Transplanting your seedlings is necessary. It gives plants new space and fresh soil. If not transferred, the pots become root bound. This is not healthy for the plants. It limits their absorption of water and nutrients. But transporting is a procedure.
There is a proper way of transplanting plants. If done wrong, there is the risk of killing the plant. Any decision to transplant should be matched with the know-how.
Table of Contents
The worst mistake would be to transplant all plants similarly. It is important to answer the questions first.
- How do you transplant seedlings without killing them?
- What time of day is best to transplant?
- How deep should you transplant?
- Do plants go into shock after transplanting?
- Is it better to transplant in wet or dry soil?
- How soon should you water plants after transplanting?
How to transplant seedlings without killing them
The first thing you should know is that seedlings are very fragile. If you transplant seedlings improperly, you will kill them. There are so many ways of doing it wrong.
This is why it is good to learn the proper methods for transplanting. How to transplant your seed depends on where they are.
- Transplanting from a paper pot
- Transplanting from a nursery
- Transplanting from a garden
Plants from a pot are the most fragile. They have small roots confined in a pot. Transplanting them requires caution. Always keep the soil and root structure intact. Avoid overwatering these plants before transplanting. This can drain the soil and important nutrients for the seedling.
The plants from a nursery bed are easier to transplant. They are mostly well-formed for transplantation. The gardener prepares in hand before planting. They are aware of the need for transplanting when the seedling is ready.
Garden seedlings are similar to nursery seedlings. The procedure for transplanting should be similar. Always prepare the transplanting area beforehand. It gives the seedling a higher chance of survival.
The best time of day to transplant your seedlings
Is there an appropriate time that seedlings can be transplanted? The answer is yes.
Seedlings do well when transplanted in the spring before summer. It is a cooler season favorable for transplanting. Grounds are considered favorable in such weather.
You should avoid transplanting seedlings during hot weather. This is usually in the summer. It is generally hot and humid. It is a risk of drying up the seedlings.
It is linked with high rates of evaporation. This can cause shock to the plants. The risk is wilting and drying of the seedlings.
But there are times when transplanting is inevitable, even in hot weather. You must be careful to provide enough water. This should be done frequently to avoid the effects of evaporation. Close monitoring of the seedlings is very necessary.
The time of day also matters. The right time is when it is cooler. Early morning is usually recommended for transplanting. It gives seedlings enough time to settle in the moist soil.
The late evening can also work well. Temperatures are cooler and favorable. Any time of day can also be good. All that matters is to ensure transplanting is done during cool weather.
The best depth for planting your transplant
Transplanting requires that you prepare a garden hole for the seedling. But the need for clarification is on how deep the hole should be. The first thing to consider is the type of plant. Different plants warrant specific depths.
Basic standards recommend a plant be buried up to two-thirds of the stem. Anything deeper than that risks the rotting of stems. This is especially plants from the nightshade family. The deeper they are buried, the more they thrive. They produce healthier roots.
A big mistake is planting down to the first branch. This risks the rotting of plants. It also delays the sprouting of the seedlings. It limits the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients. It also risks the wilting and drying up of leaves.
Depth is also linked to some degree of pest control. Some plants need to be buried deep to prevent harm from pests. The idea is to help these plants to survive. It shields them before they start maturing.
It is recommendable that you avoid roots going above the ground. This is something you can observe when transplanting. Gardeners should be quick to dig the hole deeper in such a case. Roots should never be exposed to the surface.
The depth also matters with how big a plant is expected to grow. Some plants mature to have big stems. These plants should be transplanted deeper into the ground. It provides the required support for the big stem. It also ensures that a plant doesn’t have to be transplanted again.
Do plants go into shock after transplanting?
After transplanting, shock is likely, especially when done wrong. Shock is a state of stress that occurs after transplanting. This is usually because of the disruption caused by the transplanting. Plants are moved from familiar to unfamiliar environments.
The big question is, what causes the shock? Three main factors cause shock in transplanted plants. This includes,
- Reduction in size of the plant
- Physical abuse on the plant
- Effects of the new environment
When transplanting a plant, it sometimes calls for downsizing it. You should cut off the roots and some branches. No doubt transplanting risks bruising and wounds on plants. Adjusting to the new environment is also a huge challenge for the plant.
It is also good to know how you can identify shock. Among the major signs of shock include wilting. The leaves turn yellow or brown depending on the plant. The leaves end up falling off. Transplant shock has been associated with the death of plants.
You might also wonder whether plants can recover from a shock. They can indeed recover. But these plants need time. Recovery time varies depending on the severity of the shock. It also depends on the ability of the plant to recover.
Research has also indicated that the age and type of plant determine the shock severity. Other factors that may contribute include the type of soil.
There are also concerns that dry weather causes severe shock on transplanted plants. The location where the plant is being transplanted also plays a role.
Weather to transplant in wet or dry soil
The soil moisture has also been noted as affecting the transplanting process. It is good to learn what conditions are fit. First, it is important to have the basic requirements. Creating good root-to-soil contact is a basic requirement.
There is no doubt that plants need water to survive. They need enough supply, even more, when transplanting. That is why it is advisable to water them before they are moved. It is also good to know the moisture level of where they are being transplanted.
Wet soil is the most desirable when transplanting plants. Transplanting in dry soil risks plant shock. It is good to avoid rushing to water plants after transplanting. The recommendation is to water the transplanting ground before moving the plants.
Transplanting on wet soil gives the plant time to settle. It prompts the roots of the plant to gain contact with the ground. The roots can easily die when transplanted on dry ground. Wet grounds also allow for aeration that is good for the plant.
But the call for wet ground means something other than soggy grounds. The grounds should be damp. Just enough to provide the necessary moisture for the plant. Drenched soil is a threat to a transplanted plant. They risk the rotting of roots and the ultimate death of plants.
How soon to water plants after transplanting
There is no timeline for when you can water plants after transplanting. The first thing to consider is soil moisture. How much wet was the soil during transplanting?
What type of soil was the plant transplanted to? With answers to these questions, you can easily decide when to water the plant.
Knowing the water needs of a specific plant is necessary. Some plants need a lot of water to thrive. Watering these plants immediately after transplanting is essential. But some plants die if overwatered. These are plants you should consider watering only when necessary.
Climatic conditions play a major role in deciding when to water plants. Plants transplanted during dry seasons should be watered often.
They should be watered as soon as they are transplanted. The idea is to ensure that the soil moisture is retained.
How soon to water plants also depends on basic observation. This can be done by observing and feeling the soil moisture.
You can always make the right decisions on how soon to water the plants. This is recommended as the most appropriate way of making watering decisions.
The plant’s transplant stage also determines when it should be watered. Watering as soon as you transplant is recommended when at the seedling stage.
This is because the seedlings survive well when moisture is retained. But watering may be scheduled for later in case of big plants.