Transplanting Seedlings


In Michigan, where I am, it is not truly safe to transplant non-hardy varieties until usually after Memorial day. So here we are, and in my part of the midwest I am finally going to plant my garden with all the seedlings that I have started inside during the end of winter and early spring.

I have already hardened these off by taking them out of the house and setting them outside for longer and longer times starting as early as a month before transplanting, but even starting a week or before tansplanting into the garden will be sufficient. I end this hardeing off by moving the seedlings to where they will be planted and leaving them there for a day before I plant them.

Next, when I am ready to plant the seedlings, I choose a day that is cloudy or partially cloudy so that I am not planting in full sunlight. I also choose a time when the garden is not too wet (not right after a rainstorm), but when I can work the soil and it is still damp but also slightly crumbly. This will reduce any damage to the soil structure as I am planting my seedlings. And when I have choosen the time and the day I get all my equipment ready, hand tiller, small hand shovel, garden gloves, kneeling pad, and water bottle with something cool to drink.

Now you are ready to plant! First arrange the seedlings where they will be planted, but keep them in their containers. Next, dig the holes where they will go and gently take the plants out of their containers and ease them into the holes that you dug for them. Be careful not to pull on the leaves or the tip of the stems as you take the plants out of the container, but gently work the container while holding the plant at the base and get as much of the dirt with the roots as you can. You want to keep the root ball intact as much as possible to give your plants the best start. Them once you have it in the hole, fill with the dirt from the hole and tamp down with moderate pressure so as to get all the space filled with the dirt but not to hardpack the soil. And finally water the area, preferably at the base rather than from the top and move on to the next seedling.

The copyright of the article Transplanting Seedlings in Organic Vegetable Gardens is owned by Tracy Nagy. Permission to republish Transplanting Seedlings in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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