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Vegetable Gardening

Do plants need to be hardened-off regardless of growing stage?

alrightypewriter

14 years ago

I've been growing some plants indoors for my fall garden and I'm not exactly clear on hardening off. The suggestion I've seen is that it's a necessary step because the cuticle of seedlings grown inside are weaker than those grown outside. What if the plant hasn't developed any true leaves yet (germinated 1 week ago)? Could you put those seedlings outside without hardening-off? What if the plant has 1 or 2 true leaves but the leaves are still small (germinated 2-3 weeks ago)? Can these just go outdoors?

I started my plants inside because I was still experiencing high temperatures in SoCal but its cooling off now (today's high is 65F). I want to get my seedlings out so that they don't get too cushy indoors but maybe they already have?

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Comments (7)

jean001
14 years ago
All of them need to be hardened off before they go outdoors.

Because they have been indoors, all will be softer leaved than they need to be when outdoors.
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digdirt2
14 years ago
Agree. The structure of various parts of the plant changes as it is gradually exposed to the new environment. Without that transition period it struggles to survive - and often doesn't.

Dave
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Hardening off is supposed to get plants used to the outdoors. I just put mine in their final grow out container in the shady area for a week or so and most do fine. The ones that seem to need more time I put a larger sized can over with no top or bottom. That way they get light directly only during the part of the day the sun is directly over that plant. When the plant grows a couple new leaves i remove the can. White insides on the can seem to promote branching. I think the white reflects light but it's cooler than sunlight so the plant still grows normally but is protected from some of the suns direct heat. Depending on plant size I use 28oz. and bigger cans. It saves me from hauling stuff in and out every day for a week or so. the room my plants are in stays between 70 and 80 degrees so my plants might be somewhat ready to go out from the start.
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So, if you have started hardening off your plants and it is interrupted, you don't have to start all over, just pick up where you left off. I think that statement is false and will test it. I've already hardened my plants off but there's been violent thunderstorms the last 2 days and supposed to be for the next 3 so I've kept them inside. I have plenty of extras to test. I grow many different plants and have to harden them off every year whether they are seedlings, mother plants, cuttings or divisions. If the article were true then I would only have to harden off seedlings and divisions that never grew above the ground.
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Will the air temps be different than where they are now. Will the sun exposure be different than what they have been exposed to? Odds are the answer to both is yes. Then they need to be hardened off first. Hardening off is nothing more than providing for a gradual adjustment to any change in environment. If you can't move the plants to allow for that gradual adjustment then modify the new environment somewhat - rig up some temporary shade in the hoop house and monitor the day/night temp extremes carefully for a few days. You may have to lightly cover them on cool nights. Dave
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Yes, your veggie plants will need hardening off before planting outdoors. Your plants have started life in a location that is protected from all the elements like wind, rain and full sunlight. They need some opportunity to gradually get used to full brunt of the elements in order to thrive. Otherwise, it is likely they would get battered and burnt. Bring them out into a shady spot, protected from the wind for an hour or so the first couple of days. Gradually increase the time spent outdoor and move into more sun and wind over another few days. After I harden off my seedling tomatoes, peppers and zuchini etc and plant them in the garden in their new locations, I still assist them with some protection for another week or so. I take some gallon or larger, plastic nursery pots and cut the bottom out of them. Then place one over each veggie plant, pushing some soil up against the pot to help hold it in place. The plant now is protected from the worst of the wind but still gets plenty of sun and rain. The pot also helps hold water right over the root when you water them. When the plant has grown up above the rim of the pot, it's a good sign it is well rooted and growing and I pull the pots off and save them for next year.
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cyrus_gardner
14 years ago
Better phrase for it is: to "aclimate".
It is not really hardenig or toughening, but making them get used to the new environment, be it cold, hot, shade or sun.
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promethean_spark
14 years ago
Think of it like giving the plants a base tan before they go out into the sun all day.
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albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
14 years ago
However, once you get to know your plants, soil, weather and the like you will find that some are quite tough. I've a nice small collection of chrysanthemums that I have bought at the supermarket flower shop. After they begin to look scraggly in the pot I just wait until evening, break up the root ball and plant them outside.
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ancfan
14 years ago
I planted califlower, brocoli, brussel sprouts, and cabbage in cups and left them on the porch, they sprouted and I just leave them out on the porch :) I just planted them about a week ago. They even survived the storm we had :)
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bejay9_10
14 years ago
Hardening off is best - but because our southern temps are a bit different than most folks, I'd say, depends on the inside and outside temperatures you are experiencing.

Normally, when I start seeds inside, the outside temps are falling into the low "50's" - but recently I started some for our fall/wintering/spring types - and outside temps were still in the 70's. Thus, when the little seedlings were barely 1 to 2 inches tall, I decided to plant them out in a shady area, and then transplant to a sunnier location when they had grown a bit. Worked out well.

Hardening off in our climate is a bit different than in other parts of the country. You can usually determine what is right for the seedlings by noting at what temperatures they like to germinate and grow at in their early stages. Most seed packets will give this information on the back of the envelope.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay
0

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