How to Transplant Plants In Your Backyard

If a particularly stubborn garden plant isn’t thriving in one area of your yard, you may consider uprooting it and trying again in a different area. Whatever your reasoning for transporting your plants, without proper care, moving them can shock them, leading to untimely deaths. Follow these plant transporting steps to keep your leafy friends in good health.

Prepping to Transplant Plants

A few hours or up to a day before you plant to transition a garden plant, give the plant a thorough watering to moisten the soil. This step will make it easier to move the plant into its new home. For bare-root plants, soak the root ball in a container of water for a few hours before transplanting.

It’s essential to consider the timing of your transplant before making any sudden moves. For flowering plants, move them before they begin to flower or afterward to make the process easier. Choose a cloudy day or plant during a cooler evening rather than on a hot day to avoid transplant shock.

5 Steps to Transplant Plants

DIY Transplanting Plants vs. Hiring a Pro

Transplanting plants requires care to keep the plants in good health, but it’s easy for even a beginner home gardener to handle this task. Still, if you’re trying to transplant a new tree or shrub, it can be helpful to hire a local gardening professional. Plus, a pro will be best equipped to avoid plant transplant shock. Gardeners will cost about $10 to $50 per hour.

Additional Questions About Transplanting Plants

When is the best time to transplant plants?

The best time to plant transplants is usually in the spring, specifically early in the morning when temperatures are still cool. You may also want to transplant plants in the fall, depending on when you buy the plant and when it blooms. Move plants to the yard before or after they bloom, and avoid moving plants when the weather is hot.

What is plant transplant shock?

Plant shock refers to environmental stressors on a plant, like dramatic changes in temperature or a lack of water. During transplanting, this result is especially common and can prevent the plant from properly establishing in its new spot. That’s why it’s important to thoroughly water a plant before and after transplanting, and make sure to move it when the temperature isn’t too hot.

Why do I need to transplant plants?

Some plants in your yard need transplanting to new locations to rebloom, while potted plants may outgrow their containers and need more room to spread their roots. Like a growing family that needs a bigger home, some plants may outgrow their pot or spot in the garden and need more space.