Transplanting Methods

[hoodat]

Recently I've been doing more planting in place than potting but I live in a climate where you don't have to push the season for crops to mature. That eliminates transplanting but you have to thin even though you hate pulling up healthy plants to make room in the bed for the others to mature.

 

[ducks4you]

Can't add much to this good thread, BUT, as a gardener who used to buy a LOT of leggy, potbound, multi-planted tomatoes in the same pot, I discovered that I could get them apart by setting the pot in a bucket of water and set the bucket in the shade while I did other gardening jobs for a couple of hours. The last gardening job was to go back and separate them. You swish them around and work the roots apart. It ONLY works for very hardy plants like tomatoes, that don't mind if you break a few roots before planting.

 

[so lucky]

I have found that one of the main reasons that new transplants wither and die is due to inadequate hardening off. If you start the plants indoors under lights, or in a sunny window, don't forget to provide a fan, to make the stems sturdy and strong. Otherwise, when they are put out in the garden, the spring winds will just dry them out and make them wither and die. Even with using the fan, they still need to be slowly introduced to the sun. I use an old work table placed near the house, where I can control the amount of sun they get. You need to study the sun shine on your selected area, and start off with maybe a half hour of sun, on well watered plants. Gradually increase the amount of sun over a 10 day to 2 week period. When not in the sun, the plants can be outside in a shady, mostly protected spot. Then when you do set the plants in the garden, protect them from the sun and wind for a few days, like Digit'S said. It takes some dedication, but worth it.

 

[Smart Red]

i mentioned some plants are easier to transplant than others:

Squash, Melons of all kinds, all the Cucurbitaceae things are considered difficult to transplant. I would hardly suggest they be started in a flat until you successfully transplant a few.

My favorite pots are 1 cup milk cartons from school. They are a good size, can be stapled together for moving in groups, and can have the bottoms removed and put right into the garden. Styrofoam cups work as well, but don't biodegrade.

That's the way I start my melons and squash family seeds. By the time they are ready for planting outside, the bottoms have degraded enough that they are easy to tear off. The plants go into the ground with no disturbing of the roots and have a small watering container for the small plant until it rots down.

Love, Smart Red

 

[digitS']

A great idea, Teacher!

I just did a quick search and a half-pint or pint milk carton measure 2 by 2, or little bit larger. The quart size may be exactly the same size on the bottom, as well.

The bottom of a standard plant tray measures 9 by 19 inches.

3 cartons by 7 cartons would measure 8 by 19 inches. 21 containers for plants per tray!

Steve

 

[897tgigvib]

...and remember, those plastic trays are best doubled up if carting them around. If not they do that flimsy twisty thing...or...maybe that only happens to us Neanderthals...

 

[Smart Red]

A great idea, 3 cartons by 7 cartons would measure 8 by 19 inches. 21 containers for plants per tray!

And since schools are so eager to recycle, just call your local school for permission and show up at lunch time with your garbage can or bags. One day will net plenty of cartons. I do cut the top of the carton off so I'm dealing with just the bottom square which is ample for planting soil.


Love, Smart Red