Hardening Off
As your seedlings grow start widening the slits in the covers, once a week or so make the slits a little bit bigger, eventually you will have more open areas than covered and yo will be able to transplant the seedlings into the garden because they are completely hardened off. I have put in seedlings that barely had their first set of true leaves and they thrived in the ground.
Your seedlings are already used to the cold.....they were "born" in it. Hardening off gets them used to increased sunshine, fresh air and breezes.
Tip reminds us that WinterSown seedlings have sprouted outdoors and that they are quite used to cold temperatures. Link references for Hardening Off provide good information for late germinating tender annuals such as morning glories and impatiens. The information is also valuable reference for all Spring and Summer Sown seedlings.
Gardening in Western Washington, WSU Extension Library
By Trudi Davidoff *
GardenWeb.com Growing from Seed Forum FAQ
* Author is owner/webmaster of WinterSown.Org
By Steve Aergerter, Colorado Master Gardener
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Denver County
