This is the earliest I've ever started hardening off tender annuals
mxk3 z5b_MI
14 days ago
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beesneeds
14 days agoCharles Kidder
14 days agoRelated Discussions
Hardening off...
Comments (33)To anyone,I have been reading these posts.I'm wondering why if you are raising all these seedlings,you don't invest in a simple coldframe.I have a greenhouse & I put a lot of hardier plants like petunias out in the coldframe,usually April 1 but started early this year.I also took a cue from my local nursery & started putting plants outside my greenhouse next to house on east side.I pay close attention to the evening news & cover anything I'm concerned about.I'm trying to hide things from the dreaded whiteflies(addressed in another post). Peppers,of course,are very tender & I wouldn't put them out. Coleus,which I start lots of,I keep inside all the time.If my tomatoes were transplanted,I might set them outside on these 65-85 days.They'd go into shed or coldframe at night.The wind is a big issue for me.No plants appreciate it be it a warm day or cool. Ha,ha,ha yes I'm a gardener,50+ years. Doris...See MoreList of Tender Annuals and Per. you are waiting to sow in March
Comments (18)I'm with bakemom. I think this list has grown way too long. Somehow the principle has strayed way off from Trudi's original "throw seed in a jug and stick 'em in the snow". I think Trudi still sows everything in winter, don't you Trudi? I too sow things like petunia and nicotiana in winter and had them do just great. They reseed like weeds in my yard so I figure that's the go ahead to sow them in winter. If you've already sown some of the really tender things like zins, marigolds, or coleus, you just have to be a little more vigilant come spring. If you get an early warm weather spell, watch those for germination. In case of later frost, after they germinate, just give them a little more protection overnight. Throw a blanket over them if necessary. That's not such a big deal, really. I find that if these are sown early they don't necessarily sprout early because they tend to need really warm temps for several days to germ. Don't overthink this. Some of you guys are making this much harder than it has to be. Karen...See MoreIs there a tender annuals/hardy annuals list somewhere?
Comments (9)Christie, Your winter sown things should be in their covered containers, so they are protected. Planted out or with out covers on the containers are called unprotected. You do not need to worry about un sprouted seeds. If its a brief frost/light freeze I wouldn't worry so long as the plants aren't touching the plastic cover. If its sustained cold it is iffy on those tender things. If you've already sown them, and they've sprouted you can take your chances on leaving them out and see what happens. If you lose them, there is plenty of time to re sown. If they've sprouted and you are expecting really cold temps longer than over night you can always move them indoors to a garage or really cool room. But only for a short while, other wise they'll get all leggy and weak, then you'll need to harden them off when temps warm back up. You could try to move them to a covered porch and toss a blanket over them for a little while but only while its really cold. (below freezing) This is the reason why we only sow hardy plants early and wait until later to sow the tender stuff. The above is not set in stone, and people in different areas may have other experiences. You'd be surprised how these little sprouts tough out short periods of really cold temps in their little greenhouses. But really tender plants, just can't cope....See MoreWhen to start hardening off in Upstate New York
Comments (7)Why exactly are you lugging them around? Seriously, you are making this WAY too much work. You kick them outside when it's pretty warm, and if they have to come back in, they spend the night on the kitchen floor, or in the garage. The trick is to have some idea of just when certain plants object to the cold. So the sweet peas are already on their own on the front porch, and will probably get planted early next week. They can handle light frost. The other extreme is basil. It freaks at temperatures below 40, so it stays inside until pretty late. Just don't bung them out into broad daylight. They don't like that. Start with somewhere on the north side of the house with shade. The sun is much, much worse than the cold for most seedlings....See Morerosaprimula
14 days agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
14 days agomxk3 z5b_MI
13 days agodiggerdee zone 6 CT
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13 days agorob333 (zone 7b)
13 days agolast modified: 13 days agorosaprimula
5 days agomxk3 z5b_MI
5 days ago
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