Hardening off pepper seedlings made their leaves wilt

[kbrown1337]

I have some pepper seedlings that are about 4 weeks old that are quite leggy, so I have begun the process of hardening them off to try to transplant them. I left them outside for a few hours about a week ago and one of the plants' leaves wilted and shriveled up, so I took them all inside until today. Now today I left them outside again (temperature around 65 F, kept in a shaded area) for the whole day, and when I went to take them in, I noticed that almost all of their leaves have started to wilt! Some more than others. Am I doing something wrong with trying to harden them off?

[Peter1142]

How big are the pots? Are they rootbound?

[Lindsaylew82]

Can you post some pictures? What are your seedlings planted in? Medium? Pot size?

[kbrown1337]

Can you post some pictures? What are your seedlings planted in? Medium? Pot size?

Here's some pictures. The one leaf is all shriveled up. I started the seedlings in little jiffy pots and moved them to medium sized pots.

https://imgur.com/a/q1O7s

[kbrown1337]

How big are the pots? Are they rootbound?

The pots are medium sized, so I don't think they're rootbound. Not sure though

[Lindsaylew82]

They look a little dry around the edges. Sounds like they're not getting enough water before they're going out. Maybe try watering from the bottom until the soil is moist on the top. Then put them outside.

They look pretty healthy. Are they under a grow light when they're inside? Fan on them? I say just give them a really good drink before you put them out.

[kbrown1337]

They look a little dry around the edges. Sounds like they're not getting enough water before they're going out. Maybe try watering from the bottom until the soil is moist on the top. Then put them outside.

They look pretty healthy. Are they under a grow light when they're inside? Fan on them? I say just give them a really good drink before you put them out.

Okay I'll try that Yes they're under a grow light, but I don't have a fan on them. Will a fan really help?

[Lindsaylew82]

It will strengthen their stems if you're gonna keep them inside, but I would concentrate all my efforts on getting them outside!

[kbrown1337]

It will strengthen their stems if you're gonna keep them inside, but I would concentrate all my efforts on getting them outside!

Ah okay, thanks!

[imafan26]

Try to harden them off on a cloudy day for one hour at a time in a shady spot. A few hours is too much. 30 minutes in my car driving home burns leaves.

Sometimes you can harden them off by putting them outside in the shade and since it will still be more light than they get in the house. I think you are leaving them out for too long. If they are large seedlings they will dry out faster as well so you need to water them well while they are out there.

[applestar]

Yeah. Hardening off is not only to sunlight but air movement, too. (And temperature fluctuation and extremes)

Indoor seedlings are just not used to all that. Windy days are the worst, and "sheltered spot" must include protection from too much wind.

The fan helps to simulate air currents, and for best effect, should be an oscillating fan on a timer to go on and off several times a day for "resistance exercise".

[jal_ut]

"I noticed that almost all of their leaves have started to wilt"

I am thinking it is a lack of water. You may have to water them mid-day.

[Lindsaylew82]

They may be struggling to get roots through the Jiffy Pots into the uppot's new soil, too. I'm assuming that you planted the jiffy pot in the bigger pot? Those things can be tough for little roots to break through if you don't cut them. There is possibility for them to be rootbound within the jiffy pots, even though they were up potted. They also wick water away from everything else in the pot, from my experience. How long have they been in the bigger pots?

[kbrown1337]

They may be struggling to get roots through the Jiffy Pots into the uppot's new soil, too. I'm assuming that you planted the jiffy pot in the bigger pot? Those things can be tough for little roots to break through if you don't cut them. There is possibility for them to be rootbound within the jiffy pots, even though they were up potted. They also wick water away from everything else in the pot, from my experience. How long have they been in the bigger pots?

They've been in the bigger pots for 10 days. I cut the fabric stuff off and just put the root ball in the newer pots.

[Toxic1979]

I remember my first transplant of tomato plants. It was nice day out so I figured I would just go outside and do the transplants in the nice weather. It was about 20 celsius, and between 15 - 30 km/h winds.

12 transplants took about one hour.

All 12 transplants completely died 2 days later, while they were back inside.

Thats when I realized how sensitive indoor seedlings are to the sun and wind.

This year I'll be slowly exposing them to the outdoor elements over 2-3 weeks. The first week, maybe just opening the shed door and window and allowing the breeze to blow over them.... and slowly working them into sun exposure. Nothing worse than trying to harden off your 6-8 week work of vegetable art, only to lose them to the outdoor elements.

I'm no expert, but maybe you need to reduce the exposure to sun and wind a little more. Mine did something very similar after an hour... mind you transplanting made it that much worse.... wilting, and looking as though they we thirsty... until their demise!

Good Luck!

[imafan26]

I started some lavender cuttings in a 6 inch pot and put them behind the rose out of the afternoon sun. They were looking good and I had more cuttings so I moved them over less than a foot and they burned.