Don't Do It. Yes, that means you. You, too.

Well, it's officially Spring, and the weather here in the Windy City has been hitting the 50s or 60s, which makes urban gardeners (myself included) eye our budding seedlings and start champing at the bit to let the planting begin.

Danger, danger, Will Robinson! (Did I just date myself there?)


Remember, our last frost date is between April 25th and May 1st here in Chicago. We got a frost last night. This past weekend, it snowed. Last year, we got a significant snowfall on April 5th. It ain't over yet, folks. If you moved your tender seedlings outdoors, the worst case scenario is that there will be one or more hard frosts that will kill everything you just planted. The best case scenario is that through a lot of worried studying of weather reports, diligent covering and uncovering the young plants, and a streak of luck, your seedlings might survive the transition from inside your house to the nascent Spring...but their "headstart" in growth will quickly vanish compared to later-planted seedlings. Why? Because even plants that can survive cold weather don't do much--or any--growth when the mercury is low. Your lawn is a good example. It's probably not totally brown and dead, but how many times did you mow it this Winter? Yeah, I thought so.

But I know you. You've read up on your plants and noticed that some plants like spinach and lettuce do okay in cooler temps, so you want to move them outside--possibly to reclaim that window ledge that had been overwhelmed by plants. Go ahead and move them outside if you must, but do it in stages...

It's called "hardening" the seedlings.


Find a shadier place that's sheltered from the wind. If you have a cold frame, then--duh--use that. Leave the plants out only for a few hours a day before bringing them back inside. Gradually, over the course of a week or even two, increase how long the seedlings are outside and how much sunlight they're getting. I like to end this process by placing them for a day or two (still in their containers) on top of the place in the garden that will become their permanent This process will greatly reduce transplant shock, give you healthier plants, and at least make you feel like you're getting something done.

Take the time. You (and your vegetables) will be glad you did.