Plants can be transplanted in late winter

Plants can be transplanted in late winter

In the coldest time of the year, the tasks of the gardener or plant keeper are drastically reduced. Now is the time to water whenever necessary and prevent frost from damaging the garden or pots. But … what about the transplant? Can it be transplanted in winter? This is an interesting question, since in fact the transplant must be done (in most species) when it is at rest, that is, when there is no visible growth.

Still, there are other factors to consider before proceeding to transplant in winter.

What is the ideal time to transplant plants?

Each type of plant has its ideal transplant timethe one in which success is assured, and this is:

  • Trees and shrubs: towards the end of winter, before they start to grow again. In the case of tropical species, such as Ficus, Delonix direction or Tabebuia, we will proceed to transplant them in April-May in the northern hemisphere.
  • Bonsai: same as trees: towards the end of autumn or towards the beginning of spring. It is important to remember that you should not transplant and do a drastic pruning at the same time, but it is more advisable for the tree to transplant for example in autumn and transplant it in spring.
  • Flowering plants (perennial, annual, biennial) and aromatic: these types of plants are very resistant, so much so that from spring to early autumn they can be transplanted without problems.
  • Carnivores: Carnivorous plants are a very special type of plants. We will transplant them either in spring or in summer.

When is it necessary to transplant?

Sempervivum are plants that can be transplanted in winter

Sempervivum are plants that can be transplanted in winter

In the middle of winter it should not be transplanted as the cold could harm them. But you can do it at the end of the season, when the frosts have passed. To make sure your plant needs a bigger pot, you have to observe some of these details:

  • The roots begin to protrude through the drainage holes
  • When you take the plant and stretch it up (as if you wanted to remove it from the pot), the root ball comes out without difficulty and / or without falling apart.
  • The plant hardly grows, but its health is good (it does not present pests or diseases)

El transplant it is a task that will help your plants to keep growing in optimal conditions.

How to transplant in winter?

If you have to transplant a plant in winter, it is important that you do it when temperatures stay above ten degrees Celsius, or 15ºC if they are tropical (or indoor). The steps to follow are:

Transplant from one pot to another

  1. The first thing to do is choose a pot that is larger (about 5 centimeters on average, although they should be more if it is a large and / or wide plant, and / or fast growing), and that has holes at the base through which the water can escape.
  2. Then you have to fill it more or less halfway with suitable substratesthat meet your nutritional needs. In this article you have information about it.
  3. Then, you have to remove the plant from its ‘old’ potbeing careful not to manipulate its roots.
  4. Then insert it in the new. In the event that you see that it is too high, remove dirt. And if on the contrary it is low, add more substrate.
  5. When it’s properly leveled, finish filling the flower pot.
  6. To finish, there is only to water. Add water until all the soil is well moistened.
  7. OPTIONAL: if your plant is exotic and you have it outside, it may be a good idea to cover the pot with anti-frost cloth here!). Even if values ​​below zero are no longer registered, this fabric will keep the roots protected from the cold.

Pot-to-ground transplant

Trees are carefully transplantedTrees are carefully transplanted

Image – Wikimedia / Sagar Karandikar

  1. The first step is choose a suitable place. For this it is important to know if the plant is sunny or shady, and how tall it will be when it reaches adulthood. And it is that, if it is a tree for example, it is important that it be planted far from other tall plants, since otherwise its crown could end up giving them too much shade, preventing them from growing.
  2. Then you have to make a planting hole. Ideally, it should be large, at least 50 x 50 centimeters, because the more light soil the roots are, the easier it will be for them to resume their growth. Once it’s done, fill it with water and calculate how long it takes (more or less) to absorb it. This information will be very useful, because if it takes a long time, let’s say an afternoon, you will have to mix the earth with other substrates such as perlite or pumice (for sale here!) to improve drainage.
  3. Then when the earth has absorbed all the water, fill it halfway or a little more with garden soil mixed with mulch, and / or if necessary with perlite.
  4. Then, remove the plant from the pot and insert it into the hole. If it gets too low, take it out and add more dirt. On the contrary, if it is high, it removes soil. When it’s perfect, finish filling in the hole.
  5. Finally, you can water if you want. Also, if you think it is necessary, now is a good time to place a tutor.

We hope it has served you.