What kinds of indoor space do you have available for seed starting versus your outdoor space? If I'm growing seedlings indoors for weeks, I prefer to use the unconditioned basement rather than conditioned space to grow seedlings. The warmer conditioned spaces encourage the seedlings to grow faster, which is a no-no without LOTS of light, which is difficult to provide. So growing under lights in cooler temps (like an unconditioned basement) typically lead to sturdier transplants than growing warm under lights. Before I got my 480 sq ft hoophouse put in I used a very sturdy low cold frame that I put about fifteen steps out my back door. Mine looks very similar to this: The outdoor mini cold frame was *EXTREMELY* useful in hardening off plants prior to transplanting them out. I also had a small heat mat out there to put the more cold-sensitive plants on top of if it was just too cold. I think that the short cold frames retain heat in the right places a little better than the tall ones with tops that are too high off the ground. My frame is about 4 feet by 8 feet and was totally indispensable until I got my big hoophouse. I think this year I'll get the little cold frame in operation again because it's a shorter trip than making the way to the big hoophouse for setting out and bringing in transplants. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I like to use a combination of a small indoor growing space (at cool temps and under fluorescent shop lights) and a small outdoor cold frame (with a little heat mat if needed). You will always need to harden off plants prior to transplanting them out permanently, and a well-made polycarbonate cold frame allows you to do so at much lower risk to your plants!

I see similar leaves every year and do not know what causes them. My plants seem to get affected after a sharp drop in temperature after some very hot days. They always continue to grow and produce. The weird leaves may only last for 1 or 2 branches then return to normal. As the deformed leaves grow in size they often get more and more normal looking. Acid rain? Air polution? Herbicide drift? I don't know but I think you will still get tomatoes, at least I did for the last 3 years with plants that developed leaves like the ones you posted.

I love those chairs, CB. I've had my three for about 30 years. I bought mine, used, at a garage sale, for about $25-30 each. I used them in my cottage-style apartment before I was married, making new cushion covers in a chintz. After we married, they traveled out there to New Mexico and I used them in our family room. When we moved to this house, I put them out on our covered front portal (veranda), where they've been for the past 17 years. Every couple of years I make new cushion covers for them. I posted pics here last summer, when I redid everything out there once again. I love mine. I think they worked wonderfully in my Cottage-style apartment and I love them on our front portal. They're incredibly sturdy and very comfy. Just make sure the cushions are thick enough, if not, make some new ones that are. Here are a couple of pics of mine. The newest fabric is a bright, cheerful Mexican print. This redo was inspired by AuntJen's pretty porch. I think we all fell in love with her reno last year. Lynn

You should have a helper,someone to mark where you want the hem to be shortened to.It's hard to do this yourself while wearing it.They can also pin in how much you need it to be taken in. I take it you do know how to sew,is that correct??What kind of fabric is it,and is there a lot or any embellishments on it that have to be taken into consideration?? Good luck Kathi