see out how and when to transplant seedlings you originate indoors to your outside garden .
tortoon / Getty Images
So you ’ve started your vegetables , herbs , and/or flowers fromseed sown indoorsand the seedling look felicitous and level-headed . You might be eager to get them planted out in your garden , but wait , they ’re not quite quick for that . Not yet . The most decisive step in successfully starting plant indoors — and one that is oftenoverlooked by new gardeners — is gradually acclimatise them to their outdoor surround , a process lie with as “ indurate off . ” It demands unaired attention to the rather dramatic shift in conditions your seedling are about to live . It requires a bit of effort , but only for a couplet weeks .
Credit:tortoon / Getty Images
Look at it from your plants ’ perspective : they ’ve been growing in a comfortable , consistent surround with even temperature , regular lachrymation , bright ( but not too intense ) brightness , and no wind . That ’s all about to shift . If you want your seedling to flourish in your garden , they require to be introduced to the vagary of outdoor conditions incrementally .
To adapt to natural fluctuations in temperature , light , body of water , and air travel drift without being damaged , your seedlings need to develop a tougher protective shield and sturdy stems ; this takes a petty time and some solitaire . If you skip this of import step , your tender young plants are likely to suffer shock from which they may never recover . These tips will facilitate you maximize your seedling ’ successful transition to your garden .
1. Know when to harden off seedlings.
The undecomposed prison term to begin transitioning your seedlings from indoors to external varies slightly with crops . Forcold season vegetable , such ascabbageandbroccoliand intrepid annuals and herbs such ascalendula , marigold , andpansyyou can start the hardening off process when night temperature are 45 ° degree Fahrenheit . For affectionate time of year crops ( Lycopersicon esculentum , black pepper , cucumber , etc . ) and more tender herbs and flowers , wait until Nox temperatures are in the upper 50s .
2. Introduce seedlings to the outdoors gradually.
Whentemperatures are appropriate , take seedling outside for a couple hours the first day and get them in at night . The following day , increase the outdoor clock time by an hour or two , continuing in this manner over the course a couple weeks . Pay attending to your seedlings ’ appearance . If they wait distressed , slacken down on their outdoor exposure . Once they seem to tolerate being out of doors all day , leave them out overnight .
3. Pick a protected spot.
A maculation in dappled shade helps seedlings to adjust to themore intense Inner Light from the sun . Over the path of the hardening off time period , you may gradually expose them to more sun , but never move seedling directly from indoors to full sunshine . This will do leaf to scorch and may result in stunting or even destruction . tip can also get serious damage so aim your seedling in a location that is protected from blustery winds . A box with side that deflect secure melodic line flow works well . Acold bod is an excellent toolforhardening off seedlingsbecause its sides protect plant from wind and you’re able to use a semi - translucent run-in cover to shade them from lineal sun .
4. Keep seedlings watered.
Check seedlings on a regular basis ; if it ’s gay and affectionate check them at least twice a solar day . Keep them moist but not saturate and be trusted their pots have drainage holes . A sudden cloudburst can souse the seedlings and if the raise medium does n’t drain well , plants are likely to moulder . And a hard rain can break fragile stems . It ’s best to institute works indoors or into a garage or cover porch if a heavy tempest is in your prognosis .
5. Slowly increase exposure to garden conditions.
Once your young plants are accustomed to being out of doors , they ’ll have developed a tougher cuticle that will provide them much greater trade protection from the elements . Now it ’s meter to move them to a site with more pic to sun and wind . I wish to move potted seedlings to thegarden area where they will be growingand leave them a couple days to get used to the site beforetransplanting them into the groundor plantation owner .
6. Transplant on a calm overcast day.
Transplanting when bright sunniness is temper by clouds reduce stress on your young plant . savvy muddle that are orotund than the pot your seedling is spring up in , set your seedlings into the inclined soil and tamp them firmly into place . urine well . If the twist nibble up , use plant covers or some sort of baffle to protect them . invert large plastic tummy also can supply irregular shelter .
7. Watch the weather.
Be mindful of sudden drop in temperature or cloggy downpours for the first few week your plants are in the ground . Plant protective caps , inverted dope , or float row covering willhelp them survive late season frostsor damaging storms .
While thetransition process from indoors to the gardenmay seem like a good morsel of trouble , it ’s very important . Not withdraw time to avail your seedlings become habitual to their outside surroundings will lead to serious letdown — your plants may become stunted or even conk out . You ’ve already put so much time and energy into caring for your seedling indoors , and gradually hardening them off is just the next stage of this cognitive process . Then you and your plant will be ready for transplant into your garden , where they will reward you with healthy full-bodied growth throughout the season .
