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How do I transplant seedlings?

Transplanting plants

After marking the soil-beds, make holes at each mark. It’s best if you make the holes right at the time of transplanting.

The holes should be deep enough and large enough to accommodate the root-ball and plant stem without crowding.

Tips

Water the seedling plants heavily just prior to actual transplanting. Wet soil on the root-ball keeps it from falling apart (crumbling) when it is taken out of the pot.

Tips

To transplant:

Dig Hole for plant

Step 1: Take Plant in Hand Take a young plant in hand. Slip the plant stem between the index and middle fingers.

Step 2: Turn Pot Keep the fingers in place and turn the pot upside down. Tap the bottom of the pot with the free hand. If the root ball is wet it slips easily from the pot.

Step 3: Make Hole Hold the plant by a mark in the soil-bed, and with your free hand make a hole large enough to accommodate the roots.

Place plant in hole

Step 4: Place Plant in Hole Turn the plant right side up while lowering the roots into the hole.

Step 5: Position Plant Set the plant deep, down to the crown (the top part of the plant), but do not plant the crown below the soil level in the soil-bed. Dirt falling on the crown will kill the plant.

Correct transplant method

Step 6: Fill the Hole After the plant is set properly in the hole, pull loose soil around the plant to fill the hole. Filling the hole with soil around the plant should take just one movement of the hand. Do not pack the soil around the plant.

Step 7: Repeat Procedure Repeat the transplanting procedures and plant one plant at each mark

Step 8: Apply Fertilizer After a soil-bed is planted, apply 8 ounces (1 cup) ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) fertilizer in a narrow band between the rows.

Step 9: Water Water promptly, thoroughly soaking the soil-bed to dissolve the granular fertilizer and keep the plants from wilting.

Step 10: Start Regular Fertilizing Schedule Apply the regular application of Weekly-Feed Fertilizer 3 days after transplanting. You will learn how to do this in Fertilizing.

Garden Genius

Calculate how much ammonium nitrate you will need when transplanting your plants (Allow 1 cup per 30-foot box) or have The Garden Wizard figure it for you.

Ammonium nitrate

Add this information to your Tools and Materials List. Print this list out before you exit.

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Tip of the Day

It's Spring Planting Time! For those of you in the Northern hemisphere who have winters, March and early April are the time you need to be preparing your soil and planting the hardy vegetable crops such as radishes, peas, cabbage and broccoli.

The freeze/thaw cycles of winter have broken up and loosened most soils, so as soon as it's not muddy, go in and give everything a good weeding with the 2-way hoe (see Tools). Weeding thoroughly this early gives you the upper hand, and is very important.

If you grew a Mittleider garden last year, your beds will be easy to re-make. Just apply Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed to the bed area, then till them in, place strings on your stakes, and re-make the beds.

Be sure to re-check the level of each bed accurately, since they may have changed a little. Do not be satisfied with anything more than 1" fall in a 30'-long soil-bed. Good Gardening!

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