Transplanting Your Vegetable Seedlings

Transplanting Your Vegetable Seedlings By Johnny Cartwright

Particularly in the North, where the growing season is shorter, it is necessary to transplant several garden crops in order to make sure that strong plants will be able to mature and produce within the growing season. In the Southern states, the growing season is longer, and transplanting is generally not necessary, as many plants can be direct-seeded at the same time that Northerners are starting their seedlings indoors.

Transplanting should be done as soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, from the starter pots into larger pots in which they'll remain until they can be transplanted again into the garden.

Though the transplanting process is a good option for many plants, it has a greater effect on some plants. Some vegetable seedlings cannot undergo transplantation, as the process tends to bend or break their small roots, and, in the case of carrots or other straight-root vegetables, this defeats the purpose. Other vegetables, like celery, that are not grown for their roots benefit from the transplant process as it tends to build a wider root structure to support and nourish the plant.

There are several vegetable crops that simply do not transplant well from the seed-bed to the garden plot. Plants such as melons, cucumbers and beans should be direct-seeded when possible, though in short-season areas this may mean they cannot be planted at all. In these cases, some gardeners use planting pots that can be placed directly in the garden, providing an opportunity to start the plants indoors, without having to later transplant them. Peat pots, or pint or quart berry boxes work well for this use.

Another method is to cut sod into 6" square pieces about 2 inches thick. Place them, root side up, and plant the melons, or other garden plant, in hills directly on the loamy soil, supported by the grass roots.

When the weather warms, and it's time to "transplant" these garden seedlings, simply place the peat pots, berry boxes or sod squares into the prepared hole. You can also trim the bottom of the berry boxes, if so desired.