“ Hardening off is the process of slowly acclimating young plants or seedlings to a new environment ."
beginner ' s corner
Spring is the season of new beginnings and the rebirth of fresh vegetation . For most gardeners , spring is the time to start their seeds and to plan the layout of the upcoming garden . Some horticulturists get a jumpstart on the new gardening season by starting their seedlings indoors or in a greenhouse environment . After all , a warm , controlled environment is the perfect place to germinate and cultivate vegetable seedlings . After a couple of weeks indoors , the seedlings will have grown tall in stature and outgrown their planting containers . The young plants are seemingly ready to be transplanted into the soil for the duration of the season . It is very important that horticulturists hold back their desires to race to get these young plants in the ground . The transition from a protected environment , such as an indoor garden or greenhouse , to the comparatively harsh conditions of the outdoors is enough to stunt or destroy young seedlings before they even get a chance to properly establish . To reduce stress caused by the transition from indoors to outdoors , growers should implement an acclimation technique known as hardening off . Hardening off is the process of slowly acclimating young plants or seedlings to a new environment . In other words , hardening off is a way for gardeners to gradually condition their plants to the comparatively harsh conditions of the outdoors . Experienced horticulturists understand that the “ harsh conditions of the outdoors ” is a relative term . Plants are supposed to grow and thrive outdoors . However , when a plant is used to the cozy conditions of an indoor garden or greenhouse , the conditions of the outdoors are relatively harsh and can literally shock a plant to death .
Easing the Transition
To make the hardening off process go as smoothly as possible , seedlings can be preconditioned for the transition while still indoors . A small fan that circulates the air around the seedlings will help strengthen stems and better prepare the plant for the wind outdoors . However , too much air movement can be counterproductive . If there is too much air movement , the seedlings could dry out and / or become damaged . A fan added to the seedling area should not be pointed directly at the seedlings . The fan ’ s purpose is to move air around the room , not to blow directly
“ Hardening off is the process of slowly acclimating young plants or seedlings to a new environment ."
on the seedlings . Consistent moisture for seedlings is also very important for establishing strong , healthy roots . Watering seedlings with a spray bottle is a great way to evenly distribute moisture to the seedbed . For most seeds , consistent moisture is imperative for germination and early leaf development . A horticulturist should resist the temptation to fertilize the seedlings too . Most plant varieties will not require fertilization until they have been transitioned to the outdoor environment . In fact , waiting to fertilize until the seedlings are in the ground can actually accelerate the time it takes for the plants to establish themselves outside .
118 grow cycle