Transplanting Plants

Transplanting plants, or moving a grown plant or rooted plant from one place to another can sometimes give goose bumps to even the most learned of gardeners. Read more to learn about this.

You need to have a keen eye, have the right climate and know the right transplanting techniques to avoid your plants from getting transplant shock. Transplanting is essential if you have recently bought new plants from the nursery or if you want to change the landscape in your garden by moving some plants around. Plants may experience a shock when moved from pots to the garden or vice versa. Having some prior knowledge about transplanting before transplanting can ensure your plants overcome that shock. Here is a summarised assortment of transplanting tricks and techniques.

Transplanting Plants into Containers / Pots:

The best time to transplant a plant from a field or garden into a pot is while the plant is still very young; i.e. when only the first pair of leaves has sprouted. Older plants can be transplanted too, albeit with greater difficulty and degree of success. Containers for the transplant can be made of either plastic or clay.

First, fill the pots with soil mixed with organic fertilizers (mulch, compost, Panchagavya). When transplanting a very young seedling it is necessary that the whole pot be filled with soil. In the case that the plant is a little older, fill only about an inch of the pot with soil as the rest of the soil will be filled in with the plant. Add warm water to the soil and leave it be for an hour.

Dig the seedlings out carefully. Young seedlings should be held only between your forefingers and thumb as the stems are very delicate and can get damaged easily. Make a small hole in the soil for the seedling, keep it down in the hole and press the soil down with your fingers.

For larger plants, position the plant in the pot and then fill it with soil. Press the soil down gently. Keep the pots near a window. If you feel that a plant is wilting, spray water on it, cover it with a plastic wrap and keep it out of the sun for a few days. After a few days, remove the covering and return the plant to the window.

Always keep the soil moist, but not soggy, and fertilize it regularly. Also, keep removing any extra seedlings, and only let the healthiest survive.

Transplanting Plants into the garden:

Before transplanting plants out into the garden, make them a little weather hardy. Two weeks before the transplant, start keeping them outside but in a shady area. Then, begin exposing them to sunlight for an hour or two and gradually for a whole day.

Try to transplant on an overcast day. Otherwise, transplant in the evening. Dig a hole in your garden with the same depth as the pot. Take out the plant from its pot and place it in the hole. Spread its roots out. Finally, fill the hole with soil and create a shallow hole on the top to allow water to collect. Pour adequate amount of water regularly.

Initially, your plant will struggle and may seem like it is going to die. This is just your plants reaction to being moved from one place to another. As long as you have followed our instructions and have been gentle while handling the plant, especially its roots, there is a great chance of survival. Always keep a close eye on transplanted plants. Make sure they are well watered and given plenty of nutrition. Also, keep checking for insects and bugs that might add woes to your plant.

A plant transplant may sound a little scary but do remember that plants are living beings and shifting house can be unsettling to them as well. Follow these tips to make the transition for them as smooth as possible.