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Background: I sowed my first batch of tomatoes on April 4th on those transparent 12-grid trays w/ domes that are supes trendy right now, potted them up on May 4th & 5th into 3-inch transparent pots (which I now understand may not provide the ideal darkness for their roots, live and learn), and I would like to transplant them outdoors soon.
Questions: One concern that I have (and I'm not sure how concerned I should be) is potentially introducing outdoor wildlife into my indoor environment during the hardening off phase.
- Do other gardeners worry about this or am I over thinking it? Is it basically set them on a table (not on the ground), don't leave them out there for too long, and hope for the best?
- What other steps can I take to keep my indoor environment as sterile as possible while hardening off some plants when they're ready?
ETA Additional Reading: Hardening Off Seedlings: How to Safely Transition Indoor Plants Outdoors
During the hardening process between seedlings and planting, no.
If I use dirt from outside, yes. Buy a large disposable aluminum baking dish and just slow bake it to kill off potential gnats and such.
No mice ever, thus far, if that’s what you’re asking.
I'm less concerned about mice and more concerned about for example flies and other winged insects landing on my tomato plants during the few hours that they're outside, laying eggs, making themselves at home, and then spreading to my other indoor plants when I bring the tomatoes that aren't fully hardened off yet back indoors, potentially causing an infestation among my indoor plants. I feel like I am being overly paranoid, but I hope this helps clarify the scenario that I'm asking about.