Transplant shock

Garden still continues to grow.  We could use a little more rain but we're not too dry.  I have noticed that some transplanted plants are doing better than others.  If I were a better record keeper, I would have a way to tell where I bought which plant.  I have read that plants that come from a greenhouse and have never lived outdoors need to get eased into living outdoors.  It takes a few days to get accustomed to the wind and changes in climate.  I bought 4 tomatillo plants and half of them are awful wilty and sad.  I have read to give them plenty of water to build the roots.  I have four more plants that I'm keeping outside for a while before I take them to the garden, maybe try something new and see how it works.  I suspect that's what happened to some of the zucchini, they look pretty sad too.  I think the birds got the zucchini seeds we planted.  I replanted some of those today. I soaked the seeds in warm water for a day before we planted to try to lure them out of dormancy.

Cheer up zucchini

"About ten days before going outside, let your plant acclimatize to the great and dangerous outdoors by hardening it off. Since so far the plant has led a pampered life – warm, sheltered and moist it will have broader leaves than an outdoor plant to capture more light, and weaker stems from lack of exercise due to wind motion. Many plants take transplanting hard enough, zucchini being one of them, and transplant shock will set them back severely – they may not grow for a week or two, produce less fruit, and succumb to diseases and predators. To harden it off place the plant outside in a shady spot for a couple of hours, and repeat for two or three days, increasing its stay outside each day until it’s outdoors most of the day. Then place it under morning sun for a couple of hours and put it in shade for the afternoon. Repeat increasing time under the sun for three or so days until it’s spending most of day and evening outside. I know it seems like a pain, but it’s far better than having your plant keel over from shock and die."  from here