Then choose the program that interests you: “The American Chestnut, Its Past and Hope for The Future” or “Helping Pollinators - Journey of a Beginning Beekeeper.” The day starts with a presentation by Penn State’s Amy Korman on the amazing, and sometimes annoying, variety of insects found in the home garden. Home Gardeners Conference: Penn State Master Gardeners, a daylong immersion into gardening, will be held April 22 at Penn State Lehigh Valley, 2809 Saucon Valley Road, Center Valley. Protect newly planted seedlings with a temporary cover, such as an old sheet or protective row covers. They will still be tender so watch for dropping temperatures or serious weather, such as torrential rains or hail. Remember to gradually increase the time outside over a week or two before planting the seedlings in your garden. Ease your seedlings into the fresh air on a warm day. The process is easy: Just gradually introduce your seedlings to the outdoors with increasing exposure to the outside. It prepares the seedlings for the big change they experience when moved from the protection of the windowsill, green house or other structure to the real world conditions of temperature change, increased sunlight and weather in general. In the darker shorter days of autumn hardening off can likely be skipped as well if the weather is cool and damp as the sun's rays are less intense.įind this article and more educational resources under the INFO tab at farmerbailey.The hardening off process is a necessary part of successful transplanting. This isn't always reliable as weather changes quickly, but sometimes you can get your plugs in the ground just before the rain sets in, and they will settle in quickly. If you are fairly sure you are going to have 2-3 days of cloudy or rainy weather, you can transplant without hardening off. After a couple of weeks your plants should be growing well, and the fabric can come off.ģ. This material increases humidity, buffers the sun's rays, and evens out extremes in temperatures. If you are planting in the field, simply transplant, immediately irrigate with with a hose or sprinkler, and then cover with remay/frost cloth/agribon. UV rays can't penetrate most tunnel/greenhouse covers and extreme wind and temperature are also moderated, so simply transplant on arrival.Ģ. If you are growing in a high or low tunnel you don't need to worry about acclimating your plants. There are three ways to skip hardening off.ġ. should be kept above 55F at all times.) After a few days your plugs will be ready to transplant. (Tender summer annuals such as zinnia, cosmos, ageratum, gomphrena, celosia etc. Plugs that would survive in the ground may die in a tray, if allowed to freeze. Roots are more exposed in a tray than in the ground, so prevent freezing of new plugs for best results. Most of the plugs we sell are frost hardy, but it is best to keep them above 32F while they are in the plug tray. Temperature is not as big of a concern as you may think it is. Keep them out of strong dry winds during this period. By the third or fourth day they should have adjusted their leaves to your sun levels and will be ready for transplant.ĭuring this time they will also have adapted to your humidity levels and will be better able to manage their transpiration of water. Start them with a couple hours of morning and evening sun, increasing their exposure each day. Over a few days, expose your plugs to more and more natural light. Sunshine, wind/dry air, and extreme temperatures are the main concerns in hardening off. There are three main factors in transitioning a plant from its perfect greenhouse life to actual growing conditions. We have all heard of hardening off plants before transplanting. Use a bit of caution when exposing them to real life conditions. When they arrive, your trays have been in transit for two to four days, and were growing in a high tech greenhouse before they shipped. Read on for the long answer, and the three exceptions to the hardening-off rule. Here's a question we receive every day: Do I need to harden off my plugs?The short answer is yes! Hardened-off plants are healthier, heartier, and produce better stems.
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