Prepare plants for the Outside

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You can’t put plants outside without preparing them first. This includes all your seedlings you’ve grown indoors and any houseplants and tropical plants that are looking forward to vacationing outside on your deck or patio.

Geraniums.

Seedlings.

Bougainvilleas.

Tropical hibiscus.

Bromeliads.

Angel trumpet (Brugmansia).

​They’ve been living in the comfort of your home or greenhouse where the temperatures don’t fluctuate like they do outdoors. There’s no scorching sunshine, no drying winds, no chilly gusts, no raging storms nor pelting rain. They must be toughened up so they can face the world. 

Gradually expose plants to more sun and wind.

Keep water handy and check on plants often during the hardening off process.

It takes a week or two until plants are left outside all day and through the night.

It takes a week or two to gradually acclimatize them to the elements – one hour at a time, one day at a time. Before placing them outdoors, give them a drink and don’t put plants outside if they are thirsty and wilted.

The second day of hardening off. They were taken back inside after two hours.

Check on them often during the time they spend outside to make sure they are not suffering and have adequate water. They will let you know they are unhappy by wilting, becoming distorted and discoloured. Injured, wilting and suffering plants must be brought inside asap. Place them away from direct sunlight, and water if they are thirsty and apologize. It goes a long way to heal the hurt.

Houseplants, geraniums, seedlings and other plants are becoming accustomed to the outdoors.

The Hardening Off Process: Set plants outside for an hour in a shaded and protected spot. Each day thereafter, increase their time outside by an hour or two. Give them more and more direct sunshine and exposure to the wind until they are outside for 24 hours.

A damaged basil seedling.

Basil seedlings were damaged after being left outside for too long.

Keep any injured plants inside for a day or two, then place them outside again once they regain their composure but place them in a more sheltered location – and don’t forget to check on them often. When plants are able to stay out all night and day without any issue, then they have hardened off sufficiently and can be planted outside. ​

Cold temperatures have damaged these basil seedlings.

This discolouration of a tomato leaf is referred to as silver leaf. In this instance the seedlings received too much sun.