Gardeners: Have you heard of "transplant shock"? Here's a product I DO recommend.

@TheHorse (205633)
Walnut Creek, California
July 8, 2019 10:11am CST
"Transplant shock" occurs when you transplant something from one container to another. I tend to grow my "starts" in little Dixie cups and then transfer them to larger planters when they reach a certain height. I've read that corn roots are particularly "sensitive," and it was mainly for my corn (years ago) that I bought some Miracle Gro Quick Start. The mortality rate of my corn transplants DID decline when I used the Miracle Gro product, so I've used it ever since. Basically, you mix a capful of the stuff with a gallon of water, water the hole you've dug with your concoction, put the plant in, and then water again. In this case, I transplanted the little sunflower sprouts you see to the left of the container. I hope they both "take." Do you grow your plants mostly from seeds? It's a part of my "curriculum" when I work with kids, and it's also something I enjoy on my balcony. Any tips you have in your arsenal for a successful small "garden?" PS Can you identify the other starts in the picture?
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10 responses
crazyhorseladycx
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
10 Jul 19
back when i'd a big garden (1/4 acre), i 'lways started all my plants, from maters to corn to okra 'n the rest, 'n newspaper pots the young'uns'n i'd fashion durin' the early winter months. the roots grew through the paper jest fine 'n such 'twas planted 's a whole, not removed, coz the paper became one with the earth. 'lways 've used manure tea fer fertilizer 'n compost 'f course. such might be fun to do with those young'uns, makin' newspaper pots :) i see yer query 's 'lready been discussed with others. 'twixt losin' the net off/on 'n then the power today fer nearly 5hrs i'm runnin' way 'hind here.
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crazyhorseladycx
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
10 Jul 19
@TheHorse yes sir, ya can buy those peat pots 'n a few others. back then i took the paper 'n nobody recycled 'em. 'd to find good use, lol. worked great fer out'n the garden. such 'nly requires a single piece 'f tape, which peels off easily, 'n ya can set the whole thingy straight'n the ground with no fuss. the young'uns 'd prolly get a kick out'ta makin' those. heck, mine 'd tell their friends'n come the weekend, i'd 'bout 8 comin' o'er to help :)
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Jul 19
@crazyhorseladycx Hey, kids love gardening. It should be a part of any preschool or school program, as far as I'm concerned. And the lessons it teaches go beyond a cute little garden.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Jul 19
That sounds like fun. I've never made newspaper pots. There are little "self-dissoving" pots that can be bought. I used them at the old preschool a couple of times but wound up preferring good old Dixie cups.
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Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (305981)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
8 Jul 19
I'm going to guess one is a bean plant. Not sure though.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Jul 19
Yes, a green bean plant is to the left.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Jul 19
@just4him It is! I think it's cherry tomato.
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Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (305981)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 Jul 19
@TheHorse Yea! I got it right. I thought so. I picked enough beans as a kid. Tomatoes too and I'm wondering if the other one in your picture is a tomato plant.
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scarlet_woman
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
9 Jul 19
looks like you got a jade tree there. one thing that helps with some plants is moving a clump way bigger than it needs. sometimes there's tiny tiny roots you don't see and the slightest break will shock them.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Jul 19
Yeppers. That's jade on the right. Good point about not breaking roots. I try not to.
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Anna
@LadyDuck (457967)
• Switzerland
8 Jul 19
I do not use chemicals with my plants, I grow everything from seeds. I see tomatoes and may be sunflowers in the photo.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Jul 19
Yeppers, and that's green beans to the left and good old indestructible jade to the right.
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Anna
@LadyDuck (457967)
• Switzerland
9 Jul 19
@TheHorse I have to move two hot pepper plants and three tomatoes in the garden today. I will late in the day, so they can settle during the night when it is not hot.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Jul 19
@LadyDuck That's a good idea. Will you make a "bed of water" for them in the hole?
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325668)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
They used to say there were certain plants that you couldn't transplant but that seems to have gone by the board now. I know corn and melons were on the list. If you have the right kind of container, you can bury it in the new hole and the roots will grow through it as it breaks down. I think I can spot a tomato and maybe a capsicum (bell pepper)?
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Jul 19
To the left is good old green beans.
The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Jul 19
Interesting that corn was on that list. When I peel off the Dixie cup, I try real hard not to touch the roots at all. Interestingly, I had my best success with corn in Berkeley and Oakland.
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CarolDM
@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
8 Jul 19
Look at you and your garden! I will have to keep some of this on hand. I am always afraid to transplant.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Jul 19
For me it really works well.
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CarolDM
@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
10 Jul 19
@TheHorse Good to know.
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (95079)
• Marion, Ohio
8 Jul 19
I dont use anything when I transplant. Just water in good as I am going.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Jul 19
At the preschool, the sunflowers are doing great! But the corn looks a little tired. We didn't use any Miracle Gro out there.
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Angie
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
8 Jul 19
I don`t use anything but I do plant by the moon and I have good luck with that. But the pests! this year being so wet the bugs are killing the tomatoes and the rabbits ate the green beans.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Jul 19
We had slugs and snails in Berkeley and Oakland. Ground squirrels ate everything I planted at my mentoring job in Concord (away from the bay and less moist). On my balcony, I have ferwer issues with wee beasties, though I watch the tree squirrels closely and occasionally curse them out in Squirrel Language.
NJ Chicaa
@NJChicaa (115972)
• United States
8 Jul 19
Peas (or green beans) and tomatoes
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Jul 19
Yep, green beans and tomato. Right now it looks like it might rain. But I'm not buying it. This is California.
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Diana Bauder
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
8 Jul 19
You have a nice little garden there! I think I see a tomato plant and a pepper? I just bought my first jug of Quick Start last week, to aid my transplanted flowers. It seems to have worked well, especially considering this high heat we're getting now.
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The Horse
@TheHorse (205633)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Jul 19
It's always worked for me!
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