Transplanting Cuttings

In recent articles we talked about how to progagate plants from cuttings and from seeds and when they would be ready to take to the next stage of growth.

The time to do this is when the roots can be seen to be growing outside of the root cube within the propagator it is time to make the move.

Leaving it too long will mean the roots become what is known as 'pot-tight' because they have been restricted and as a result will struggle to grow on as effectively.

The plant is still at its baby stages so don't plant it in a huge container. Although it is tempting to do this to save work later on it will make it more difficult to keep the moisture levels correct, to keep a decent climate and is also an ineffective use of space overall.

A pot that has a volume of about 1 litre is ideal. Half-fill it with soil such as the BioBizz All-Mix which is already fertlised or Light Mix which is better for plants propagated from seeds. There is plenty of soil to choose from here , all of good quality. Clear a cube in the soil for the cube to nestle into.

When transferring the plants to the pots it is important to do this within a short timescale. Leaving them exposed for too long can cause damage and ideally you should get them settled into their new home within 15 minutes of removing from the propagator.

Whichever soil you do use will have a determination upon the amount of nutrient to use. If you add too much then it can potentially remain in the soil and further down the line it will lead to high salt levels within which the plant may struggle.

Feed the young plants delicately and adjust this according to how well the roots are growing, as as always, where the dilution of concentrated nutrients is required then pay close attention to what the particular brand recommends on the label.

To avoid a transplant shock when transferring the plants some nutrients will help the plant to establish itself in the new environment.

Nitrogen helps the plants to grow new tissues by building proteins, although too much can give too much foliage which may overtake the production of flowers or fruits.

Potassium improves the plants' resistance to disease and also stablises its metabolism.

Phosphorous further encourages the growth of roots and helps to transfer energy between different parts of the plant.

The required fertilsers are known as N-P-K fertilisers, N being the chemical symbol for nitrogen, P for phosphorus and K for potassium.

Growth Technology Formulex is a good growth promoter for young plants and is fine for both hard and soft water.

Take good care of the plant from it's early days and it will soon be ready to move to a larger pot!