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Learning how to fix transplant shock is vital to the ongoing health of your plants. Sure, preventing transplant shock is better than curing it, but sometimes, in spite of all our best efforts, our plants still suffer from transplant shock.
Transplant shock is a common problem that can occur when you move a plant from one location to another, whether you’re growing peppers from seed or growing strawberries from scraps.
It’s caused by the change in environment, and can lead to symptoms like wilting, yellowing leaves, and stunted growth.
If you’re experiencing transplant shock in your plants, don’t worry – there are ways to fix it.
Let’s take a look at the symptoms of transplant shock, how to prevent it, and how to solve it if it does occur.
The most common symptom of transplant shock is wilting. This can be accompanied by yellowing or browning leaves, stunted growth, and leaf drop.
If your plant is experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s likely suffering from transplant shock, assuming you’ve recently moved it.
What Is Transplant Shock?
Transplant shock is a physiological response of plants to the sudden transfer from one environment to another. It can be caused by changes in light, temperature, humidity, pH or nutrient levels.
Transplant shock can lead to wilting, chlorosis (yellowing of leaves), stunted growth and even death. One of the most common reasons plants go into shock is the disturbance of or damage to their roots.
There are several ways to reduce transplant shock. One is to acclimate the plant gradually to the new conditions over a period of days or weeks.
Another is to use a process called hardening off, in which plants are grown under less than optimal conditions (e.g., lower light levels and temperature) prior to transplanting, so they are more resistant to environmental stress. You can read about how to harden off peppers here. The process is the same, whatever plant you want to move.
You can also take steps to improve the growing conditions after transplanting, such as increasing humidity or providing extra water and nutrients. With proper care, most plants will recover from transplant shock and resume normal growth.
When does transplant shock occur?
Transplant shock usually occurs within the first week after transplanting. However, it can also occur later, depending on the plant and the environmental conditions.
In some cases, your plant can show signs of transplant shock in as little as 12 hours, as the newly transplanted plant starts to react to the trauma of being moved. Even if the root ball didn’t get damaged, newly transplanted plants can look like they’re dying.
Damage During Transplantation
If your plant suffers damage to the root system, stems, or leaves during transplantation, it will be more susceptible to transplant shock. Be sure to handle your plants gently and avoid exposing them to excessive heat or cold, which can further damage the plant.
When moving a plant out of a pot, a good tip is to place your hand around the base of the plant, with the main stems sticking between your middle fingers to offer support without gripping. Turn the pot and your hand over, then use your other hand to gently squeeze or tap the pot to loosen the soil and the plant roots before removing the pot and relocating the plant to its new home.
Symptoms of transplant shock
The symptoms of transplant shock in plants can vary depending on the plant, but can generally include wilting, drooping leaves, browning or yellowing foliage, and stunted growth. If a plant is experiencing transplant shock, it may also have a reduced root system and be more susceptible to pests and diseases.
After the transplanting process, stop your plant dying by paying close attention to it for the first couple of weeks, to look for the symptoms of transplant shock.
What to look out for:
- Wilting
- Drooping leaves
- Browning or yellowing foliage
- Stunted growth
- Reduced root system
- Pests and diseases
How Can I Avoid Transplant Shock?
There are a few things you can do to minimize plant transplant shock symptoms, but it’s possible that in spite of all your best efforts and careful attention, new transplants may still develop transplant shock.
It’s also important to keep an eye on the leaves for signs of stress. If the leaves are wilted, yellowed, or browning, this could be a sign that the plant is not getting enough water.
If possible, try to increase the humidity around the plant by misting it with water or using a humidifier.
Transplant In Moderate Temperatures and Weather Conditions
Growing plants in hot or cold climates is already challenging, whether you’ve got cute, dainty potted plants, colorful bedding plants, or big sprawling woody plants, and when they need transplanting, it just increases the challenge. It’s doable, but you need to take more care.
You’re more likely to experience plant transplant shock if you transplant plants in hot or cold weather, or if the plant is already stressed from lack of water or nutrients.
Take preventative measures and only transplant your plants in moderate weather conditions to avoid exposing them to extremes of temperature.
If you must transplant in hot weather, try to do it early in the morning or evening when the temperatures are cooler and leave the newly transplanted plants in a shady area where they have at least some protection from heat and direct sun.
When transplanting in cold weather, if possible, do it indoors. Make sure the root zone is completely covered with soil to insulate it from the cold.
You may also need to provide some additional protection for the plant, such as covering it with a frost cloth or placing it in a cold frame to help the plant adapt to its new environment before the cold does any damage.
Avoid Damaging Leaves and Branches
When you’re moving a plant to its new home, take extra care not to damage the leaves or branches. Even though you’re working on preventing shock, sometimes accidents happen, so if you do accidentally damage any top growth, prune it off.
Plants are more likely to recover from transplant shock if they’re not also battling damaged foliage. Plus, of course, top growth damage can weaken the plant and make it more susceptible to pests and insect infestation.
And, as you’ll see a little further down, there are instances where removing top growth, even if it’s healthy, is actually beneficial when you’re trying to avoid or fix transplant shock in young plants, woody plants, trees, or container plants.
Taking preventative measures: Gently shake off any loose soil, then lift the plant out of its pot by its base — not by the stem. Hold the plant close to its new planting hole so you don’t have to carry it far, and set it in the hole at the same depth it was growing in before.
Aim for Minimal Root System Disturbance
When transplanting plants, it is important to avoid disturbing the root system as much as possible. This will help reduce stress on the plant and increase the chances of survival. A plant dies rapidly after transplant if there’s extensive damage to the root system.
