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What is "Harden Off"
Moving Your Seedlings Outdoors
So you started your plants in your AeroGarden, but now you want to transplant them into pots or your outdoor garden. A relatively easy process, but when done without hardening off, some plants may not survive the transition, and no one wants that!
What our new video on how to Harden off your plants for the best possible success. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask, and we will include them in this blog for others with similar thoughts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKZ_d6EBv5w
If you want to start your plants indoors for your outdoor garden, we recommend using our Seed Starting Systems. They have more holes for our grow sponges, meaning more plants started for your garden. We recommend transplanting them before they get too large (over 3 inches) for two reasons. One, the roots will be smaller, making them easier to pull out of the deck without damaging them. Second, young plants survive the transplanting process much better than an adult plant would.
Please note that we sell the Seed Starting Systems for all our garden models. If you have a Harvest AeroGarden double check you are getting the right deck for the right model. We have our Harvest Classics (older models) and then we have our Harvest Gardens (newer models, 2018+) They are not interchangeable.
So glad to hear that you are loving your AeroGarden. It sounds like you want to transplant your plants now that they are fully grown and touching the light? If that is the case, then I actually do not recommend transplanting, because older mature plants are more likely to get shocked and do not have as much of a great survival rate. I would instead recommend trimming your plants (no more than 1/3rd) so that they are no longer touching the light, and to periodically trim them to keep them contained. If you do really want to try and transplant them, then please flood the soil when you do. You do not have to take the plastic basket off, but can cut if off very delicately.. I hope that helps!
Must I cut off the plastic the roots are in or just pull roots out?
Must I keep the plants in lots of water the first few days it’s in organic earth?
We recommend transplanting outdoors when it is not too hot, or place in a shady location so the sun does not shock it right away. Depending on what plant it is, will depend on the time of season, a quick google search can let you know that.
It is not necessary to remove the plastic basket if you believe the roots will be injured. If the roots are still small, you may easily be able to pull it through or gently cut it off, just be gentle with your plant, but it will not harm them if you plant the basket along with the plant.
Yes! On the first day that you transplant to soil, make sure to flood the dirt, give that plant a ton of water. Then after that it is not necessary to water again until the soil has dried more.
Hope all that information helps!
Hope that helps!
I started my seedling in my areogarden slim. I have tomatoes and peppers. The tomato grew to approx. 3 inches in 2 1/2 weeks and taking room from the pepper to grow. I would like to transplant them into potted soil indoors and harden them this way, to eventually plant them outdoors. what is the best soil to use?
I would like to transfer my herb garden to a potting soil that I will keep inside. Do you have any tips or recommendations on how to have a smooth transition?
Thank you!
You can also remove your grow deck and place it on the counter if your plants aren't too big. Then empty the water bowl and refill it (and replace the nutrients), then place the grow deck with your plants still in their pod holes right back on the garden.
Good luck!
Need best tips please.
Good luck!
I have had my seed pods starts for two months. The basil x2 are growing great along with the dill...but the mint and thyme never really did anything, the parsley is just starting and sparse. Any suggestions? Reading everything, it seems that I am doing everything right - I have harvested the basil, so I could adjust the light deck, but don't want to cut too much - but the light deck is still high - that being said with nothing out of the mint or thyme my efforts might just be better on the basils and dill? should I cut them back? or maybe try to transplant and use new pods in general - but sounds like they are too big to transplant...hmmmm. Thanks!!
Parsley and mint coming in slowly. Nothing on the thyme or Thai basil yet!
My question is What do I do now? They are all going to be different heights!