@juneoakes
spring garden prep before one warm day fools you
17 items
- 01Order seed catalog before Valentine's Day
- 02Test soil temperature with an actual thermometer
- 03Sharpen and oil the pruners
- ··14 more entries
119200
hardening off seedlings without losing half the tray
the year I skipped a day of this schedule to save time, I lost most of a pepper tray to one cold snap. don't skip a day.
01
Wait until daytime temps hold above 60°F for at least three days running
one warm afternoon doesn't count, you need a stretch
02
Day 1: full shade, one hour outside, then back in
03
Day 2: full shade, two hours
04
Day 3: dappled light, three hours, out of the wind
wind is the part people forget. it dries seedlings out faster than sun does
05
Days 4-5: a few hours of direct morning sun, still bringing them in at night
06
Days 6-7: half the day outside
check leaves for sunscald in the afternoon, pull back a step if you see white patches
07
Days 8-9: leave outside all day, bring in only if frost is forecast
08
Day 10: leave overnight if nights are staying above 45°F
this is the step I skipped the bad year. a surprise 38 degree night took most of a pepper tray
09
Transplant on a cloudy, calm day if you can pick one