Spring feels like the green light — but rush your seedlings outside too soon and you’ll shock them stupid: stunted growth, bleached leaves, sometimes death.
Hardening off fixes that. Start about 10 days before the move: set seedlings outside in a sheltered, shaded spot for an hour, then bring them back in. Each day, add an hour and a little more sun. By day seven or eight, they should handle a full day outdoors, sheltered from wind.
Watch the nights. South African spring can still dip cold — if it’s under 10°C, bring them back inside until it warms up.
Do it gradually and by the time you transplant, your seedlings will be sturdy, sun-hardened, and ready to grow hard into summer.
Hardening Off: Moving Your Chilli Seedlings Outdoors
