Transplanting, in gardening, is the process of removing a plant from one place and planting it in another. Many plants are started from seeds in protected areas, such as greenhouses and hotbeds, where growing conditions are ideal. When the seeds have grown into seedlings, the seedlings are transplanted to a garden. Seeds grown this way have a better chance of sprouting and will sprout more quickly than those planted outdoors. In addition, transplanting enables gardeners to space the seedlings properly in the ground. Plants also may be transplanted from one place in a garden to another. House plants are transplanted by a process called repotting (see Gardening (Cultivating an indoor garden) ).
Seedlings for transplanting are grown by planting seeds in shallow wooden boxes called flats, or in individual containers. Plants for transplanting are also produced by using cuttings from the stems of older plants. Gardeners usually transplant seedlings two to three weeks after the seeds have sprouted. If seedlings are transplanted when they have grown bigger, their disturbed root system will not be able to supply enough water to the large leaves and stem. The seedlings should be watered several hours before transplanting to reduce the danger of fatal water loss.
Gardeners transplant a seedling by carefully digging under its roots and lifting it out. The seedling is immediately replanted in its new location, with the soil packed around it. If the roots are allowed to lie in the sun, they will dry out and the plant will die. The seedling should be watered as soon as it has been replanted. Gardeners may transplant seedlings with or without soil attached to the roots. Older plants should always be transplanted with a ball of soil around the roots.
Transplanting seedlings from an indoor protected area to an outdoor garden is a shock to the system of the plants. To decrease this shock, gardeners place the seedling flat outdoors in a warm, sheltered area, such as a cold frame or a porch, for several days before transplanting the seedlings.
