Tomato seedlings outside under cloche

So what was your question?

Well, the question is what additional info would you like to see for the trial? I forgot to mention the tomato type, they are zuchertraube. I will plant some outside of the cloches today to see how well they survive compared to the cloched ones.

You will find that tomatoes planted out in low temperatures will stop growing, they may not die but will not produce a good plant. Planted out two or three weeks later they will give you good results.

I was also wondering what the effect of wide temp variations would have on them, ie cold / frost at night, sunny and hot during the day.

Tomatoes need to grow in a temperature of not less than 7 degreec C. High temperatures will not make small plants grow any quicker. Tomatoes are not hardy and are best grown in a heated greenhouse until frosts have finished. Plant outside in June.

Thank you for this excellent information. Yesterday I planted the same type of seedlings outside the cloche as a benchmark (not the word I am looking for but it will do)

We had another really hard frost and the outside seedlings perished but the ones inside the cloche are still doing fine.

If the inside cloche temp is always 3 degrees c higher than the outside temp then the tomatoes will start to grow earlier when the average under cloche temps are 7 degree c plus? Is that right?

It works the same way as a greenhouse or indoor windowsill would but the benefit is that the seedlings can get out freeing up valuable space indoors.

I will carry on with this experiment and see if the seedlings survive constant low temperatures and if they start growing.
Also, if the under cloche tomatoes are stalled in their growth because of low temp compared to my pampered indoor seedlings. Will they catch up in growth as the days get warmer?
It will be interesting to find out which plants will come into flower first.

I chose tomato seedlings only because they were the most tender things I had growing and thought it would be a true test of how well cloches protect plants.

From my experience I have lost plants planted out under cloches in May. Your seedlings will not grow fast enough to make good plants.
The only way you could grow tomatoes under cloches in April is to have a warming cable on top of the ground, under the cloches. The cost of the tomatoes would be about £1 each when ripe.
You would have been better off experimenting with french beans.

Intereting, why French beans in particular.?
I have some seeds. Should I germinate first?

Because French beans are more likely to be succesful than a stove plant like Tomatoes.
No don't germinate. Grow them outside under cloches on ground which has been warmed by the cloches and is frost free.

Thank you Doctorbob1, I really appreciate your input on this one. French bean trial starting today. Will keep you posted.
Many thanks