanda

Answer
Dear Amanda:

The only way to halt those seedling plant's  growth is to carefully reduce the amount of sunlight the plants are currently receiving daily and I DO NOT recommend this approach.  My best alternative advice is to put them in a cold frame.  If you don't have one, a simple one can be created with some clear plastic and 4 wide boards.  These boards should be nailed together to form a box.  Cover the top of the box with clear plastic.  This will provide warmth and growth for the plants until your frost date has passed.  Remember, to prop the cold frame up during the day if your temperature goes into the 70's because the cold frame traps heat.  And, on those extra frigid freezing nights, it would be wise to cover the cold frame with a piece of canvas or straw.

So, with the cold frame you keep your young plants growing and ready for transplant when the last frost date passes.

Good luck.

Regards,

Mack Jean
AllExperts
Master Gardener
Tennessee