Transplanting Plants Takes Care

You may have a plant that has outgrown its current residence or you may need to thin out another, whatever the reason for transplanting plants, care needs to be taken. For the best results care of the root system is adamant.

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.

Front and Backyard 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.

To aid in the root growth of your new transplant, prune a small amount of the roots before planting. The cut ends will be able to take in nutrients from the new soil and new roots will sprout from the cut ends produce new growth in the stem system above ground.

Transplanting Rock Plants

Most rock plants have delicate root systems. Care needs to be taken when transplanting. They are accustomed to a large amount of drainage. For the best results they need to be moved to a location with a similar drainage situation.