We’re in Spring and now you’re wondering when you can get your plants outdoors.

The UK weather has been all over the place. One minute it’s hot, and the next it’s freezing cold and snowing. I moved some of my toms on that one sunny day we had…I was probably being slightly too optimistic! But I also needed some space so I moved them to the greenhouse.

So the general rule is that many of your plants can of course stay indoors but if you want to move them out then do it when there is no more chance of frost. But before you put them out in the cold, you need to warm them up to being outside.

If you’ve got them on a heat mat, start by taking them off the heat mat. Remember what it’s like getting out of warm bed with your duvet on a cold day. It’s not the one. So they may droop a bit. I usually leave them even if they are drooping, they will acclimatise to the change. But you can do it in parts, leaving some on the heat mat, and taking some of your seedlings off. Test the waters.

Next you want to start by putting it out just for the day, and then bring them in at night. Try this for a week or two.

Then you want to leave them over night. See how it copes. If it’s super cold, then hold back or use a plant fleece. Some people even reuse bubble wrap. This keeps them warm. Be sure to uncover them when the sun comes out. Too much heat, and it may be too much for them. So just uncover and make sure they’re hydrated.

Eventually your seedlings will be so well adjusted to the weather that they will grow beautifully.