When you purchase plants at the nursery and they are under shade cloth?

Question

Is this their 'hardening off' time?How much more 'hardening off time' do they need once you get them home?I purchases 'Texas Betony' and kept it under grow lights inside because it was rainy and overcast for 2 weeks. I took it outside for three days partly sunny days, then planted it in partsun/partshade. Now its wilting little by little. Is it dying? Was it still too early? No more frost here in North Texas1

Answer 1

I think your problem was the grow lights. They just don't put out the footcandles that even an overcast day puts out.

Wilting may be just an adjustment or could be sign of lost energy under the grow lights. When plants "hit the soil" they don't grow on top......usually....they spend their reserve energy making new roots that were lost in the container and transplanting.

Still a little cool at night, mulch around it and baby it along. Sould be fine.

Answer 2

I looked this plant up what a beautiful plant sun/part sun You might want to go to your local wallmart and find a product in the lawn and garden dept called miracle grow quick start it comes in a bottle you add a little to your watereing water it helps protect these plants when you transplant them-they dont wilt like yours is doing it protects the plant from going into shock-I dont plant any thing with out using this stuff,oh and I like to plant stuff on cloudy days the sun is to hard on transplants I have a better recovery for plants when I plant them on cloudy days-again beautiful plant and the hummingbirds are going to love it!!!!