Even seasoned weather students might not be aware of a climactic condition known as "roon temperature". No, that's not a typo, not "room", but Roon as in my husband's nickname for me and my personal preference for perfect weather. Roon temperature occurs when there is gentle sunshine and perhaps a light breeze with temperatures between 74-78 degrees. Yes, that small window of weather when your body seems to be the same comfortable temperature as the air.
My husband, a hardy Midwesterner, feels that native Californians are ruined and spoiled rotten by the sunny weather; leaving nothing but weather nirvana as acceptable. And boy, don't even get me started about my standards for beaches. It's probably true.
However I think of myself as more adaptable than he gives me credit for; after all I have endured moves (compliments of his company) to the windy plains of Kansas (twice), the bone-chilling damp of England and when I thought Iowa and Illinois (twice) were cold, it was just the "warm-up" before Minnesota.
Those hothouse plants you're bringing home to plant are probably less acclimated than me. Some of you might even have everything planted, but for those of further north, we are just now reaching that moment when it's safe to put out the annuals after the average frost date.
Tender herbs waiting to be planted out. The Garden Buzz
Plants that have been sitting outside at garden centers are ok to plant out immediately. But those warm-season annuals grown in the greenhouse need to be hardened off to avoid unnecessary heartbreak and expense. The same goes especially for any seedlings you've started yourself indoors. Plant grown like that have fresh, floppy foliage that can't hold up to direct sun and wind just yet. Wind dries out or dessicates plants very quickly leaving them limp and struggling. Hot sun will burn leaves.
Plants hardened off already, waiting for the rain to stop. And yes, in the above photo, my watering hose is a hot mess! The Garden Buzz
Begin by placing the plants outside on a shady porch or north side of the house, for a few hours at a time, bringing them back in at night. Gradually expand their time outside in dappled shade for a few days. And when the time comes to transplant, the best day isn't a sunny one, certainly not a windy one, but a rainy or overcast day.
If you have to plant in less than optimum conditions, consider using row cover, a super-lightweight gauzy product found at most garden stores. Use to protect tender plants until they can withstand the weather.
As for me, it's been raining, cold and windy for a week and actually threatening snow a few times, so I'm back in my Ugg boots, but I'm California dreaming about better days.
