Although it is mainly for sun and temp., the wind certainly is a factor. How large are your seedlings? This spring hasn't been very warm, so I would say there isn't much rush to get your plants hardened off. What kind are they (really delicate or fairly hardy)? How many do you have (a reasonable number to take out each day)? Can you just take the cover off the mini-greenhouse for part of each day? I'm hoping the weather warms up soon...most of my perennials are behind where they have been the past few years. Last year I think I planted my annuals out on Mother's Day. I don't think I'll be doing that this year.

my seedling range in hardiness from impatiens and tomatoes (don't really like the cold) to broccoli and lobelia. They are all decent sizes and can be transplanted outside as soon as outside is ready for them.
I have the heat-seekers at the top of my greenhouse and the hardier plants at the bottom with the door open.
I have 4 trays, and my mini greenhouse is on wheels (pretty easy to roll in and out)

I agree with you about the late spring... this morning I was starting to think that mother nature has given up on summer and we will have to look at these bare branches for another year.

It is cool this year, but certainly not out of the norm. Don't even think about planting out until the holiday weekend for good results. I know people try sooner, but it really doesn't seem to pay off.

I harden off the last week of May. I have too many plants to take them in and out, so I start in a shady spot and move into the sun after three days or so. Then I'm darn lucky if a bunch of plants still aren't sitting there at the end of June. I always start way too much and run out of steam.

I wouldn't go directly from the greenhouse to the outside. They really do need that week outside.

I saw real green on C street today. Give it a week, which is just about right. Mid-May and it will pop again.

Gloria

Hi mcav0y,
It's nice out today though!! I think that you should definitely expose them to the out-of-the greenhouse environment a little before you just kick them out. I think the idea of uncovering the greenhouse for part of the day is a good one. I started hardening mine off today, but don't have too much to take in at night to keep safe. It feels good to see them sitting out there in the shade though.
S

sauna,

You are right. It is beautiful today! However, I was out on a bike ride and was caught in a thunderstorm!!! True thunder and lightening!

I think that I will put them outside starting next week and plant the week before Memorial Day.

Can I add a question here?

If I put some seedlings out one day then the rest out the next and alternate them will that set them back too much as far as hardening off or stress them too much or will they be just fine?

Also, half our porch is open and half is covered with just a roof. Do you think after they're hardened off for a few days they would stand a couple degrees of frost at night under the roof part? It's enough for awhile in the fall with my annual containers, but I've never tried it with my seedlings. I have cosmos, thyme, marigolds, rudbeckia, stocks, agastache and pansies.

I think I'll start setting them out next week, too.
Oops I guess that was 2 questions...Tootsie(seeking ways to clear off the kitchen table :^) )

Tootsie, yes you can bring them in on days that aren't good for hardnening off (strong wind, frost, hail, whatever). I would say that after a few days the pansies would tolerate a frost under the roof, not too sure about the rest of them.

I like to pick a cloudy, warm day to start the hardening off. Some people put them out in shade at first. Seems ok either way.

Anchorage Daily News today wrote the municipal gardener starts hanging her baskets out in 4 days - does this sound about right?

My begonias, lobelias and marigolds are getting huge and unwieldy on the shelf indoors and I'm anxious to plant in their hanging pots and move them out.

Thanks Northspruce. I'll experiment with the pansies first. Just got our weather forcast and it's supposed to get into the high teens and low twenties for the high and well above zero at nights this coming week! Yahoo!

Toots

(I just have to remember I am still in zone 1! And we have gotten frost and snow every month some years! But one can still hope this is it, can't they?)

mrehberg,

here is the muni planting schedule:
http://www.muni.org/iceimages/parks/PlantingSchedule06.pdf

so, in theory, the baskets should be out! I haven't been downtown yet.

Read today's paper and Jeff L. the gardening columnist was talking about starting to harden his plants off this week. His suggestion is to harden off for 10 days, which is what I typically do. That puts us right about at the end of the month. The forcast is for low 30's for a couple of days, so I think I'll try for next week. I still have a few seeds to start like squash.

I haven't been downtown or in Spenard, but with the push to get tourists up here earlier, I wouldn't be suprised if they start hanging the baskets earlier. I'm sure whatever is in them will be hardy for lower temps just in case.

Gloria

Right now my broccoli, lobelia, pansies, petunias and zucchini are out 24/7. They get the late afternoon/evening sun (which is still about 5 hours) and on a covered porch. So far, so good.

I need to pot-up my tomatoes, because they are not ready to go out, but they are huge (one is blooming). My basil keeps cowering and my impatiens are threatening to loose their leaves everytime I leave them out for more than 4 hours. Not quite time for them yet.

I heard Jeff on the radio talking about putting things out "once the leaves on the birch trees are as big as a squirrel's ear." I guess that is his phrase for the week (it was in that article too).

Made it downtown tonight for dinner. No hanging baskets out yet, so I guess the anticipated date wasn't quite right. Saw several touristy types roaming around. 'Tis the season.

A neighbor was planting pansies today. I'll be she got them at Fred Meyers where the stuff is outside and pretty much hardened off.

I did think to water some of the garden beds yesterday. I used my hot water tap, but forgot to turn it back to luke warm (it was at the hottest setting for the skating rink). Hopefully I didn't cook anything.

Maybe I'll at least try and get the lobelia out. I need some room under my lights.

Gloria

Our leaves are bigger than a squirrel's ear right now, but the temperature isn't cooperating as far as leaving things outside. It's supposed to go down to 0° tonight. >:(