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Hardening off. A question about durability.

Sethsquatch

Sethsquatch

Hey all,

So, we are having a really nice mild winter. I took some plants out today for their first bath in the sun. Left them out for an hour. All good.

Now my question is actually this. Once you harden off your plants, how long will they remain hardened off?

If we get a cold snap and I need to move them back in under lights for a week or two, will I have to re-harden the plants or will they already be good from the initial hardening process.

Thanks,
Seth
 
I think it would be best to leave your plants indoors until you know for sure that there won't be sudden frost.
 
If they get acclimated to direct sun then you put them inside for a week, you will need to start the process all over again.

A couple years ago I had a few larger plants that had been outside for over a month, perfectly acclimated/hardened off to the outdoors. We got a serious cold snap storm system that came through and temps were not supposed to break 45 with constant rain for 3 days. All my plants went back inside for those 3 days. Put them right back out when the system passed and they all lost all of their leaves. Now on a larger plant that is not a problem, but with youngsters it can kill them. All my plants recovered just fine because they were quite large and sturdy or overwinters.
 
You just have to keep an eye on you plants, its impossible to say how many days to harden off or re-harden. Too many variables to calculate
 
my plants are in the ground yr round. We have had slightly freezing temps and so far my ghost have done fine, maybe some slight frost damage but so little the flowers didnt drop and only a couple of leaves show any sign of damage. If you are talking just short dips into near sub 32f then once the plant is hardened the plant will do fine, just not ideal for the plant in general.

Really, you wouldnt want to risk it and if your plants are not hardened then keep them inside during the nights or cold days, like I said mine are in the ground so the roots wouldnt get down to freezing while in a pot they very well could.
 
What mill said. I have a douglah at work and it was hardened. I broke my ankle was out 3 weeks, a co worker kept an eye on it but it was in her office for 3 weeks and i had to re harden it off. So i would say if.you bring them indoor for a week or longer just keep an eye on them when you put them back out and see how they react to sun
 
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