We often receive questions in regards to transplanting seedlings.  It is very common for people to get a jump start on spring by starting indoors.  Whether they are forcing bulbs, getting ahead on vegetables for the garden, or starting bareroot items, people often will start growing materials in containers for transplanting later.

If you are new to this process, you will want to make sure that you harden off your plants before transplant them outside.  Basically, you are conditioning the plant (or plants) to get ready for their new environment.  Doing this helps reduce transplant shock and increases the survival rate for your plant.  This makes sense, because plants grown indoors (either in the house or in a greenhouse) are used to consistent conditions (such as light, water, and temperature).  Outside, the plant will have a wider range of temperatures to adjust to (not to mention factors like rain, wind, etc). 

To get your plants ready for the great outdoors, you will want expose them to the new environment gradually.  It is generally recommended to start the process about a week and half to two weeks before you transplant.  For the areas that are cooler, you will want to wait until after the last frost (ideally with temperatures outside 50 or above). 

First, start by placing your potted material in a shaded spot outside (under a tree or on the side of the house shaded from the sun).  You will want to leave them outside for a couple of hours (around 2 - 4 hours) before bringing them back inside.  From this point, you will want to slowly incorporate sunlight while increasing the time that your plants stay outside.  After about 2 days try putting the plants in the morning sunlight for about an hour, and then move them back to their shady spot.  Continue increasing the plants time in the sun by about an hour or so everyday (or every other day).  If the temperatures stay around 50 degrees overnight, you can start leaving them out near the end of the hardening process (just be careful that there aren't any late frosts coming through).  At this point, you should be ready to plant. 

This process will actually help to strengthen the plant's cells, kind of like working out to strengthen muscles.  It will get the plant ready for the new place it will call home.  Also, here are a few tips you may want to consider when going through this process.  You will want to be careful where you place the plants outside.  For the shaded areas, you will want to pick a spot that is somewhat shielded from the wind.  Not only can the winds damage the plant itself (since it is not used to it), the wind can cool down the container quickly.  Plants in small containers don't have a lot of insulation, and the rapid temperature change can be harmful.  This principle also applies to the sunny spot that you choose.  Placing the plants on cement can "cook" the plants since concrete can heat up so fast.  Finally, it is usually recommended to try and transplant the item on a cloudy day to help with the transition.  You will want to make sure that it is watered well after it is planted.