SiLOSSiLOS

Hardening Off Seedlings Before Planting Out

About this photo
‹ Back
thermometer

1What's actually happening to the plant

Hardening off thickens the natural wax on the leaf surface, adds lignin to the cell walls, lowers the amount of freeze-prone water inside the cells, and builds up stored carbohydrate reserves — the plant is quite literally toughening its own tissue in response to wind, sun and cold it hasn't felt before.

2Wind does more damage than people expect

It's not just snapped stems: even a light breeze throws tiny soil particles against leaves like sandblasting, scratching cells and increasing water loss. A plant moved straight from a still greenhouse into open wind loses moisture faster than its unhardened roots can replace it.

3A cold frame does this automatically

A simple cold frame protects transplants from cold nights while still exposing them to real outdoor daytime conditions when opened — it turns the ten-day carry-it-out-and-back-in routine into just opening and closing a lid.

Explore this area
HomeHouseGardenFarm