Wednesday, October 22, 2008

HOW TO TRANSPLANT 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.

In the very early spring, when plants have just barely begun to show some signs of new life, is the best time to transplant. The new plantings can get a good start while the weather is still cool and they can be watered by spring rains.

The differences in your front and backyard landscaping plants can be essential. If your front yard faces the South and your backyard faces the North they will receive differing amounts of sun. If you are transplanting a plant that has done well in your North facing backyard to the South facing front, it may not do as well. 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 and this is a key to backyard landscaping ideas.

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.
If you would like more landscaping ideas go to Landscape Patio Design.