Helpful Tips for Transplanting Plants

Transplanting Plants

For the most optimum growth, transplanting plants can often be necessary. If you have a potted plant, there may not be any soil left in the container, only roots. Some plants become too crowded in the garden and may need to thinned out.

When it comes to transplanting plants, the best time of year is during the spring, while the plants, trees, or shrubs are still dormant. If the plant has already come out of winter hibernation, trying to transplant them can work but it puts a tremendous stress on the plants, which is why they will usually die if moved too late in the year.

Entry Plants and Backyard Patio Plants

You may have plantings in your front entry garden that need transplanting and you were hoping to put the transplants in the backyard or back patio area. If you live in a mild climate this may work well, but if you live in an area where the backyard receives lots of hot sun, a plant moved from the shade will not survive in the direct sun.

One of the most important tips associated with transplanting plants is to make sure you have the new location prepared before you dig the plants, shrubs, or trees up. The longer the plants are out of the ground without being replanted the more chance of them dying. Therefore, with the soil ready to receive the new front or backyard plants, you then look at the roots to make sure there are no air pockets. Instead, dig up the plants to be moved so you actually take the roots with a ball of dirt to move to the new hole.

To have good growth from a transplant, the stem should be about 1/12 of the root size. The larger the root the more chance you will have a healthy plant transplant.

Once you have dug up the plant or separated it, shake some dirt from it and prune a tiny bit of the roots, this will aid in root growth. The freshly cut root ends would then be able to absorb nutrients from the fresh, nutrient rich soil and promote expansion of the root system.

Starting Rock Plants from Transplants

Rock plants that have been planted to fill in the spaces between the rocks on a garden retaining grow mostly in a mossy type soil. They seem to do well when transplanted as long as they receive the same amount of water, drainage and are planted in the same type of soil.