• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Site Index
  • Fall Homesteading
  • Shop
    • Profitable Homesteading System
    • Jumpstart Your Homestead
    • Organized Chicken Keeper
    • G.O.A.T. Herd Management System
    • The Ultimate Planner for Breeding Goats
    • Couponing for Beginners Planner
  • Nigerian Dwarf Goats for Sale
    • Nigerian Dwarf Goats
  • About

Mranimal Farm

All About Silkies, Nigerian Dwarf Goats & More

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Site Index
  • Fall Homesteading
  • Shop
  • About
  • Contact
  • ×
    Home » Gardening

    Nov 13, 2016 · Modified: Jul 4, 2023 by MrAnimal Farm This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    How to Transplant Started Plants

    131 shares

    The first year that we started plants inside, it felt like a huge task transplanting plants from their little tray pods and into the ground safely. I mean, they look so fragile.

    transplanting plants

    What if we break them?  Or what if we pull their little leaves off getting them out of their pods?  What if they don't grow once they are set in the ground?  There were so many questions that need answers.  But, it turns out that it really isn't that hard.

    Here are some tips for successfully transplanting plants you started inside:

    1.  Harden them off

    Since your plants have been living their entire lives indoors, they are not used to the harsh world of direct sunlight and wind.

    Because of this, your plants will need a period of time to develop their strength. This is called hardening them off.

    How to Transplant Started Plants

    You can do this by slowly allowing them a little outside time each day for a while before transplanting them.

    Alternatively, you can use a fan and shop light setup (as described in how to start plants inside) to get them use to light and wind. Then, when they are ready to go outside, it is a much smoother transition.

    2. Prepare the transplant site

    Make sure that you prepare the garden area into which you will transplant.

    You can get it ready by marking the area off (we use the square foot gardening method). Tilling the area (using a tiller which is one of the highly recommended gardening supplies), or at least breaking up the soil as much as you can. An pre-watering the ground so that it is a welcoming environment for your plants.

    If you have already tilled, and watered and fully prepared the area, it will just make it much easier to be able to go out and get your started plants in the ground without having to worry about all of the other setup.

    3. Make sure they are ready

    Make sure that the plants are old enough/big enough for transplanting.  I know as soon as we saw the green of leaves sprouting, we were excited and ready to take our seedlings outside. This would be a huge mistake. The first leaves are just the initial way the seedling can collect light so that it can grow.

    What you are really waiting for is for the plant to develop it's "true leaves". They should have at least two true leaves.  It is pretty easy to tell what a true leaf is, the first leaves the plant has look very generic, the true leaves will look "true" to what the adult plants leaves will look like.

    How to Transplant Started Plants

    Once you see at least two true leaves and the plant is a decent size, it is ready to go outside!

    4. Use the correct tools

    Your job will be infinitely easier if you have the correct tools. It's easy to think you can just make due with what you already have (and that's okay to do if your situation does not permit you to buy more tools right now). However, you will thank yourself, in the long run, for having the correct tools for the job.

    If you are using the square foot gardening method, you can either make a grid or purchase on to divide up your planting area. Our first year, we had a system of broken sticks and twine that we moved from box to box to make sure everything was even (it took FOREVER!).

    You will need a small spade to dig a hole that is big enough to hold your started plant.  You will want to make sure that the entire root system will fit into the hole.

    You can also use an optional watering canister. The garden hose can be a bit too powerful for newly transplanted plants so we opt for a gentler watering method.

    5. Free them from their pod

    Gently pinch the bottom of the pod that the plant is in to help loosen it.  Once it is loose, you can gently pull the plant from the starter pod.

    6. Loosen the soil

    Very gently break up the soil ball a little on the started plant so that it's roots can easily take root in it's new home.

    7. Cover up

    Once the root ball is in the hole, you will need to cover it up. Using your spade (or your hands, if you prefer to get dirty) cover the root ball up with new soil.

    Gently pack it down so that the plant is secure in it's new place.

    8. Give it a drink

    As I said earlier, the standard garden hose will be too powerful for your new transplants.

    How to Transplant Started Plants

    Using a watering canister, lightly water your newly transplanted plants.

    What plants will you be transplanting this year?

    We Have More Gardening Tips For You Here

    [pt_view id="5f37129sdf"]

    transplanting plants

    More Gardening How-To's & Tutorials

    • Two white buckets with blueberry bushes in them.
      10 Best Crops to Grow in Containers To Maximize Space
    • Zucchini plant in clay soil.
      Gardening for Beginners: 7 Tips For A Successful Garden
    • Hand holding a small cucumber with a yellow flower on the end.
      8 Spring Garden Crops To Kick Off The Season
    • Started tomato plants in a seed tray.
      Seed Starting Problems + Their Solutions

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ola says

      April 14, 2019 at 4:28 pm

      I’m learning a lot from this blog

    Primary Sidebar

    kristin, justin and goat

    Hey, we are Justin & Kristin! Welcome to MrAnimal Farm where we share our knowledge on homesteading, livestock and poultry, gardening and food preservation

    More about us →

    Popular Posts

    • Differences Between Ameraucana, Aracana and Easter Egger Chickens
      The Araucana Vs Ameraucana Vs Easter Egger Chicken
    • Chickens That Lay Green Eggs - What Chickens Lay Green Eggs
      Chickens That Lay Green Eggs - What Chickens Lay Green Eggs?
    • brooder box for chicks
      Chick Brooder Plans - How to Build a Brooder in 3 Steps!
    • Curled toes in Chickens
      Curled Toes in Chickens - Causes and Treatment
    • Goat Toys
      DIY Goat Toys: Cheap Toys to Keep Your Goats Busy
    • hen or roo
      How To Sex A Chicken & Tell A Hen From A Rooster

    Fall Homesteading

    • Fresh carrots and beets being held over a wooden table.
      15+ Fall Garden Crops For a Longer Harvest
    • Molting Chickens
      Molting Chickens - What, Why & How to help!
    • two butternut squash on a wood board
      Can You Freeze Butternut Squash ?
    • Goat Breeding Planning - Using ADGA to Make the Right Matches
      Goat Breeding Planning - Using ADGA to Make the Right Matches

    Footer

    Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Privacy Policy

    For details on our privacy policy click here.

    Copyright © 2025 · MrAnimal Farm