Hardening off Tomatoes. Sheltering your tomatoes when hardening off can come in many forms. For an almost hardened-off tomato plant, for example, I’ll only leave them outside when nighttime temperatures are in the 50s. Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Hardening off plants before planting them out in the garden is part of the starting seeds indoors process. 7) Keep the re-potted plants out of bright sunlight for a few days so they can ease into the transition. Water the heirloom tomatoes well “before” you repot so the soil will stick to the roots and protect them from drying out. How to get from the house/greenhouse to the garden. But I do it anyway, because I would never forgive myself if I left them out overnight and the temperature dropped into the 30s while I lazily snoozed away. After several days, gardeners should be able to leave the frame open for the majority of the day. Tomatoes tolerate outdoor transplanting once the average daily temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit and after frost danger passes. Gradually move the tomatoes into more direct sunlight until the plants are experiencing full sun for the entire day at the end of the hardening-off period. Hardening off tender transplants to plant in the garden. Staking keeps developing tomato fruit off the ground, while caging lets the plant hold itself upright. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. toughening them up by thickening the cuticle on the leaves so they lose less water when exposed to the elements. This helps prevent transplant shock, the term used for seedlings that languish, become stunted, or die from sudden changes in temperature. Rain, sun, wind, 20-30 degree temperature fluctuations … these are all likely “real world” conditions for your little plants once they go outside permanently. After highs in the low teens and single digit lows this comes as welcome news, especially given the size of the seedlings that are still indoors. Also, consider the size of the seedling. Perfect for little insects to gnaw on. And yes sun exposure is definitely a problem. Simply put, it is the process by which we help the young plants we have just spent weeks or months caring for adjust to the “real world” before we kick them out into it. Hardening is the process of exposing transplants (seedlings) gradually to outdoor conditions. A coldframe or covered porch that receives bright but indirect sunlight provides sufficient protection. When you have a seedling that has been growing in a controlled indoor environment, you can’t suddenly put that seedling outside in the ground. Each day you will be moving the plants outside for increasing lengths of time, allowing them to gradually get used to the sunshine, wind, rain, and other outdoor conditions. I decided to start hardening my seedlings off today because there’s still a reasonable amount of cloud cover (baby seedlings freak out in direct sunlight if they’re used to being indoors). We have a growing tent with a UV light in our garage. While hardening off doesn’t take a lot of time, it does involve some vigilance. After a few days, increase their “outside time” to perhaps 3-4 hours. So is wind. This post will discuss what hardening off is, why it is important, and how to do it. This is the process of hardening off, or gradually acclimating you tomato seedlings to outdoor conditions. Sharon Peterson is a wife, mom of 4 sons, home gardener and home food preservation fanatic! You want to slowly prepare that plant for the outdoors. How to harden tomato plants Hardening your tomato plants is a gradual process and can lead to shrinking, dryness or death of your seedlings if not handled carefully well. Should tomatoes be transplanted right after hardening off for a week or can they wait a few days until the conditions or right? Those plants are still too small for hardening. Learn how in today's video. Heat loving plants like tomatoes, peppers, and basil, need particular care before transplanting, but hardening off is a sensible step to take with ALL seedlings. They’ll get plenty of sun and wind just by being outside in a sheltered, shaded location, but if you plop them right out in direct sun and wind, their delicate leaves will likely be sunburned and damaged, and direct wind could snap their young branches. Learn more about hardening off seedlings. We have a mix of vegetables in there and I have been taking them out for a few hours every day this week in preparation of the last frost day beginning of May. These tomato seedlings have been hardening off for a couple of weeks and are almost ready to go in the garden! Simply Canning is a site full of home food preservation advice tips and recipes. In the past week I've left them outside until bed time around 10pm. I primarily do this with my tomatoes and peppers and sometimes other crops that outgrow their containers before it’s time to get them outside. girlndocs . When we start seeds indoors for the outside garden they are growing in an artificial environment. Starting the seedlings indoors six to eight weeks before the last expected spring frost helps provide a longer growing season. BUT be sure and don’t put them out until it is warm enough at night. After a week or two, bump it up to 6-8 hours per day (weather permitting), and eventually let them have a “camp out” in the backyard overnight (as long as nighttime temps will not drop below 50 degrees). Whether tomato plants are grown from seed or purchased already grown, they may need to be hardened-off before they can be planted outside in the garden. And that means letting it warm up for the growing season! Hardening off plants, is the process of exposing an indoor grown plant to the outside elements gradually, over a period of time. The next stage before planting in the ground is Hardening Off, which I … Please do not forget to bring your plants inside at night during the first week or so, and anytime the forecast calls for nighttime temps under 50 degrees. In addition to letting the plants adjust to the outdoors, it is important to let the soil adjust before planting. Hardening off tomato plants, or gradually exposing seedlings to the outside environment, strengthens stalks and prepares tomato plants for the transition to the garden. After all, they will soon be … Choose your first hardening off spot. About 5 days of that, and they are ready for the garden, or for direct sunlight. Hardening Off Tomato Plants In this Newsletter: Hardening off tomato plants, tomato growing Quiz 2, tips on setting up the Quadgrow Planter and Oasesbox self watering planters. Potting our tomato plants into their final container or grow bag is an exciting time. Works a charm. Karen understands that gardening in Northern Colorado is seemingly a fleeting moment in time, so join her on Facebook for daily tips, tricks, and discussions, and on Love your Land You Tube for weekly how-to videos on how to extend a 3-month grow season into a 9-month grow season! We set out our tomato plants on April 6 and have had many nights in the 40's and 50's...one night dipped down below 40F. This helps prevent transplant shock, the term used for seedlings that languish, become stunted, or die from sudden changes in temperature. This allows it to … I prop the window open full or when I just need a bit of ventilation a small board props the lid open just a few inches. So.... thanks to Covid-19 and working from home, my tomatoes from seed have spent most of the day outside since seedling size.. going in and out of my home depending on weather and temperatures. It can get mighty hot, mighty quick. For most plants, begin hardening off a week before the final frost date for your area. Hardening Off. We’ve all done it, and they will be just fine. This gives the roots time to establish when the plants aren't experiencing heat stress. Gradual exposure helps your plants toughen up and reduces the possibility of injury. How to get from the house/greenhouse to the garden. Day One: Choose a warm, sunny day, but place the pots, flats, or trays out in full shade, bringing them back inside at night. The owner of “ love your Land. ” freebie window he found exposed to the garden changeable, outdoor. This, watch those daytime temperatures ll be under 50 degrees. ) beef. Tomatoes earlier and easier than ever before off time weeks Old exposure to these harsher.! 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