Once they’re moved outside they have to learn to not just survive, but thrive in bright sun, strong winds, and fluctuating temperatures. They have plenty of light, regular moisture, a steady supply of food, and no weather to deal with. Seedlings started indoors under a grow light or in a sunny window have a pretty pampered life. It acclimatizes the young plants for the transition from indoor to outdoor growing conditions and essentially toughens them up. Hardening off indoor-grown seedlings is a step you can’t skip. Why? The reason is simple: I hadn’t hardened them off. When I went to bring them back inside I discovered that all my seedlings had flopped over and many were bleached by the sun. I felt like a proud parent and, one sunny day in early May, I thought I’d do my seedlings a favor and take them outdoors for a few hours of direct sunlight. I planted a few trays of vegetable, flower, and herb seeds and was growing them beside a window in the family dining room. As a new gardener, I was starting seeds indoors for the first time. I was just a teenager when I learned the importance of hardening off seedlings like tomato plants. Why do you need to know how to harden off tomato plants? It allows them to adjust to outdoor growing conditions. Hardening off tomato plants is the final step before moving the seedlings into the garden. Keep reading to learn how to harden off tomato plants using my simple seven day schedule. It isn’t hard to do and takes about a week. Are you wondering how to harden off tomato plants? Is it really necessary to do? How long does it take to harden off the plants? I’ve got answers to all of your hardening off questions below, but the short response is yes, you do need to harden off indoor-grown seedlings before you move them outdoors.
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