Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Transplanting Rules of Thumb

Now is the time when alot of us are transplating our baby plants from their containers into the garden. Here are some basics to consider:

1. Transplant on a cloudy, wind-free day or in the late afternoon when the sun has begun to set.  Soak the plant thorougly before removing from its container so the soil and roots stay as 'glued' together as possible.  Make sure to cradle the root ball as much as you can, and keep as much soil intact as you can.  The more root hairs get exposed to air they can die...and you don't want that....

2. In the area in your garden where you plan to place your new plants, scoop out a hole that is abit deeper than the container they were in (assuming you are moving your plants from a 2 inch cell pack).  Add abit of compost to the bottom of the hole to ensure the plant gets an added 'boost'.

3. Set the root ball in the hole, fill in with soil, and pack the soil down firm so the roots make good contact.  Give them a good soak of water by soaking the base of the plant. 

(Note if transplating tomatoes, follow these directions: http://123foodgardening.blogspot.com/2010/05/planting-tomatoes-trench-planting.html )

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