Preparing your seedlings correctly is a key step in ensuring successful growth and development once they have been transplanted outdoors. So make sure you keep an eye out and adjust accordingly depending on how quickly (or slowly) things seem to be progressing outdoors.īefore attempting to harden off seedlings, it is critical to comprehend the process in order to ensure their acclimation and preparedness for transplanting. As temperatures become uncomfortable for you, it’s likely they will be too extreme for your seedlings as well therefore, monitor their progress and adjust accordingly. It’s important not to impose conditions that are too harsh or extreme on your seedlings as this can stunt their growth and development significantly and cause them long-term damage, like having a kid go through puberty before they’re ready. Finally, hold back on fertilizer during this initial hardening off period so as not to shock your seedlings with too much nutrients all at once. This usually also includes a bit of wind and brighter outdoor light. Next, expose them to lower temperatures than what they were used to indoors about 10 degrees F below the indoor temperature is usually sufficient for most plants. This means that you should start by giving your plants a little less water each day until they’re used to their new environment. Gradually reducing water supply is the first step in the process. The indoor-grown seedlings go outdoors into a sheltered spot for a short time each day to help them acclimate to the conditions they will soon be experiencing 24/7. Hardening off seedlings prepares the baby plants for the stress conditions of the outdoor garden. Hardening off the seedlings The process of hardening off seedlings