Read on to learn how to harden off seedlings.
In spring, most seedlings are typically planted outdoors after the last frost date.
However, cold-hardy plants can be planted outdoors two to four weeks before the last frost date.
The Spruce / Randi Rhoades
Tip
Don’t forget to protect young seedlings from animals, snails, and slugs.
Place them on a table or somewhere animals cannot reach them.
The key to success is gradual exposure to the outdoors.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Dont put tender seedlings outdoors on windy days or when temperatures are below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Exposing very young seedlings to direct sunlight too soon can scorch the leaves.
Each day, the seedlings will be able to tolerate more hours of exposure to outdoor conditions.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
ensure the soil doesn’t dry out if temperatures should suddenly turn warmer.
If possible, choose a cloudy day.
Water well after planting.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
What is a cold frame?
It’ssimilar to a greenhouse.
Start with three or four hours and gradually increase the exposure time by one or two hours per day.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Seedlings should be ready to transplant in seven to 14 days.
If possible, do so on a cloudy day.
Water well after planting.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
However, it’s still a good idea to harden them off if it’s possible for you to.
Warm-season crops that are not frost-tolerant, such as tomatoes and peppers, should always be hardened off.
There isn’t really a shortcut to hardening off seedlings.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
The less you harden them off, the more you are risking transplant shock.
If the plants were living indoors or in an enclosed greenhouse, they will need to be hardened off.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
