December 25, 2009, Newsletter Issue #425: Hardening Off Plants
Tip of the Week
Before planting seedlings that have been grown indoors or in a greenhouse outside it is a good idea to harden them off. This should be done gradually. The same technique should be used for moving houseplants outdoors as well.
On an ovecast day you can move plants outside to a protected area for a couple of hours. Do not choose a windy day as strong winds could damage the tender plants. If it is sunny, put the plants in an area that receives filtered sunlight. Plants that are not used to full sun can be easily burned or even killed if they receive too much sunlight too fast.
On the first day an hour or two should be plenty of time. As each day goes by you can increase this time. Watch your plants carefully to make sure they are not getting too much. Once they are outside all day and are able to stay out at night because temperatures have risen, go ahead and plant them.
Beginning hardening off on an overcast day is best if possible. Do not choose a rainy day as your first day. The rain hitting the plants could damage them until they are used to being outside.
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