Introduction

Change can be difficult for anyone…plants are no different. This is especially true of tender young plants moved from comfortable surroundings in the greenhouse or shade house and immediately set out to face the extreme conditions of life in a Nevada landscape. Low humidity, high and low temperatures, wind and alkaline inorganic soils that may be from a clay to a sand may shock young plants. Life can be tough for a plant in the Silver State. Survival can be as difficult for purchased and newly planted trees and shrubs as it is for tender vegetable and bedding plants. As with people, a little time and care can help plants adjust and survive their new surroundings.

Why is this so?

Seedlings that have been started in a cold frame or greenhouse have been protected from harsh conditions. Starting successful crops requires sufficient, but not excess, water, sun, warmth and soil nutrients, and these are usually the conditions under which we plant seeds. Under ideal conditions such as these, plants tend to be more tender and succulent. Their stems do not have the capacity to withstand strong winds and need time to adjust and acclimatize. Biological reactions that permit the plant to respond to different environmental cues and difficult conditions help plants adjust, but several days to weeks may be needed for this to happen.

How long will it take?

Avoid the disappointment of seeing your new transplants wilt, scorch, or even die by taking a little time to gradually acclimate them to their new environment. How long this takes depends upon:

  • The conditions under which a plant was grown.
  • The conditions under which the plant was marketed.
  • The conditions or site into which it will be planted.
  • The environmental conditions under which the plant evolved. A tropical plant may never acclimate to outdoors Nevada.

The more protected their original growing conditions, whether it is in the nursery or the retailer, and the harsher the soil and climate conditions of their new surroundings, the longer the acclimation process will take. For most plants this process will take between a week and ten days.

For the complete article and what to do use the link below.

Davis, R., and O'Callaghan, A. 2003, Hardening Off Plants, Extension, University of Nevada Reno, FS-03-71
Printable    Version    (PDF)

Extension Associated Contacts

Martha Barajas
Martha Barajas
Angela O'Callaghan
Angela O'Callaghan
 

Also of Interest:

 
Reclaiming Water for Urban Foodsheds: Program Overview
Reclaiming Water for Urban Foodsheds integrates basic scientific research with Extension outreach to examine the feasibility of using reclaimed water resources for irrigated agriculture in urban environments.
 Pagilla, K., Hanigan, D., Yang, Y., Verburg, P., Sterle, K., and Singletary, L. 2019, Extension I University of Nevada, Reno, FS-19-08.
Adapting Truckee River Reservoir Operations for a Warmer Climate
This fact sheet reports results from Water for the Seasons, a collaborative modeling research program that partners researchers with water managers representing the diverse water-use communities in the Truckee-Carson River System in California and Nevada.
 Sterle, K.M., Jose, L., Coors, S., Pohll, G., Singletary, L., and Rajagopal, S. 2018, Extension I University of Nevada, Reno, FS-18-06
Climate Scenarios for the Truckee-Carson River System.
Water for the Seasons partners scientists with community stakeholders in the Truckee-Carson River System to explore new strategies and solutions for dealing with extreme climate events such as droughts and floods.
 Dettinger, M.D., Sterle, K., Simpson, K., Singletary, L., Fitzgerald, K., and McCarthy, M. 2017, Extension I University of Nevada, Reno, SP-17-05.
Shifts in Local Climate Adaptation Strategies Over the 2015-2017 Water Years: A Case Study in the Truckee-Carson River System.
This fact sheet reports results from Water for the Seasons, a collaborative modeling research program that partners researchers with water managers representing the diverse water-use communities in the Truckee-Carson River System of California and Nevada.
 Sterle, K., and Singletary, L. 2018, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, FS-18-04.
Assessing the Climate Resiliency and Adaptive Capacity of the Truckee-Carson River System: Preliminary Results of a Survey of Local Organizations
Water for the Seasons partners scientists with community stakeholders in the Truckee-Carson River System to explore new strategies and solutions for dealing with extreme climate events, such as droughts and foods. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and the U.S...
 Singletary, L., Sterle, K., and Simpson, K. 2016, Extension I University of Nevada, Reno, SP-16-03
 

Associated Programs

master gardener team sitting on tractor

Master Gardeners of Washoe County

Master Gardeners provide free, research-based horticulture information to Nevadans.

Master Gardeners at tabling event

Master Gardeners of Nevada

Program trains local gardeners to provide research-based horticulture information to Nevadans

Garden plant and pest sprayers image by Olga Seifutdinova from Getty Images

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management program is a long-term management strategy that uses a combination of tactics to reduce pests to tolerable levels with potentially lower costs for the pest manager and minimal effect on the environment.