Hardening Plants for Outdoor

ThurgoodJ

ThurgoodJ

Active Member
Hey guys, looking to put some indoor seedlings outdoors sometime soon, and I have no experience with outdoor growing whatsoever. After doing some research I've noticed that the plants need to be "hardened" to the outdoor environment, but I'm not quite sure what this entails. They're about 3 weeks old right now, and in party cups, so I'm gonna need to transplant within the next week or two.

What do I need to do to "harden them off", before I can transplant into the ground? Does this just consist of putting them outside for a certain time each day, and gradually making that time longer? Would appreciate any help/advice.

The pics are from last week, they're a little bigger than that now, but it gives you an idea of their size atm.
 

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hic

Well-Known Member
take it slow, In the summer I harden off by putting them in full shade for about 3 days. I then move them to a spot where they get the soft morning sun and the soft evening sun for at least 3 days. After that wait for a cloudy day set em out. If no purple or burning tips have appeared threwout the day you are legit for full sun. The intensity of the sun is always less powerfull the earlier we move on to solstice. If you are going to do this much latter in the year say june you may wanna take it a touch slower in harding off. - just fyi
 
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hic

Well-Known Member
nice lookig plants by the way - good work! they already look like they are going to be potent to me.
 
balconyfun

balconyfun

Active Member
I've been looking for help on this, too - can't seem to fine much info. The only concrete thing I read was to gradually change the lighting from whatever you're vegging at to 12/12 to help ease the transition... but I have no idea if you're supposed to do that over a week or 2 weeks or whatever.

I just took mine from inside and plopped them outside, and they didn't turn out so great the first time. I'm trying again now, but there's all these additional problems with clones outside in springtime that I'm running into. But hey, learning and growing is fun, so whatever.
 
ThurgoodJ

ThurgoodJ

Active Member
Thanks for all the great info guys.

balconyfun, if I switch the lights to 12/12, they will go into flower though? I don't want that yet, it's only the beginning of the season.

Icyblaze, the stalks on the plants in the pics are actually pretty strong/thick right now. I dunno if you were referring to the seedling stalk you can see in the background or not, but those are 2 weeks behind these particular ones. I've got an oscillating fan on medium covering all of them though, and they're loving it...I figure that's about the best I can do to get good strong, thick stalks.

I personally don't have the option to put these outdoors, no space or privacy to do so. But a buddy of mine wanted a couple of these seedlings to put outdoors, as he has the opposite problem. No lights, room, etc. indoors but good privacy and land for a couple outdoors. That's why I was wondering how to harden them off, so they don't just die when he transplants them. To be honest I don't think this particular strain will do that well outdoors, maybe someone can help me determine that as well. It's Nirvana's Bubbleicious.
 
balconyfun

balconyfun

Active Member
yeah for sure if you switch to 12/12 they will sorry i thought that's what you wanted.... i veg indoor then just plop them on my balcony and they flower! :)
 
ClosetSafe

ClosetSafe

Active Member
dood, we use the same dixie cups too... crazy
south-facing window sills are great for hardening off. if you can't put them outside, but need them used to actual sunlight.
If you can put it outside with some privacy, maybe a box with the seedlings in them. And a black screen over the top for shading.
 
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