Be gentle with the root ball. Remember, it’s not just the big roots you need to take care of, but the tiny roots that shoot off the main roots, and then there’s the tiny invisible rootlets. Every part of the root system you can transplant unharmed gives your plant a better chance of survival.
But they’re delicate. Roots die with too much rough handling and too much root damage will cause even a full grown tree to die. So try not to disturb the roots excessively, keep as many roots as possible, and make sure the soil you’re moving the plant to has good drainage.
Another great tip for helping roots to recover is to add a little rooting hormone (see our recipe for DIY rooting hormone here). This encourages rapid healing and new growth and even helps with tree transplant shock.
Only Transplant Healthy Plants (If that’s an option)
Avoid moving a stressed or unhealthy plant, if possible. Moving an unhealthy plant just adds more stress. Sometimes, of course, it’s unavoidable if the reason it’s struggling is because of its container or location, but in general, only move healthy specimens.
Keep Plant Roots Moist
One of the most important things to remember when transplanting a plant is to keep the roots moist. If the roots dry out, they can die, and the plant may not survive.
There are several ways to keep the roots moist during transplantation. One is to wrap them in a damp cloth or newspaper. Another is to place them in a bucket of water until you are ready to replant them. You can also put them in a container of diluted willow water (aka homemade rooting hormone).
But don’t leave the root ball exposed for longer than necessary. Water thoroughly before you transplant, get the plant situated in the new location as fast as possible, and water again to minimize stress to the root system.
Water Plants Immediately After Transplant
Avoid plant transplant shock and keep your transplanted plants happy and healthy by watering them right after transplant. Remember, you want to keep the root ball moist. Watering helps reduce stress on the plant and also prevents the roots from drying out.
When transplanting, be sure to water the plants thoroughly, and then continue to water them regularly for the first few weeks after transplant.
Once the plant is transplanted, make sure it gets plenty of water. If the roots are dry, they won’t be able to take up water and nutrients from the soil, which can lead to wilting, leaf rolling, and other symptoms of transplant shock.
How to help a plant recover from transplant shock
There are a number of things you can do to fix transplant shock. Because, even when you do everything right when transplanting, sometimes, plants can still show signs of shock, whether you’re growing vegetables, trees, or ornamentals.
Prune Foliage
If you lost roots during the transplant, remove the approximate equivalent percentage of leaves as the roots you lost. This will help the plant focus its energy on recovering from the transplant shock.
You can prune damaged and dead foliage, but be sure to leave plenty of healthy foliage so the plant can photosynthesize and produce food for itself.
Don’t Fertilize Too Fast
Fertilizing too soon after transplanting can actually do more harm than good. Hold off on fertilizing until the plant has had time to recover from the shock of transplanting. That’s because a fertilizer will push your plants toward foliage growth and you want your plants to focus on recovery and root growth.
Instead, water the plants with a dilute solution of willow water to boost root recovery and growth. You can also try adding some Mycorrhizae, which is a fungus that sticks to your roots and helps them to take up water and nutrients. But you’ll need to do this during transplant, so the roots are in direct contact with the fungi.
Add Epsom Salt to Minimize Transplant Stress
Adding Epsom sale to the soil, with one tablespoon diluted in one gallon of water, can help plants overcome transplant shock is to add Epsom salt to the soil. Epsom salt contains magnesium and sulfur, which helps the plant take up water and nutrients. It also reduces stress on the plant, which can help it recover more quickly from transplant shock.
Epsom salt is a safe and easy way to help your plants get back on their feet after a stressful event like transplantation.
Give the Plant Ample Recovery Time
Don’t expect miracles. Moving a plant is traumatic, even with the best soil type, great drainage, and perfect climatic conditions. Most plants need a good few weeks to recover and some, such as trees, can take many months to get over the stress of transplantation.
How to Fertilize Transplants the Right Way
It’s important not to just jump in and fertilize right away. As discussed above, fertilizing stressed plant adds further stress and can kill them or make recovery take far longer.
What fertilizer is best for transplant?
Ideally, use an organic high-phosphorous fertilizer. Neptune’s Fish Fertilizer 2-4-1 is a great option. Phosphorous promotes root growth and hardiness, making it the best choice of fertilizer for transplanted plants.
How soon after transplanting can you fertilize?
You shouldn’t fertilize until the roots have recovered, which takes at least two to three weeks. Depending on the plant, it can take several months. You’ll know it’s safe to fertilize when the plant shows sufficient signs of recovery, such as spontaneous new growth and curled leaves unfurling.
FAQs
Can soil type affect transplant shock?
Yes, soil type can affect transplant shock. Heavy soils are harder for plants to establish in, and can lead to more transplant shock. On the other hand, light soils can dry out quickly, which can also lead to problems for transplanted plants. In general, it’s best to use a soil that has good drainage and is fertile so that transplanted plants have the best chance of recovering from transplant shock.
Why are my flowers wilting after transplanting?
Flowers can wilt after transplanting because they are losing water faster than they are taking it up. This can be caused by a number of factors, such as the plant being transplanted into a hot, dry location or the soil being too compacted.
How do you help flowers recover from transplant shock?
Make sure the soil is well-drained and fertile, and water the plants regularly, but not excessively, to help them recover. You may also need to provide some shade for hot, dry locations.
How long does transplant shock last?
Most plants need at least 3 weeks to recover and some, such as trees, can take many months to get over the stress of transplantation.