nhitgrad I have attached to the end of this the FAQ for the seed starting forum on hardening off (easy method). But I'm going to go over what I do. I don't have the option of getting home to move plants, and wife and kids are reluctant draftees to move things. I have a porch/deck (it's like a deck, but with the roof line of the house extending half way over it) that is open to the north and west. The majority of the deck is in shade most of the day. I place the plants out in the morning in the full shade the first day. Since there is some retained heat from the house and deck, I generally leave them out from that point on -- unless there's a frost warning (note that frost can occur above 32 degrees F if atmospheric conditions are right - (clear skies and still air)). [The link I'm posting says to bring them in if it's below 45 degrees] I gradually move the plants way from the house (northward) so they will start getting some afternoon sun (I'd move them every 2-3 days). Check the soil every day for dryness (If we get an early heat wave, check twice a day). I would start this about May 1st - after two weeks I consider them hardened off and ready to plant. If I have to move them inside because of frost, I try to put them out before I leave for work -- unless it's a hard freeze, the residual head in the plants and flats will allow them to be ok until the air warms up. If it's just too cold, I'll put them out in the evening when I get home. I don't 'stop' the count. unless they have to stay in for more than 1 day. As to planting -- it apears that you in NE Jersey are either in zone 6b or 7A (check out the clickable USDA zone map at (http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/#)) I'm going to assume you're in the same zone 6b as I am. I'd usually plant out on the 15th as you mentioned. I would mentioned that Rohrer's seed catalog has an excellent home garden planting chart but it's only located in their print catalog as I couldn't find it on their site. For zone 6, for tomatoes and peppers they recommend planting on the 20th (after the soil is thoroughly warmed [cukes are fine for the 15th]). Hope this helps. Here is a link that might be useful: Easy Hardening-Off Method FAQ

It depends on the plants - things that can stand a bit of cold can easily start going out now. I am in zone 4 and have started hardening off cole crop stuff and petunias. In my 10 day forecast there are only two nights when it will drop below 40 degrees - I assume it is warmer where you are. I often have planted out peas, broccoli, cabbage etc before now, but the snow just kept coming this year. I'll be waiting on peppers eggplant and tomatoes for a few weeks.

I left the ones using the mason jar method outside for the winter (ran out of pop bottles). Won't know until late spring, only one looks like it might make it. We'll have to compare notes come spring. I did something really crazy. I noticed that the cuttings I tried to root in the half vermiculite half peat the mix was so dry, I turned the cups over and tapped on them so I wouldn't risk pulling off any roots. Two had baby roots starting, so I just potted them up very gently, put the soda bottles back on. The rest I noticed seemed to have formed a little callus, no roots, leaves gone, stems green, could still see the white rooting powder, so I stuck them in George's mix that worked on the others. It's a long shot, but the problem with my wrong mix is that it doesn't suck up water from the bottom and dries out. Top watering ones I stuck before in potting soil was the wrong way to go, it contributed to their demise along with the heat. So we'll see what happens with those.

Not really. It is a start but not enough. Hardening off is the difference between the world inside and the world outside. Just as you notice the differences so do plants. ;) Sunlight outside is 60-80% more intense than sunlight inside through a window. Air temps inside unless the whole room is kept at 40-50 are 20 degrees warmer than outside. And wind, the main enemy IMO of seedlings is very different inside vs. outside. Dave