Got Veggies? How and When to Transplant Seedlings (2024)

If you are getting your small “starter” plants from the garden nursery, you’ll need to transplant them from their container into the soil correctly. The same goes for any seedlings that you grew yourself. It’s critical to transplant correctly so that your plants grow and thrive. Here’s when and how to transplant yourseedlings.

What isTransplanting?

When we refer to “transplanting,” we mean the act of moving seedlings or small plants from their pots outside into the garden soil. This applies to both:

• Small starter plants (called “transplants” or “starts”) purchased at the nursery. Some vegetables are challenging to start from seed (or take too long), so we rely on the nurseries to get them started.Examples are tomatoes, eggplant, andpeppers.
• Young plants started from seed at home. Some gardenersstartplants from seed indoorson their own to get a jump start on the season, especially if they live in a northern climate with a short growingseason.

Keep in mind that some vegetables (and flowers) are NOT cut out for transplanting or being moved; they arebest and most easily sown by seed directly in the ground. See seed-starting preference by plant.

When toTransplant

When to transplant depends on the plant. Some plants, such as spinach, are cool-season crops, which means that they should be planted before outdoor temperatures get too warm. Others, like tomatoes and peppers, are warm-season crops and will be weakened by too-cool temperatures. The temperature of the soil is important,too!

→ Check ourPlanting Calendar, which lists when to transplant each type of vegetable… based on your local frostdates.

Don’t rush it! Earlier isn’t necessarily better, and cold temperatures will slow growth rates. Heat-loving plants shouldn’t be outside until nighttime temperatures remain consistently above 60°F (15°C). Keep an eye on local weather forecasts as you prepare for transplanting. If a serious cold snapis imminent, hold off on transplanting until temperatures are moreagreeable.

If you start your plants from seed, it’s a good idea to keep track of when you start them and when you transplant them. This will help you plan in futureyears!

Preparing the Garden and thePlants

When the weather looks like it’s taking a turn for the better, start getting your garden ready for transplanting into thesoil!

• Loosen and amend soil. Your garden soil may have become compacted over winter, so loosen and aerate the soil before planting. Remove any rocks or roots of weeds. Work in plenty of organic matter to about a shovel’s depthto help the soilretain moisture, drain well, and allow easy penetration by seedling roots. Read more about preparing soil for planting.
• Anything that raises the temperature of the soil will help plants adjust to the shock of the cold ground. Spread black plastic or landscaping fabric across the site to boost soil temperature a couple of weeks before planting. See how to warm the soil for spring planting.
• Avoid walking on the soil by creating paths orboards to stand on. Walking on the soil compacts it, making it more difficult for small roots, water, and air topenetrate.
• During the transplants’last week indoors, withhold fertilizer and water less often to condition them for the harsheroutdoorlife.
• Harden-off plants. Any seedlings or start plants that are coming from the indoors to the outdoors must go through a gradual transition, or they’ll go through shock. Start by watering the plants thoroughly. Then, 7 to 10 days before transplanting, set the seedlings outdoors in dappled shade that is protected from windfor a few hours each day, gradually increasing their exposure to full sun and windy conditions. This will get them better accustomed to eventually living full-timeoutdoors.
• Keep the soil moist at all times during the hardening-off period. Dry air and spring breezes can result in rapid water loss. See our complete guide on hardened-offplants.

Transplanting from Pot to Soil in 10 EasySteps

If possible, transplant on a warm,overcast day in the early morning. This gives the plants a chance to settle into the soil without being instantly exposed tothe intense middaysun.

1. Check soil moisture.Test to see if your soil is too wet or too dry to dig. Soil should be moist but not soaking wet.Water deeply a day before working the soil. Soil that’s too dry pulls moisture out of plant roots and damagesthem.
2. Use a rake to create a smooth and levelsurface.
3. Dig a planting hole that’s a little bit bigger than the plant’s rootball and about asdeep.
4. Turn the pot upside down while supporting the soil side with your other hand, being careful not to crush or drop the plant. Tap the bottom of the pot to help the seedlingout.
5. Place the seedling in the planting hole at the same depth that it was growing in the pot. You should be able to cover the seedling with about¼ inch of soil. Fill in with soil around therootball.
6. Gently tamp down the soil around the seedling so there’s good contact between the seedling’s roots and thesoil.
7. Soak the soil around new seedlings immediately after transplanting in order to settle the roots, eliminate air pockets, and reduce thepotential of transplantshock.
8. A few days after transplanting, give each seedling a cup of starter fertilizer to ensure that phosphorus—which promotes strong root development—is available in the root zone of new transplants. Mix two tablespoons of a 15-30-15 starter fertilizer into a gallon of water (one tablespoon for vining crops such as melons andcucumbers).
9. If the season or your climate is particularly dry, spread mulch to reduce moistureloss.
10. Watch the forecast for late spring frosts and plan to protect your plants accordingly. Cloches, cold frames, or sheets can be used to protect plants. Be sure to remove protective coverings in themorning.

After you transplant, keep the soil bed moist, never allowing it to dry out. Water gently with a watering can at the soil level (NOT from above).Until the plants are well established, water often enough (usually about once a day) so that the soil surface never dries out, but remains constantlymoist.

How to Transplant: Step-by-StepDemonstration

Check out this video to learn step-by-step how to take your seedlings from a potting tray to a gardenplot.

Keep onGrowing

Now that your young plants are in the ground learn about their care for the rest of the season! See our library of 100+ plant Growing Guides for planting, growing, and harvesting all of your favorite crops andflowers.

Free Online GardeningGuides

Find moreinformation on planting.Visit our complete Gardening for Everyonehub,where you’ll find a series of guides—all free! From selecting the right gardening spot to choosing the bestvegetables to watering them the right way, our Almanac gardening experts are excited to teach gardening toeveryone.