Transplant plants

If you see yourself in the situation that you need transplant a plant, but you don’t know if it’s the best time or if you should wait a little longer, you’re in luck. Today we will talk precisely about this: when plants can be transplantedall. Depending on the climate, depending on the type of plant, even depending on the time that we ourselves have, we will transplant at one time or another.

In addition, we will give you some tips for aftercare after transplanting plants and that are necessary to recover.

Why do plants need to be transplanted?

The transplant is very important, since it depends on it that they can continue to grow. But there are still more reasons that we explain in this video:

When to transplant plants

Plants are not adapted to transplantation, because in their natural habitat there is no one to go, take them out of the ground and put them elsewhere. Therefore, it is important to observe them to know when they decrease their activity.; that is, when their growth rate drops, because when that happens, then we can transplant them. There are “exceptions” (rather than exceptions as such, what happens is that there are some very resistant ones that will allow us to skip the rule), but in general we will have to follow the calendar that they have inscribed in their genes to know when we can do it and when not.

• Garden plants: Garden plants planted in seedlings should be moved to larger pots or to the ground as soon as they have a minimum of two pairs of true leaves. If you are in the fall and live in a climate with cold winters, they should not be transplanted until spring arrives or you have a heated greenhouse.
• Perennial / annual / biennial plants: With these plants you will follow the same advice as with those from the garden, that is: transplant when you have a couple of true leaves, putting them in full sun or semi-shade (depending on the species).
• Trees (deciduous and evergreen): Trees should be transplanted in late winter, before spring sets in and begins to grow. In the case of deciduous, they can be transplanted in autumn, when they have already lost all the leaves.
• Shrubbery: Shrubs will be transplanted before spring.
• Cacti and succulents: These plants can be transplanted in spring and summer, as long as special care is taken to remove the root ball without it falling apart.
• Carnivorous plants: Carnivorous plants are recommended to be transplanted in spring before they awaken from hibernation, but it can also be done in summer.
• Palms: The ideal time to transplant is in spring.

If you find yourself in the obligation of transplanting a plant out of season, especially if it is a plant that you want to go from pot to soil or vice versa, be very careful not to crumble the root ball.

How to transplant a plant?

Switching from pots to plants seems very easy, but in reality it is not so easy. You have to think that transplantation is totally unnatural for themSince the seeds germinate until their end, they remain in the same place day after day. Then, by changing the container, they are forced to spend an energy that, in their natural habitat or if they were planted in the garden, they would not have to do.

Therefore, transplantation involves a change that, if not done well, can greatly weaken them, to the point that they could be lost forever, without remedy. To avoid this, it is highly recommended to follow this step by step in which we explaintrong> how to transplant a plant:

Choose the pot

It is, perhaps, one of the most important things and to which we must pay more attention when it comes to knowing how to transplant a plant. A pot that is too narrow will not help us, but one that is too wide will not either, since the plant could suffer from overwatering. So how do you know which one to choose? By looking at the plant itself and how it is developing. To have more or less an idea, I can tell you that:

• Plants that are going to be big (palm trees, trees, bamboos, etc.) require a container that is always at least 4cm wider and deeper.
• Bulbous, herbaceous and similar they can be planted without inconvenience in pots that are considerably wider than they are deep.
• Cactus, succulents and the like It will depend on the species in question, but in general they usually need a pot that is 2-3cm wider than the previous one.
• The bonsai they should be planted in trays intended for them, wide enough so that their root system can fit well.

Plastic or clay? That is a very good question. As they are two very different materials, we are going to see what are the advantages and disadvantages of each type:

Plastic pots

• Advantages: they are very inexpensive, light and therefore easy to transport or move around.
• Drawbacks: over time the sun’s rays weaken the material, causing it to break. Also, if you live in an area where the summer is very hot, it overheats a lot, which can endanger the roots. Another important issue is that it is not porous, so your root system will have a lot of trouble rooting well.

Clay pots

• Advantages: allows the roots to develop correctly, and they are very resistant. They are also very ornamental, and have the right weight to withstand the wind better than plastic pots.
• Drawbacks: their price is higher, and they break easily when falling to the ground.

Prepare the substrate

Once we have chosen the pot, it’s time to prepare the substrate. As there are many types of plants and each of them has its own needs, we recommend that you read this guide so that you know what mixture you should put on your plant.

As soon as we have the earth ready, we will fill the container with itup to a little less than half.

Now comes the trickiest part: removing the plant from its old pot. As we have mentioned, you have to be very careful so that the root ball (earth bread) does not crumble, otherwise it will then have more difficulties to overcome the transplant. To make it easier and to minimize the risk of problems, we will water thoroughlysoaking the entire substrate well.

Then, we will give some blows to the pot to try to make the earth “ detach ” from it, we will take the plant by the base of the trunk or main stem, and we will pull it up. It should come out easily, but if it doesn’t, or if we see that it has roots outside the pot, what we will do is cut the container with scissors.

Introducing the plant into its new pot

After we have removed it from its old ” home ”, we will proceed to place it in its new one. To do this, simply we have to ensure that it is well in the center, and that it is neither too high nor too low on the edge of the pot. The ideal is always that it is a little below, about 0,5cm; In this way, when we irrigate the land, it will be able to filter all the water we pour.

Finish planting it

Almost ending, what remains is fill the pot with more substrate. It is necessary to exert a little downward pressure, for example with a closed hand, each time we add soil, since this is how it compacts and we will be able to know if we are adding the right amount or if we have, on the contrary, to remove a little.

Irrigation and relocation

Finally, we will water thoroughly and place our beloved plant in a very bright area but protected from direct sun. Although it is of a heliophilic species (sun lover), having undergone a transplant it is highly advisable to have it a little pampered in a semi-shaded place until we see it growing.

After a month, we can pay it. Now that you know how to transplant a plant, let’s see the care that exists after the process of transplanting plants.

Care after transplanting plants

A transplanted plant is must observe for a few days to see how it continues. You will usually recover in a short time, but there are some that have a harder time. That is why we must maintain control over irrigation, avoiding waterlogging.

We will not pay until at least one month has passed since the transplant, as long as we see any sign of growth.

All in all, you will see how in a matter of time you will have your plant strong and healthy. Have you had any difficulty when it comes to transplant plants?