You have taken great care to start your seedlings inside in order to get a jump on the spring outdoor planting season. It's almost time to move your young plants outside so you can soon enjoy a lush vegetable or flower garden. In order to make sure all your care for your indoor plants is not in vain, it is paramount you carefully and properly prepare your plants for their new outdoor world.
Your seedlings and cuttings have been growing indoors under a protected environment. They have been shielded from rapid fluctuations in temperature, light, humidity, wind, hard rains and other factors present in the outdoors. Consequently, it will take time for these plants to adapt to these new elements. This process is called hardening your plants. Hardening is a procedure which allows for a controlled growth reduction. This growth reduction or cessation causes an accumulation of carbohydrates, making it possible for the plants to better withstand adverse environmental conditions, and therefore avoiding transplant shock. This is achieved through gradually shifting from protected to outdoor conditions over a period of a week to 10 days. Just follow a few simple steps:
- Make sure your indoor plants are well hydrated.
- For the first 5 – 7 days, move your plants outdoors, but in a shady area.
- During this 5 – 7 day period, move your plants indoors to avoid exposure to cold nights.
- During days 7 – 10, gradually expose your plants to more direct sunlight.
- Ready to transplant outdoors on day 11! Make sure to plant after the last expected frost date for your hardiness zone. Click here for a Hardiness Zone Map
