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By VFTNoob
Posts:  107
Joined:  Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:53 pm
#373011
Hi all,

Asked something similar a few weeks ago and I have been taking the seedlings out from 8-10 to catch some morning rays. They then go back under my marshydro for the rest of the day. I read a post where some shade cloth could help with acclimation.

I crafted a minigreenhouse with some 40% shade cloth and was wondering if I could just toss the seedlings outside under this set up. I am in zone 9 and the highest temperature will be 73 with lows in the 40s-30 over the next 10 days. I know chucking a plant out into 90 degree weather is risky, but is it safer to throw my seedlings out all day under the greenhouse material and shade cloth since its much cooler?

Also want to do this so that they would maybe undergo a mild dormancy. The photoperiod would go from 18 hours under my lights to the 9 hours of sun my backyard currently gets. Here is a picture of the set up and what full sun looks like hittting the seedlings at an angle vs what comes through the greenhouse material and shade cloth.

http://imgur.com/gallery/DZigZv9
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By ChefDean
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Posts:  9236
Joined:  Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:44 am
#373015
With the conditions you've described, I'd put them out in an area that gets direct morning sunlight and indirect from about noon on.
As long as it stays above freezing, leave them out. Bringing them in and out will just confuse it because it will be trying to adapt to two environments.
I wouldn't worry about shade cloth until the temps get high, and only if there wasn't any available shaded or dappled light areas to keep the intense sun exposure to a minimum.
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By VFTNoob
Posts:  107
Joined:  Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:53 pm
#373016
Makes sense. Totally forgot that moving them around confuses them. My yard is pretty sunny now. I'd have to survey it again to see if there was a place I could toss them to meet your light suggestion. If not, would just leaving them with 9 hours of shaded sun be fine?
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By ChefDean
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Posts:  9236
Joined:  Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:44 am
#373020
9 hours of shaded light is better than a sunny windowsill.
I'm not versed on grow lights, but I've heard Marshydro are good. However, in my opinion, Mother Nature can still do it better.
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By MikeB
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Posts:  1867
Joined:  Sat Apr 25, 2020 4:13 pm
#373039
If you're concerned about leaving your seedlings outside on the colder nights (dropping below 50 F / 10 C), then stash the plants in a garage or shed overnight and put them out in the morning.
By VFTNoob
Posts:  107
Joined:  Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:53 pm
#373043
MikeB wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:50 pm If you're concerned about leaving your seedlings outside on the colder nights (dropping below 50 F / 10 C), then stash the plants in a garage or shed overnight and put them out in the morning.
The concern is not temperature. I had some seedlings that went through natural dormancy do just fine in the upper 20s. I just didnt want to burn them since they had only been under grow lights
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