can plants grown from the aerogarden be transfered outside when they get too big??

Question

I want to grow vegetables outside, but can never get them started.. can i grow them in this first and then transplant them outside?? or will the change in climate and such be too much for them?
heres the link to what it is im talking about. It grows the plants 5 times faster than soil.

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2509332&siteID=NKa3hZyYoHA-xiau06jREIo4bmilHrJcTg

Answer 1

She is right about the plants needing a little help when it is time to put them outside but the page she gave you does not say enough.

I really tried to find the aeroponic garden that you were talking about but I couldn't find it at that website. I am quite familiar with most possible hydro and aero set-ups though.

and yes, you certainly can grow almost anything inside and then move it outside.

and yes, I am sure you can do it with aeroponics BUT i believe you would be better off using soil because the aeroponics leaves the roots dangling and naked as the plant grows and it may be difficult for a beginner to plant them easily. and also the plant may need extra care as it gets used to being in soil, the soil will probably have a different pH and there will be micro-organisms in the soil<<
don't let me discourage you, but i want you to know the truth.

When I grow transplants inside, I use soil in one gallon pots. And I use fluorescent shop lights.

here is how i do it>>

The soil is important. The best soil has three kinds of dirt in it.

a good mix to use is:

1/3 top soil
1/3 potting soil
1/3 compost

You can get them at walMart for $10 USD for all three. You can use only two but using at least three is best. You can also use:

manure
peat moss
dirt from your yard or neighborhood
or worm castings. <<
add a few handfuls of the dirt from your garden to the mix too, so the plants will have a taste of the new home they will inhabit some day.

Using good dirt outside when you move the plants is important too. make sure you use at least four inches of manure or compost or wormcastings when you prepare your soil. Dig it all in at least one foot. You can include other additives if you want but you must include the four inches of amendment for sure.

using these additives would be a full fertilizer program:
fish meal for nitrogen (renew this every year)
kelp for trace minerals and potassium (renew this every year)
rock phosphate for phosphorus (this will last a few years)
granite dust so you have a whole season's worth of potassium (this might last many years)

There are many other good additives you could substitute.

Keeping the lights very close to the plants is important when you grow inside. I keep my fluorescent tubes one inch away from my plant tops. I have to move the lights every day in order to keep them this close because the plants will begin to grow very fast; so I hang my lights with long cords and use slipknots. I use four foot long shoplights that I buy at walMart for about $9. The bulbs/tubes are sold separately and they cost about $2.50 for two 40W tubes. I buy the cool white variety. The last time I went, they were called "household" and they were made by GE.

I use a timer. it costs about $5 at walMart. and you will need a plugstrip to plug all of your lights into. it costs $4 - $10. and you will need an adapter to be able to plug the strip into the timer. get an adapter with a two-pronged male end and a three-pronged female end. it costs about .79 cents.

Give the plants about 16 hours of light until you learn if you are growing a variety which is affected by the amount of light given. not many vegetables are but I know onions and strawberries can be affected and some flowers are too, like poppies.

Planting the seeds is best done after the soil has been thoroughly soaked a few times. watering afterwards can dislodge the seed. Plant the seed about as deep as the seed is wide. so if the seed is 1/4 inch across, then plant it 1/4 inch deep. do not firm the soil over the seed, firm the soil around it just a little so as to hold it in a miniature gentle vise but where the top soil is not compacted and so the growth will not be blocked.

after planting the seed, then cover the area with a piece of clear plastic. use this trick for seeds that you plant straight outside too. I like to use a piece of plastic that is about 5 inches square and I cover the edges of the plastic with soil so the moisture around the seed does not escape. cover every little bit of the edges but none of the middle where the seed is. And then put the light down very close. about one inch away. the heat from the light will help the seed to germinate and the seed will come up much quicker than the package says it will. the light will make the plastic accumulate moisture like a little greenhouse and it may get fogged up in there and it may be difficult to see the seedling when it comes up but keep a sharp eye out and you should see tomato seeds come up in about 4 days.

when it is time to remove the plastic, then carefully remove the dirt before attempting to lift the plastic. Sometimes I use a small paintbrush to scoot the dirt off of the plastic. if you try to lift the plastic without moving the dirt, then usually the dirt will spill onto the seedling or it will weigh down the plastic and dent the seedling.

when the seedling is new and very young, then it is good to water it gently so it does not become dislodged. I like to use a turkey baster for this sometimes. Sometimes I just gently pour the water on the soil around the seedling and let it seep over to the seedling. i do not water it with a strong stream directly at the base. If the seedling does become dislodged a bit it is okay because you can just set it up right and place some soil around it to hold it up.

If you have used very good soil, then the seedling will not need extra fertilizer in it's water. You can try fertilizing them about a week or two after they have sprouted though. If the leaves get brown at the tips the next day after fertilzer water is given, then do not feed again for another two weeks, just use plain water instead.

water every day or so.

A tomato plant can outgrow a one gallon container in about 3 1/2 weeks so time your transplants to be ready when the weather outside will be without freeze.

When it is time to move your plants outside, allow a week to get them used to being outside. It is good to begin with an hour in the shade. The next day it can be a few hours. And the third day it is good to use dappled shade/sun. Like the kind that shines through tree leaves. On day five give them a few hours of direct sun. make sure that the plants are watered well before you put them outside each day. day six is a half day of sun and day seven is a full day of it.

day eight can be transplant day but when they go in the ground we will give them three more days of shade. I like to use wire cages with long grass draped over the top. It gives good shade to the transplant with a little bit of sun in the morning and late afternoon. you can use anything to give those three days of shade. Like tree branches stuck in the dirt or chairs placed over the transplant.

right after the transplant goes in the ground, before you put the shade on it, water the whole area really well. Soak the rootball and the surrounding soil so that the plant gets settled in well. After that it is good to keep it moist.

growing vegetables will use almost as much water as you can possibly give them here in California. If I use a thick mulch and have very good soil, then I can use a soaker hose under that mulch for three hours every third day and the garden will do well.

I am sure you will have good luck from now on and if you ever have any questions than you can IM or email me and I will try to help.

Answer 2

You can move the plants outside but you will need to "harden" them to the cooler conditions.
Many gardeners have only the foggiest idea of what "hardening off" means. To get advice from a professional, I want to give you guidelines written up by Norma Rossel, Quality Assurance Manager for Johnny's Selected Seeds. Johnny's is in Maine and it specializes in short-season cultivars. They are very aware that, in order to get heat-loving crops to mature in places like Seattle, giving plants a head start as transplants is absolutely necessary. Transplants are also an essential element in intensive gardening, which is important to urban gardeners with limited land.

Answer 3

i replace into going to assert a Banana tree until I examine the place you reside. Too chilly up there for that....possibly an apple or cherry tree provided that the two require a chilly wintry climate earlier they produce a solid crop. Grapevines additionally do nicely up there.

Answer 4

acclimate them 1st. try just planting them in soil, starter pots.

Answer 5

yes make sure it is not going to be any more frost it will frzze them QUACK