Transplanting easy way to keep plants healthy

When the roots of your plants have begun to outgrow their containers, it is time for them to be transplanted.

Transplantation is necessary to the health of your plant's roots, and is therefore a necessity for the overall health of your plants. When a plant becomes rootbound (where the roots outgrow the container they are contained in) it can result in

sickly, slow growing and very unhealthy plants.

Transplanting can be a traumatic experience for your plants. Follow these 10 steps, however, and your plant should do just fine.

1) First, you should water your future transplants with a good transplanting fertilizer such as Miracle Grow All- Purpose, Vitamin B1 or Ortho Upstart, about one to two days before you intend to transplant.

2) Fill your container, or pot, with a commercial potting soil, up to approximately two inches below the top of your container.

3) Saturate the soil of the container in which you intend to transplant with water containing the transplanting fertilizer of your choice. Make sure the soil is completely saturated with your water-fertilizer solution, leaving no pockets of dry soil.

4) In the container in which you are going to place your transplant, dig out a hole the approximate size of the container from which your transplant will come.

5) Now that your container is prepared for your transplant, you are ready to transplant your plant from it's old container to it's new one. Roll the transplant's old pot in your hand to loosen the dirt and roots from the side of the container. Next, grasp the base of the plant, covering the top of the container with your hand, and turn the container upside down and pull the root ball out, being

careful to keep the roots in one integral piece.

6) Carefully place the root ball in the hole in your prepared container. Make sure that all the roots are pointing down.

7) Now that the root ball is in place you can fill in the space around it, placing soil gently but firmly around the top of the roots. Make sure the top of the soil line is intact and isn't cracking apart in lines, exposing the roots.

8) With your transplant in it's new container, you can now water the plant once again, lightly, with your fertilizer solution. Make sure the soil is saturated, but not soggy.

9) Place your new transplants in low light conditions. You can put them in filtered sun or under fluorescents, if available. The transplants should be able to handle full light within a day

or two.

10) When your plants have outgrown their new containers, simply follow these 10, simple steps again to transplant to a larger container. - Courtesy Essortment.com