• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Home Garden Joy
  • Home
  • How to Garden
    • Seed Starting
    • Plant Profiles
    • Tools & Equipment
    • Raised Bed Gardening
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Herbs
  • About
    • Books & Classes
      • Herbalism Classes
      • Books for Christian Herbalists
      • Privacy Policy

What Wind Does to Plants

April 24, 2013 by Jeanne

 

My tomato seedlings nearly died today and it wasn’t because of the cats. Like many gardeners, I moved my seedlings out from under the plant lights in the house to the outdoors to harden them off. The process of hardening off seedlings is an important step when growing plants from seed for the outdoor garden. Inside, plants are coddled. Light and temperature are closely regulated; a timer makes sure my seedlings receive 14 hours of daylight every day, and the temperature never varies from around 65 (a bit cold, but okay.)

Wind, however, is something for which my seedlings are ill-prepared. Wind stimulates transpiration, or the process by which plants excrete water through their leaves. Combine this with wind drying out the soil is my plant flats and you’ll understand why I was in a bit of a panic when my husband called me downstairs to ask if he should bring the flats of seedlings into the garage.

The wind today is fierce, more like a March day than a late April day. I’ve had to close the windows in the office because the shrieking wind is so loud I can barely hear myself think. Wind helps plants develop stronger stems and encourages certain cells within the plants to respond, making the plant stronger, but in this case I think the gale outside was doing more harm than good!

Wind affects plants in many ways. In addition to increasing water loss, it also helps with pollination for some plants. I’ll skip the pollination today and just save my tomatoes for another day. I think I lost one and perhaps a basil seedling, but some will make it, and after all, how many tomatoes can two people eat?

A lot.  Maybe I should plant more….

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Previous Post: « How to Plant and Grow Asparagus
Next Post: Azalea Care »

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

As Seen in Porch

 As Seen in Porch

We were featured in Porch.com and answered reader's questions about indoor plants.

Explore All Gardening Articles

Latest Articles

  • Volunteer Plants – Nature’s Unexpected Gifts
  • Free eBook on Herbal Safety
  • Watermelon in the Home Garden

Herbalism Classes & Supplies

Goods Shop by Herbal Academy – botanically inspired products

Disclosure

Home Garden Joy participates in two affiliate programs: Amazon and The Herbal Academy. Home Garden Joy earns a commission from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate. As an Herbal Academy Associate, HGJ also earns a commission when you sign up for classes or purchase herbs or supplies from The Herbal Academy. Herbal information and recipes on this site are provided for educational purposes only.

Footer

a closeup of watermelon

Watermelon in the Home Garden

Growing watermelon in the home garden is not for the faint of heart. I have plenty of room, and it still threatened to take over the garden. You will either need to leave a lot of room for the sprawling vines or look for varieties specifically marked for containers. Growing it on a trellis is…

Read More

a zucchini growing in a raised bed

Growing Zucchini in Raised Beds

Growing zucchini in raised beds ensures that this prolific vegetable has the best conditions to thrive. You can grow zucchini in pots or containers, but I prefer growing it in raised beds. This is a great vegetable to grow if you have a “black thumb” and kill plastic plants, because it’s hard to grow a…

Read More

a close up of onions

How to Grow Onions in Your Backyard

Wondering how to grow onions? I’ve grown onions here at Seven Oaks Farm in several ways: from “sets” or starter plants and from store-bought onions that sprouted in the bag! Onions don’t require much space, and you can grow a lot for the money you spend on starter plants. Let’s take a look at how…

Read More

butternut squash growing in a raised garden bed

How to Grow Butternut Squash Organically

Learning how to grow butternut squash organically ensures you know how to grow this tasty, nutritious vegetable in your home garden. I’ll share with you some basic information on growing butternut squash, followed by some organic gardening tips that have been helpful for me here at Seven Oaks Farm in dealing with the various pests…

Read More

  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Awards

Copyright © 2025 Home Garden Joy on the Foodie Pro Theme