The Q&A Archives: seeds

Question: Hi, a few weeks ago I planted some flower seeds (impatiens, lavender, asclepias) . Now they are about 1,5 inch long. I heard that before putting them in the garden, first I have to prepare them for the outdoor weather. How to do it? I dont want them to die like they did last year.

Answer: Hardening off is the term we use when describing how to acclimate your new seedlings to living outdoors. Here's how:


On a mild day, start with 2-3 hours of morning sun in a sheltered location.

Protect seedlings from strong sun, wind, hard rain and cool temperatures.

Increase exposure to sunlight a few additional hours at a time and gradually reduce frequency of watering, but do not allow seedlings to wilt. Avoid fertilizing.

Keep an eye on the weather and listen to the low temperature prediction. If temperatures below the crop's minimum are forecast, bring the plants indoors overnight and then take them back outside in the late morning.

Each day you will move them to provide more and more sunshine. This process should take only a week to 10 days. Then they will be ready to be planted into the garden.

After transplanting to the garden, use a weak fertilizer solution to get transplants growing again and to help avoid transplant shock.

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