Companion Planting, Hardening Plants off and Transplanting into the Garden

Companion Planting

 when two plants are planted alongside each other to the benefit of one or both of the plants. 

Don’t plant two heavy feeders next to each other.

Don’t plant vegetables that attract similar pests

Beware of cross pollination

Think about how the plants grow. Tall plants grow well next to low growing squash to shade the roots.

Companion planting chart and book recommendations

Hardening Plants off

 gradually exposes the tender plants to wind, sun and rain and toughens them up by thickening the cuticle on the leaves so that the leaves lose less water.

Lessens transplant shock. Reduces plant stress

-Begin one week before transplanting into the garden

-Start plants in a sun speckled area for one hour

-Increase time outside by one or two hours each day

-after 3 days move from speckled sun to full sun

-Continue increasing time outside until Plants are outside all day

Transplanting into the garden

-after hardening plants off

-pinching blooms off so plants will put energy into the roots instead of making vegetables. 

-In the evening to allow plants the longest time to settle in before the heat of the day. 

-avoid middle of the day as transplanting in hotter weather can shock the plants more, making it harder to recover.

-Warm season veggies are best planted when soil temps are 60 degrees or more. This is usually a week or two after the last frost date.