What a wonderful Springtime it has been thus far! We hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather as much as we are. In the first few warm days of Spring, have you ever enjoyed the entire day outside only to find later that you were severely sunburnt? You may have wished you had taken more precaution, at least until your skin adjusted to the warm springtime sun again. Well, your seedlings are no different. They have been indoors for their entire life, so they are incredibly delicate.
Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to prepare your young plants to thrive. This blog can work as your blueprint for getting your seedlings ready to make their journey into the beautiful outdoors!
Hardening off
Keep in mind that your seedlings are young and tender. If you abruptly place them directly in the elements for long periods of time, they may die due to the shock of sudden temperature change and exposure to sun. This is known as transplant shock. To avoid transplant shock, you will need to harden off your seedlings before transplanting them outside. Hardening off refers to the period in which you prepare your seedlings to thrive outdoors by gradually increasing the time they are outside each day. Hardening off your seedlings exposes the young plants to the wind, sun, and rain, which thickens the cuticle on the leaf so that they can retain more water when exposed to harsh elements.
When to harden off your seedlings
Start hardening off your seedlings two weeks before you plan to transplant them. While most seedlings will be ready for transplanting outside after the last frost date, there are a few types of cold-hardy plants that can be transplanted two to four weeks before the last frost date. It will instruct you on when to transplant your seedlings on the back of the seed package. When you are ready, take these six steps:
- On a warm day when temperatures are above 45 degrees Fahrenheit, place seedlings in a shaded outdoor location that is protected from direct sunlight and wind. Tip: Place the seedlings somewhere that animals, snails, and slugs are unable to reach them.
- After being outdoors for one hour, place the seedlings somewhere warm indoors.
- Increase time in a shaded location by one hour each day. Be sure that temperatures are above 45 degrees Fahrenheit and that there is little to no wind.
- After three days, you may place the seedlings in areas that receive morning sunlight. Then, you can gradually increase exposure to more direct sunlight.
- If temperatures are warm (at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit), leave the seedlings outside overnight.
- After 14 days of following these steps, your seedlings will be ready to make their much-anticipated endeavor into the great outdoors. If possible, choose a cloudy day to transplant your seedlings. Water well after transplanting.
Congratulations! You have cared for your seeds and watched them sprout into beautiful young plants. Now they are outdoors for all to enjoy. We hope your seedlings thrive and provide you with a bountiful harvest when Autumn rolls around. Most importantly, we hope that your plants give you plenty of time outside in the beauty of nature. Gardening is good for the heart and soul and as you know, we are quite fond of it.
How did your seed starting journey go for you? When will you transplant? If you have already transplanted, how did the hardening off period go for you? Let us know in the comments below!
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