Preparing the move: Best times to transplant

Transplanting is an activity that we all have to face at some point in our lives, either because you have just bought the plant and it has been given to you in an unsuitable pot, because you want to move it to a nicer pot or because you have treated your plant with so much care that it has developed so much that the pot has become too small for it.

Although it may seem simple, transplanting is always going to be a little traumatic for the plant, so it's very important to educate yourself on how and when to do it.

The importance of waiting for the perfect moment

In nature a seed will always be born, grow and develop in the same place, so transplanting will put the plant under a considerable amount of stress because it will have to develop resources to adapt to a new location. In addition, if done carelessly, the roots can be damaged. In fact, if you have done a transplant, you will have noticed that many times the plant becomes a little sad or listless in its new home. This process is not easy for them.

To prevent stress from negatively affecting your plant, it is necessary to do the whole transplanting process at a time when the plant's activity has slowed down.

Think of your plant as a person who works in a company and is in charge of several tasks. If you put more on him than he can handle, he will collapse under the pressure,

Flowering and growth are activities that require dedicated resources from the plant, so if you add more work (adapting to a new environment) it is very likely that your plant will go into crisis, so the best thing to do is to look for those spaces of low activity to change pots. This time may vary according to the species of plant and it is best to respect these times.

The perfect time for transplanting

For many plants, the ideal transplanting season is usually late winter and early spring, as they are finishing their hibernation period and will be able to recover in the spring. However, others consider autumn to be perfect, as the weather is warm and winter rains can maintain watering, while giving the plant time to adapt before spring arrives.

What is generally agreed is that transplanting should not be done in summer. The very warm temperatures dry out the substrate too much, which could affect the roots that are still inside the root ball and have not yet reached the new substrate. These cycles must be strictly observed when transplanting outdoors, either from pot to soil or vice versa.

If you are transferring a plant from pot to soil, try to do so on slightly cloudy days and pay close attention to watering in the following weeks. If transplanting involves taking a plant out of the ground and putting it into a pot, you should do this in winter, when it is dormant. This will ensure the success of the operation.

If you wish to move your potted houseplants into a larger pot, you can do so whenever you wish, even immediately after purchase. As the conditions inside your home are more or less stable, the plant will not be subjected to too much stress. However, it is recommended never to expose the roots or remove them from the root ball, as root abuse is usually what causes the most stress in this type of transplant.

Once the transplant is done, using the right pot and substrate according to the type of plant, you should place it in a semi-shaded place, even if it is in direct or bright light. This is because you need to give it time to adapt to its new home. Be more careful with watering and avoid fertilising it, it is better to wait a few months for it to resume its natural cycle.

Transplanting is necessary to give your plant room to grow bigger and better. Don't be afraid to take the first step to improve your plant's quality of life. Get the right pots, the perfect substrate and get to work. Your green companion will thank you for it.