I started the seeds indoors under Sunblaster grow lights March 16 in 2 " pots
Most of them are outgrowing this pot size so I am in the process if up potti g to 4 " pots today.

I have a Hoop House that will be their final resting place, and they will be grown in 5 gallon buckets bc the hoop house is on top of gravel.

My question is after I am finished up potting them do I need to harden them off before I put them in the hoop house for good day & nights ? I don't have the option to put them in during the day and taking them in a night bc I am in an apt and the hoop house is a 10 min drive away !

I was thinking of putting them on my patio of my apt during the day and taking them in at night here until ....... Until I know what to do. They have out grown the grow light shelving too

Thanks !

Odds are the answer to both is yes. Then they need to be hardened off first.

Hardening off is nothing more than providing for a gradual adjustment to any change in environment.

If you can't move the plants to allow for that gradual adjustment then modify the new environment somewhat - rig up some temporary shade in the hoop house and monitor the day/night temp extremes carefully for a few days. You may have to lightly cover them on cool nights.

Dave

My next question then is : I had them under lights 12 hours a day, so now I will harden them off by bringing them outside, but if I put them in the shade/direct sun combo are they getting the same light as they were under grow lights? So am I done with grow lights at this stage ? I know this probably seems like an obvious question but I guess it seems hard to understand the difference between artificial lights vs sunlight at this stage for me !!