I would say put it out. I just started a reaper and it has been living outside here since it showed its cots. It is doing fine. I also have smaller plants like yours outdoors. Good luck with the grow.

I say go for it. Just take it "a lot slower" than you would with more established starts.

I have successfully hardened off plants that young in the past.

Bill

A tad, but should be ok. One of the reasons I like to see more foliage on mine before hardening is pests... so keep an eye out. Also, slip that cup into another non-clear one before letting out into the sun to prevent cooking the roots. Duct tape would probably do.

Kevin

I would pot it up, then put it in outdoor shade.

Josh

Ok guys thanks!

Can't wait to grow this one. Supposed to be hard skinned and sweet.
I'll keep you updated. I'll be putting it in a 5 gallon with pro-mix hp eventually.

Stoney

Too breezy today to put him out but did shield him from sun for first time by back sliding door screen.

{{gwi:1182219}}

Good stuff you got there. I buy mine in bulk. Don't plan on bone meal doing you any good for several months though. Even the kelp meal is slow release, just not nearly as slow as the bone.

Kevin

I set out some plants smaller than that for the first time today. After 2 hours in the midday sun they still looked good so I left them out in partial shade, and now overnight.

These plants have been grown in my workshop with 16 hrs of daily florescent light, a constant fan, and temps the same as outside: 70-95 degrees.

At this point I'm convinced they don't need much in the way of hardening off when grown this late in the season, at least in this heat zone.

This post was edited by mecdave on Tue, Jun 24, 14 at 22:25

Mecdave: ALL plants started indoors NEED hardening no matter the heat zone or the current conditions of that heat zone. The last thing a seedling needs is stress. And it's a huge jump from indoors under light to straight outdoors in the sun and wind.

Kevin

The operative word being "much", as in not needing much in the way of hardening off.

The plants I set out last week are thriving. It's as if indoors was holding them back. Sure they're still in partial shade under the trees, and they do need protected from the wind, particularly since they're super hots and their big leaves are making them a bit top heavy. Still it was a quick 4 days from full indoors to full outdoors and they've more than doubled in size in 10 days.

I just checked the small super sweets that I set out, and left out, for the first time yesterday morning. They look great and since it's going to be mostly cloudy today, I'll probably leave them out. They'll let me know what they need, I hope. ;)

Note: YMMV

PS No guts, no glory. Or as GatorDave would say "Patience, I have none!" lol

This post was edited by mecdave on Wed, Jun 25, 14 at 7:18

I agree with mecdave. I think a lot of the reason my plants didn't require much hardening time was because of the artificial light I put on the indoors. I had zero sun burn on my plants and I pretty much only gave them about 8 hours of total sunlight off and on before leaving them outside for good in full sunshine.

I'm not positive but I believe giving my plants 5000K and 6500K artificial light made them ready for direct sunlight immediately. Wind is another matter though.