Uh oh, what did I do wrong?? Help!

[Agatha_Ann]

I've only ever grown flowers before, but this year I tilled a new garden to grow fruits and veggies. I fully admit I have no idea what I am doing and mostly just let my children decide what they wanted to plant. Yesterday we put the plants in the garden, tomatoes, yellow squash, bell peppers, strawberries, cucumber, and a watermelon

I did it like I would do flowers, we did a layer of peat moss, dug holes, planted, fertilizer, and then watered. This was last night and now this morning the squash (especially), tomatoes, and the cucumbers leaves are all shriveled and dark. What did I do? Did I overwater? Will they be ok?

I told my kids since this is our first time we will just try our best and hope for the best, just having fun, but not even 24 hours? Goodness gracious!

[limette]

Are you using peat as a mulch? Here's an article about peat and why it's bad for that.

The Real Dirt on Peat Moss

Were the plants purchased from a greenhouse? Did you harden them off first? What are the temps outside (day and night), what zone are you in? Could be transplant shock.

What kind of fertilizer did you use? Is it in the hole with the roots? I'm not sure but that might be a problem.

[Agatha_Ann]

I'm in zone 4, its 60's day and high 30s low 40s at night. The fertilizer is on the surface. Thanks for that link, I got the peat at the hardware store and they told me to put a layer on top of the soil. Darn it.

I don't know what harden means

[notwonamesalike]

Hardening off is when you take your plants outside, a few hours a day for a week, two weeks, etc. to acclimate them to the temperatures.

I'm guessing it's transplant shock - your temperature in the evening might be too cold for them.

[JamieCatheryn]

Harden means if they were used to greenhouse or indoor living, you put them outside during the day and take them in at night for a few days to get them used to fluctuations.

[Agatha_Ann]

They were in a greenhouse at our hardware store Shoot. I should've asked you all before instead of listening to the hardware store guys. So any chance they will be ok? Anything I can do?

[limette]

That's pretty cold at night. We are getting those temps too and I still haven't put my hot weather stuff out (tomatoes, squash, cukes, melons, peppers). Can you put something over them like a mini greenhouse, with plastic and hoops or something until it warms up?

[koalove]

sounds exactly likE frost or really cold temps. that happened to me 2 TIMES this year. the peppers had to be pulled. the tomatoes look totally dead but i left them to see and now they are coming back and looking really good! the only problem now is that i bought all new tomatoes and planted them so i have way WAY too many tomatoes!

[Agatha_Ann]

Thats good to know, thanks ladies. The only thing confusing me now is one of the tomatoes is looking cruddy and it has been outside in a pot for over a week. What gives?