Compost and soils amended heavily with composts can present some problems with transplants and seeds if you are not careful. I did some of my own testing with some local composts and guess what I found out!
People contacted
me who had problems with vegetable transplants and even fruit trees after
planting in composted soil. I did some of my own testing with transplants, seed
and fruit trees.
When
planting in composted soils you can create problems if you are not careful, particularly
now when temperatures are getting hotter. Here are my recommendations.
planting in composted soils you can create problems if you are not careful, particularly
now when temperatures are getting hotter. Here are my recommendations.
Never
plant directly into any dry soil. I realize it is easier sometimes to plant directly into
dry soils. However, roots of transplants and fruit trees, particularly
bare root, are very tender. When young tender plant roots come in contact with
dry soils, they desiccate or dry out very quickly. Root desiccation and death
can happen in seconds, not minutes.
This is
called “transplant shock”. When
tender roots dieback, the plant has to make new roots to replace them. The
plant wilts, leaves may get brown edges or leaves may dieback. If the plant
cannot recover from this “shock”, it can die. Transplant shock, if it doesn’t kill the plant, can
set it back days or even weeks. In trees transplant shock can last a month or
longer.
called “transplant shock”. When
tender roots dieback, the plant has to make new roots to replace them. The
plant wilts, leaves may get brown edges or leaves may dieback. If the plant
cannot recover from this “shock”, it can die. Transplant shock, if it doesn’t kill the plant, can
set it back days or even weeks. In trees transplant shock can last a month or
longer.
Transplant
shock is worse on small plants because they cannot recover as easily as larger
plants. It is also worse when it is windy, air temperatures are high and the
amount of compost added to the soil is high.
shock is worse on small plants because they cannot recover as easily as larger
plants. It is also worse when it is windy, air temperatures are high and the
amount of compost added to the soil is high.
Always
make sure soil is wet when transplanting. Don’t think you can plant in a dry
hole and quickly water the plant.
There
are good salts and bad salts. Fertilizers are good salts. But too much of a
good thing can also be bad. If the compost is particularly rich, it can damage
plants if it is not kept wet when planting.
As a
precaution when you have purchased or amended garden soil, water the soil and
let it drain two or three times before planting. This helps to “flush” some of
the salts from these “rich” soils.
precaution when you have purchased or amended garden soil, water the soil and
let it drain two or three times before planting. This helps to “flush” some of
the salts from these “rich” soils.
Wet the
soil before planting. This helps reduce root desiccation due dry soils and
“dilutes” salts contained in the soil.
soil before planting. This helps reduce root desiccation due dry soils and
“dilutes” salts contained in the soil.
Water
transplants thoroughly, immediately after planting in wet soil. Do not rely on
just the drip system to water plants immediately after planting. When planting
during warm weather months, from April through September, water twice a day
with a hose for one week right after transplanting.