by Leslie Cox; Monday, June 23, 2014

Ever do something you know you should not do? Like transplanting your seedlings into the garden without hardening them off properly first?

There is a very good reason why one should slowly initiate seedlings to the harshness of the great outdoors.

Seedlings that have been lovingly nurtured indoors in a warm room…under grow lights…learn to expect such royal treatment throughout their lives.

But eventually all seedlings must go outside and into the ground where they will produce a bountiful crop. And that is where my bean seedlings were destined to go.

To back up a little bit…I normally do not start my bean seeds indoors. John and I always direct seed them into the vegetable garden when all threat of frost is past…normally around the third weekend of May.

But last year, our spring weather was so chilly and wet, our first seeding of beans turned out to be a disaster. Many of the seeds rotted. We wound up re-seeding the entire bean crop. So this year, I thought I would get a jump on the bush and pole beans right along with starting the lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, tomato, cucumber, pepper, broccoli and cabbage indoors.

Good success on the indoor seeding and in due course, all of the seedlings were transplanted into the garden…with the exception of the bush and pole beans. Waited to make sure there would not be any nasty hiccups in the wonderful weather we had through May.

Well…things got busy. Working at the school gardens, making some changes in my landscape design, training the new puppy, extra articles for my editor, long-lost family visiting…you name it. Days and more days go by and still my bush and pole bean seedlings languished inside under the lights…with the pole beans shoving their growth tips well above the light fixtures.

Panic had set in, a window of opportunity opened up and all of the beans were thrown outside and into the vegetable garden…all in a single day.

Not good. Weather was very warm…lots of sun. Leaves on the bean seedlings started to get fried.

I won’t bore you with the gory details of what my bean seedlings look like now…besides pathetic. Boy, have I learned my lesson! There are no shortcuts in the garden. There is a process to be followed…and it most definitely must be followed to ensure success.

 

Note: No photo of pathetic beans by request of author.