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Plants grown inside are tender. Before they go in the garden they need about a week to get used to real sun and wind, called hardening off. Here is how, and when.Seedlings raised in stable indoor warmth are soft; moved straight outside they stall or scald. Hardening off, a gradual week or two of increasing exposure, is what makes the transition stick.
Step by step
Step 1
A seedling is ready when it has a few sets of real leaves and the roots hold the soil together when you slide it out of the pot.A transplant is ready when it has several sets of true leaves and roots that hold the plug together; leggy or root-bound starts transplant poorly.
Step 2
For a week or two, put the plants outside a little longer each day. Start in the shade out of the wind, and work up to full sun. Water a little less than you did inside.Over 1 to 2 weeks, set plants outside for increasing spells starting in shade and shelter, working up to full sun and wind, and ease back slightly on water. This thickens cuticles and prevents transplant shock.
Step 3
Wait until after your last frost date to plant tender crops outside. Tough, cold-loving crops can go out a couple of weeks earlier. The crop guides show the right window for your area.Set frost-tender crops out only after your average last frost; cold-hardy crops can go 2 to 3 weeks earlier. Each crop guide's calendar anchors these dates to your zone.
Step 4
Water the seedling first. Dig a hole, set it in at the same depth it grew, gently firm the soil around it, and water it right away to help the roots settle in.Water the plug first, plant to the same depth (tomatoes excepted; they root along a buried stem), firm the soil, and water in to settle roots against the soil.
Tender indoor leaves can scorch in a single day of direct sun, and cold wind can check or kill a soft seedling. Even survivors often stall for a week or two. The gradual introduction is what prevents that setback.
Every step on this page is drawn from land-grant university Cooperative Extension guidance. Last verified 2026.
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