Hardening off

I live in Zone 5 and have a couple of questions about seedlings and plants
I've been given from displays.

First off, I have started a bunch of seedlings (both perennial and annual).
My concern is that some have gotten leggy.  I have a cold frame and am getting
ready to move them out to harden them off for outdoor planting.  I figure
3-to-4 days with the frame closed, then 3-to-4 days at three different open
positions.  Have I figured right to harden off?  For the plants that are
leggy, can I plant some of the stem as well as the root to support them or
will this cause the stem to rot?

Second, I have two different types of chrysenthemum plants that I've been
given from floral displays.  I would assume that they were "forced" to bloom.
I have not replanted them but set them in a sunny window with plenty of water
(boy, are they thirsty).  Can I plant these outside?  Do I need to harden them
off as well since they have only been indoors?  Since they are mums do I need
to cut them back (I dead headed the blooms right after I brought them home)?
I assume mums are perennial and should do okay?  I'm not sure of the variety
of these, one looks like a typical mum with light pink highlights (looks
asian), and one is a daisy mum.

Thanks for any insights you can give me...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index