Hardening off seedlings grown in controlled conditions is an absolute must to prevent major transplant shock. Don’t waste all the effort you put into starting your plants indoors by skipping straight to transplant day!

In this video, learn why we harden off seedlings, the traditional guide to successful hardening off, a faster strategy for the busy gardener, and plenty of general tips and tricks.

Hardening off is a step in the growing process where plants grown under controlled conditions are gradually and intentionally acclimated to the environmental factors outdoors prior to transplant. Factors like strong sunlight, wind, wider temperature bands, and fluctuations in temperature and humidity levels. It is achieved by slowly increasing the duration and intensity of exposure to these factors over a period of multiple days.

Hardening off is an absolute requirement as it allows seedlings to build their defenses in a manner that doesn’t stunt or entirely halt long term growth (although growth is impacted in the short term).

TIPS FOR A SMOOTH HARDENING OFF PHASE
Regardless of whether you opt for a more traditional method or an abbreviated one, there are lots of ways to make hardening off safer and less onerous.

* Continue bottom watering plants in their trays indoors (at least to start). Watering them from above during hardening off can result in moisture on the leaves and subsequently worse sun scalding. The exception is when you introduce whatever watering system they'll receive in the garden (preferably on an overcast day)
* Keep an eye out for whitening or silvery discoloration on the leaves. This is a sign the sun is beginning to scald your plants and you’re moving too fast.
* Wait until the danger of frost has passed. Similarly, don’t start hardening off on an unusually hot day.
* Take advantage of morning and evenings when the sun is relatively weak.
* Even cold weather plants like lettuce must be hardened off.
* If possible, transplant into the ground on an overcast or mild-weather day.

For more info on what’s happening during the hardening off process: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/...

A written companion guide to this video on hardening off: https://nextdoorhomestead.com/blog/ho...

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Chapters:
0:00 Video Intro
0:33 Why Hardening Off Seedlings is Critical
1:18 What is Hardening Off?
2:18 Guide to Traditional Hardening Off Process
3:58 Gardening Tasks to Rock While the Plants Harden Off
05:43 Strategies to Shorten & Simplify Hardening Off Step
06:48 Hardening Off General Tips & Tricks
08:21 How to Know When Plants are Ready for Transplant
09:08 Why Hardening Off on Time Matters (Example)

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