Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi all,

I was thinking of hardening off my early cabbages in a few weeks, but don't really have anything suitable outside. So I was wondering if it would be possible to do so in doors. I have an unheated room (which can get cold, but not as cold as outside), but doesn't get much light (only has one window that it blocked by next-door's house). But saying that it isn't dark during the day.

Does anyone have any advice on using this? Also, how long would you say it takes to harden off veg?

Thanks for any advice.

Steven

Hardening off is the process by which you get the plants used to their final growing conditions outside, so it kinda defeats the object if you keep them in the house. They will not like the lack of light, either.

Usually, if the weather is relatively stable, you would start by placing the young plants outside during the day and take them in at night. After a week or ten days, they probably have gotten the idea and you leave them out overnight. You have to react to changing weather, of course. There's no hard and fast rule.

Cabbages themselves aren't too tender, so you just need to give them some shelter from the wind. Are you feeling creative? You could probably fashion something from around the house/ garden.

Seems that I miss-understood what hardening off was. Thanks for the advice.

Steven

I guess we should call it "hardening up". It's a bit like turning a soft 17 year old into a squaddie ready for anything