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Step 1
Hardening off plants is the act of acclimating plants that have been started indoors, to the harsher conditions of the outdoors. Hardening off plants is very simple, and will help to ensure success in growing your plant.
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Step 2
You should start hardening off plants around the time of your areas predicted last frost. This will ensure that by the time your plants are ready to be transplanted into the ground, all danger of frost will have passed.
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Step 3
To harden off plants, start by placing seedlings outdoors for 2-3 hours at a time during the day. The plants should be placed in an area that is shaded and protected from wind and any animals or pests. You should continue to do this for 3-4 days.
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Step 4
After 3-4 days, start leaving your plants out for longer periods of time, always making sure to bring them in each night. You should continue to do this for another 7-10 days, gradually increasing the time they are left out every few days.
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Step 5
For plants that will require full sun when planted in the ground, start slowly moving the plants out into the sunlight after the first 7 days or so. Plants should not be left in the sunlight for the whole day, rather they should have limited exposure for only a few hours. It is essential to make certain that your soil remains moist during this time.
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Step 6
After about two weeks of this process, your plants should be ready to be safely transplanted into the ground. This should only be done after the danger of frost has passed. If unusual weather patterns cause the threat of a frost, cover plants that are in the ground with a container such as an old milk carton, or even a flower pot.
Comments
writetruth said
on 3/16/2008 Great Article~~