Is it OK to put Young Plants Outside?

[Kingzako]

OK, its only mid April and Sunlight is about 13+ hrs a day.
Is it save to put plants outside now or should I wait until late May- early June as normal.

The plants I want to put outside are potted in organic soil, hand watering w/ General Hydro Nutrients, and they have been growing under flourcents and are about 6-8" tall.

What issues might I face?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

What issues might I face?

Depending on where you live, temperatures during both day and night would be one consideration.

We're still hitting the 30's here at night so heading outdoors wouldn't work.

YMMV

CC

 

[ixnay007]

What lighting schedule do you have your plants under at the moment? If the jump from where you're at to 13 hours of light is too big, there's a good chance they'll start flowering.

 

[DocLeaf]

Currently we are moving them outside during mid-day, but keeping them indoors on the window in the morning and at night.

The main advantage in placing plants outdoors early is that the breeze/wind helps them grow stronger,, and the cooler temps make them grow hardy (and kills off the weak).

Otherwise its still a little too cold for outdoor outdoor these sides yet.

Hope this helps

n.b. watch out for bugs n whitefly at this time of year,, they are looking for hosts!

 

[mad librettist]

try some floating row covers or a cloche.

You can take advantage of the natural light while getting some protection from frost. The row covers also mean you don't have to harden off your plants.

 

[TwoPaid]

Botanists developed a spray that, when misted over a plant, will help it endure temperatures 2.2 to 9.4 degrees Fahrenheit colder than it would without the spray, depending upon the species. The spray, called Freeze-Pruf, reduces the freezing point of water inside the tissues of the plant by means of a mixture that combines five ingredients in a water-based spray formula. One spray works for four to six weeks, lowering the temperature at which damage first becomes noticeable as well as the temperature that would normally kill the plant.

 

[Miris]

well...
no year there wasnt problem with putting SEEDS outside. they can live in - (minus) degrees, but they´ll grow very slowly ... about photoperiod - there is no problem if u start theese days with seeds (depends where you live of course - Im talking about 13:30 hours of light)...

but from cut its a different story ...

you can expect some very good bushes if u start now .)

 

[Kingzako]

Ixnay; The plants have been on 24/7 light.

Thank you for your responses

 

[guest2012y]

Depending on where you live, temperatures during both day and night would be one consideration.

We're still hitting the 30's here at night so heading outdoors wouldn't work.

YMMV

CC

Unless you're me! LOL
This plant spent a week outside before being hit by frosts 3 times.
It's all strain related and how well you (the grower) can manage a hardening-off period. If I think it's going to kill them,I let it kill them. I refuse to try and save them by covering,or anything. I want plants that can take these hits when they are loaded with buds and a frost in mid-October hits them.
This one is a male...I have a few girls out who got hit yesterday and have also recovered. Hope this helps......be brave and be prepared to sacrifice if you want to get serious. )I also understand some people don't have the #'s or the strain to play around with like this)

After

 

[supermanlives]

mine get 12 hours outside then 12 hr inside . works great and saves me a few bucks on electricity. in so cal u can grow outside all year tho.

 

[NUG-JUG]

Unless you're me! LOL
This plant spent a week outside before being hit by frosts 3 times.
It's all strain related and how well you (the grower) can manage a hardening-off period.

I want to flower a Mazar-I-Shariff through winter since they supposedly harvest it in Afghanistan in mid-January. It's supposed to just turn blood red in snowy weather and still live. We'll see..