GroVid22 HARDENING OFF: Today's The Day!

Time For Hardening Off

...Avoiding Sunburn, Wind Burn, Transplant Shock!

As many of you know, I sowed plenty of seeds indoors, starting February, and into last month. Seeds germinated in ideal conditions, exactly heat, and indoor light. No wind, no sun.

When you start seeds indoors, you need to be careful when transplanting them outside. For one, the seedlings themselves are not used to even light winds, indoors, so, growing outdoors means a few extra steps.

First, similar to that first time someone goes to the beach for the season, you need to be cautious, or else, you may get sunburned. Same with your seedlings. No matter how much light most gardeners have, the sun is always stronger with much more UV light, so seedlings need to get used to sun.

For me, I tend to start my seedlings, and add a fan, so they do get some sun. However, winds are much stronger outside. I have a LOT of light on my shelves, but no where NEAR what the sun can shed onto my seedlings. To get around that, I go slowly, outside!

Today (Tues), was day one. I carried all the plants outside, and left them on a table for about 90 minutes. THEN, back inside. Tomorrow (WED), I will bring them outside for abut 2 hours. On Thursday, outside for FOUR hours. On Friday, outside for 6 hours. On Saturday, outside for 8 hours. Sunday, outside and then overnight. Monday will be planting time!!!

Above: Transplanted Sweet Basil outside to my Herb shelf (and one Dark Opal Basil seedling)
Below: Transplanted my Greek Basil outside!

Above: Carrot germinating!
Below: 3 Grow Bags of Potato, foreground. Onions, top right.

The plants currently outside planted:

7 types of Potato
3 types of Peas
3 types of Carrot
7 types of Onion
New Zealand Spinach
2 types of Arugula
6 types of Lettuce
Celery
2 Basils, 2 Oreganos, Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, and Mint

The plants being Hardened Off to go outside:

14 types of Tomato,
5 types of Pepper,
2 types Zucchini,
Honeydew Melon,
Watermelon,
Butternut Squash
Spaghetti Squash,
Golden Summer Squash,
4 kinds of Cucumbers,
Pumpkin
2 types of Brussels Sprouts

Hardening Off Plants, and then Planting will make this week a very busy week. On top of that, setting up some work space for my wife, setting up our new Travel Trailer, and the tent for my kids, and some remaining paperwork from work left over. Busy Week, indeed!

Show me your garden!
Leave me a comment, below... and a link to your garden!

It's time to take control of your own food supply,
your own health and your own lives.

The GroVid22 Challenge:
Grow Your OWN is not just a simple short challenge,
it's about taking control of your future!

Happy New Planting and Cheers,
BluefinStudios

All Photos by Bluefin Studios unless specified.