How to Harden Off Plants and Seedlings

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about How to Harden Off Plants and Seedlings and hope the blog can help you.

Your pampered seedlings need to toughen up a bit before you send them out into the big, bad world. Expose them to life’s realities gradually!

If you started this year’s garden plants from seed indoors under grow lights, you’ll need to give some thought to how to harden off seedlings. That involves exposing them to real sunlight and wind gradually enough to avoid burning or fraying their still-tender foliage.

The hardening off process actually thickens their “skin,” but causes them to grow more slowly for a while. “Hardening off plants is crucial because it helps transition plants grown indoors or in a greenhouse to the harsher conditions outdoors,” explains Tony O’Neill, master gardener and the founder of Simplify Gardening “This process gradually acclimatizes them to direct sunlight, wind, and temperature fluctuations, reducing the shock that can stunt growth or even kill young plants.”

If you intend to get your houseplants out of the house over the summer, you’ll want to expose them to outdoor conditions gradually too. Recommended time periods for hardening vary from 1 to 3 weeks, so 2 weeks should be about right.

“A gentle start is key,” O’Neill says. “Begin with shaded, sheltered outdoor areas for short periods and gradually increase exposure. Happy plants will show normal, healthy growth without wilting or discoloration.”