I am looking for some tips for hardening off the plants that I have growing indoors under lights. I have a selection of both annuals and perennials as well as some tomatoes and peppers. After pampering these little babies I don't want to shock them too much and set back their growth when I move them outside. Conventional wisdom in this area is not to plant out until after the May long weekend.
For example, I am wondering: When do you start to acclimatize them to the outdoors? What temps are safe to start at? Is is best to start in shade or part shade? For how long? I haven't been good at this in the past and would appreciate hearing what works for some of you.
Thanks - Susan
Hardening Off ?
Hi Susan
I've already started hardening my plants off. I set them in the shade and over the course of a week or two gradually introduce them to more light. I also bring them in every night. By the time May 20th rolls around I've had enough and they are usually hardened off (I've prolly left them out a couple of warmer nights by then as well).
I've also set ones that are a little touchier in a cold frame with somewhat still warm manure that provides some warmth underneath their pots.
Pam
Thanks Pam - Are the plants you are hardening off annuals, perennials or veggies? Do you treat them all the same? I was thinking that the annuals, tomatoes & peppers would be the more sensitive ones. I don't usually put the veggies out until closer to the end of the month so I might wait another week or so before taking them for day trips outside.
I've been putting my tomatoes, annuals, out....but our last few days here have been nice (low 70's). I also took out my very tender tropicals.
My two cents from this zone... I have everything in my portable greenhouse day and night at the moment. Afternoon temps inside the gh are 30+ (even with the window open), and nighttime temps are around 5 - so it remains to be seen how they'll fare. The only thing that doesn't seem to be happy with the arrangement is the Cobaea scandens annual vine - some of the leaves turned pale green within a day, from a nice bright green previously.
Floating row cover... a great invention. I have far too many plants to haul back & forth, so I cover them with a good floating row cover at night or when the wind picks up. Some of my poor seedlings have withstood 30F under the row cover.
I have used old bedsheets with good results as well. I gather fm catalogues that the floating row covers are designed to let more light through, and thus can be left on for longer periods - ?
I like the bedsheets idea. I bought a bunch of annuals on the weekend and have kept them all out on my terrace day and night because its been warm enough. Its going to turn colder overnight towards the weekend though, and I was lamenting where I'd put them inside away from the nosy kitties. A sheet would work great.
The annuals I grew from seeds, however - well, the ones that have survived my novice attempt - I was just going to wait until May 24th and plant them outside in containers. They're not under lights though, nor kept any warmer than the room. Should I harden them off instead of just plunking them outside do you think?
Thanks!
Christine
If you felt like putting them outside during the day, that would give them a head start. Not that we need extra things to do before going to work in the morning, or anything. :-)
As an aside, if you have a fan nearby, or blow on them or brush your hand over them whenever you're taking a look at them, their stems will get stronger. I've been blowing on mine, but getting dizzy by the 4th flat. Where's that air mattress pump when you need it...?
I'm with Weezi--the floating row covers are terrific. I started hardening off my hardier crops a few weeks ago, lugging them back and forth, then left them out for a few nights under the fleece. They're now in the garden, under fleece. It lets the air and light and rain (if we ever get any!) through and doesn't crush the leaves. I have the veggies in the garden under fleece at the moment, especially the ones I've directly seeded, because it keeps the birds and the cats off the beds.
I can't grow tomatoes outside anyhow. I grow them mostly in the greenhouse, but I have a plastic house I plant various squashes plus a couple of tomatoes in--but never before early June (plastic doesn't offer any cold protection; just keeps the frost off the plants). A double layer of fleece protected my tomatoes down to 28F.
Even though my plants have been in the greenhouse, which drops below 48 at night, I would never plant them directly outside. It isn't just the cold you need to consider; it's the wind and the direct sun that also stresses them. Now that I'm starting to harden off the rest of the bedding plants and there are too many flats to carry back and forth, I put a double layer of fleece over them at night (if it's clear; otherwise just one) and when they're first out, I use shade cloth during the day.
I have a pretty Mickey Mouse set up, but it works....here's a photo. You can see the leaves aren't even out on the willows!
Looks like quite the crop to me, Rosemary. You'll have to take another couple shots again in July or so.
Thanks for the great feedback everyone. I think I will have to look for the floating row covers. Anyone know a good source and what a reasonable price would be?
Rosemary - looks like you have been a very busy girl...
Susan
Susan, I've ordered mine from Stokes and Lee Valley. LV has the 7' x 50' for $20. I think Stokes has smaller sizes. I've also seen it in plant shops.
Yes, busy and getting busier--it's been so warm this year I'm thinking it's time to get everything planted out! Do I dare.....?
Big beautiful grizzly sow in our meadow this morning, fawn coloured with a black stripe from her neck to past her hump. And both her yearling cubs are nearly identical in colour. Our house is up on a bit of a ridge so a bit far for digital pictures.
R.
Seeing bear, especially grizzlies, is an awesome site. We see them here on ocassion and I never get tired of the experience. From the safety of a car or house is preferred though; I still hope never to encounter one (or more) on our hikes. So far, so good. Crossed fingers!