Ok, so I will admit it. This is ALL MY fault! So I have been bringing my peppers in and out of the garage for the past week and a half faithfully. In my opinion, as a second year grower, I can see that they are handling the full sun very well with no effects, so in my opinion they are hardened off. Also, I had started these as seeds in the first week in January, which may have helped in saving these from what I am about to tell you. I placed these against the west facing side of my house, and there is approximately 1 1/2" overhang. So last night the better half rolls in just shortly after 8 pm and asks if I would like her to help me bring them back in the garage. So I know better and say 'no', as it is only 8 pm. I told her that I will bring them in at 10 just before bed. So, 10 pm comes around, and I hit the bed as promised. I wake up at 5:45 am today and take a peek out the bedroom window. I say 'oh, look at the heavy fog outside', then say 'damn, it must be cold as I now see frost everywhere'. That is when it hit me. My babies are all outside. I run out there immediately and see what look like pepper plants. Well, there is nothing I could do now. So I grab my big size 13 and try my best to kick myself in the rear end followed by a couple of slaps to my head, thinking I killed them all. I get home from work to look at the damage I caused. Most plants were still good looking, and the few on the western most side had some major leaf issues, dark and severely wilted looking, which I suspect is the frost damage. So, off to pruning the dead areas on the plants that needed it, and my fingers are now crossed that I do not lose anything else. Only total losses were my tomatoes. Anyways, be careful out there.
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Hardening Off Oops!
- Thread starter obchili
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Best of luck obchili 
You may be surprised how they can bounce back. I thought I blew it when I let a few of my peppers get a little top heavy in a wind storm and had to trim them back to about 6 inches tall from 12 inches. Then the bottom leaves that were newly exposed got sunburnt to hell. A few looked gnarly enough I considered just pitching them but left them out. The new growth on them after a couple weeks is absolutely beautiful and bushy. I had left them out of my planting layout because of how sad looking they were, I am now having to redo it to include them with all the rest. I feel your pain, most of us only make that mistake once after it happens 
I'd bring you some of my spares if you were closer!
You may be surprised how they can bounce back. I thought I blew it when I let a few of my peppers get a little top heavy in a wind storm and had to trim them back to about 6 inches tall from 12 inches. Then the bottom leaves that were newly exposed got sunburnt to hell. A few looked gnarly enough I considered just pitching them but left them out. The new growth on them after a couple weeks is absolutely beautiful and bushy. I had left them out of my planting layout because of how sad looking they were, I am now having to redo it to include them with all the rest. I feel your pain, most of us only make that mistake once after it happens I'd bring you some of my spares if you were closer! 
how cold did it get?
you guys are scaring me, I left my plants out all afternoon and leaving them out until I get home from work tomorrow at 6:30am. I highly doubt it's going to frost though. Low is 61F Was hoping they would see a light rain and give them a taste of mother nature but the storms where called off. Depending on how they look tomorrow I may leave them out all day while I sleep. Full sun wont hit them until around 2pm and I should be waking up by then if they need watered.
I left my mine out today they survived no droop or burn they are only 4 inches pequin. Brought them I'm to get more artificial light 10 mins ago
You know, all I can say is pepper plants are awesome. The damaged foliage will fall off and new leaves will come out. As for tomatoes.... I love em but damn they're a pain in the ass.
This is the first night out for mine and the low should be around 50. Not sweating it. It's the rain I would worry about. I'd like to keep the foliage dry as long as possible.
D3monic said:
This is the first night out for mine and the low should be around 50. Not sweating it. It's the rain I would worry about. I'd like to keep the foliage dry as long as possible.
Hi there. Sorry for the late reply, but overall, I think that they fared well overall. I lost my tomatoes though. As for peppers, I did wait a day till I was sure what I was doing, as well as to give them plants a bit of time to decide what they were going to do. Then, I pulled out the pruners. I removed all damaged leaves, and where necessary, topped the plants accordingly as well. Being abnormally weird for weather here, they have not been going outside much, and in turn have not started to regrow yet, but I am just being patient and they will pull through.SpicyMon said:
Celsius I hopeHow are they doing OBchili?
Here is one of mine that was near death that I cut back to a stump about 2-3 weeks ago...
Well you made me feel better about transplanting into bigger pots. All that work for a few weeks.... Arrghh... But they could not stay the way they were for even a few more days, so I had to do something.
It has been so warm that I was contemplating throwing my plants into the garden sooner than usual. It really isn't safe in my area until memorial day. We did have one day with high winds and low 40 temps not long after transplanting. They didn't look very happy so I took them inside for 2 days until the cold windy spell blew over. It was my best decision ever. They really took off and greened up a lot,
I want to have Bonnie sized plants before I put them into the ground due to the rabbits. Especially for the Jalapenos. Dang they love them!
Oh and the deer that disappeared last year came back this spring! And here I have the most lush gardens in the area. (Likely the only gardens....) So I bought a second water scarecrow. Right now just one is holding for both sides of my yard, but I am expanding and digging up an old veggie garden on the opposite side of my yard as the other. So I am going ghost busters on the deer and crossing the beams. LOL....
The expense for the water scarecrows is worth it since I can have a beautiful yard to enjoy. I can remember the deer destroying $200 worth of roses the first spring they showed up. We have a neighbor 2 doors up that feeds the vermin. Those deer know I hate them though. Before I had the scarecrow up this spring, I would go outside with bear spray and a 40 pound metal bar saying, come on Bambi, make my day. But they won't come into my yard. Muh wah wah wah.....
It has been so warm that I was contemplating throwing my plants into the garden sooner than usual. It really isn't safe in my area until memorial day. We did have one day with high winds and low 40 temps not long after transplanting. They didn't look very happy so I took them inside for 2 days until the cold windy spell blew over. It was my best decision ever. They really took off and greened up a lot,
I want to have Bonnie sized plants before I put them into the ground due to the rabbits. Especially for the Jalapenos. Dang they love them!
Oh and the deer that disappeared last year came back this spring! And here I have the most lush gardens in the area. (Likely the only gardens....) So I bought a second water scarecrow. Right now just one is holding for both sides of my yard, but I am expanding and digging up an old veggie garden on the opposite side of my yard as the other. So I am going ghost busters on the deer and crossing the beams. LOL....
The expense for the water scarecrows is worth it since I can have a beautiful yard to enjoy. I can remember the deer destroying $200 worth of roses the first spring they showed up. We have a neighbor 2 doors up that feeds the vermin. Those deer know I hate them though. Before I had the scarecrow up this spring, I would go outside with bear spray and a 40 pound metal bar saying, come on Bambi, make my day. But they won't come into my yard. Muh wah wah wah.....