Hey studs and duds, this summer the soil I was working on building was so damp at the time of transplant. I just didn’t feel like I wanted to add water when I planted. I figured I would try it out Just using the soil without adding additional water, and it really worked. And I have since been doing it with dry soil that I wet down with recharge. I have had absolutely no transplant shock since I started doing this. I am now using ocean forest soil and I’m still having no problems. Should I worry about anything? When I get the soil wet and then transplant into it without watering, I feel like there’s all these little pockets of air in the wet soil. I see roots busting out of the bottoms of my pots so fast. I can only assume that it’s because they are having a lot of air to travel through. I am not fully slopping down the soil. It is still light enough and a little lofty. You can just tell that all of the fibers are fully saturated, yet no excess soup that it is floating in at all. Today I am preparing some soil for some seeds that a awesome DGC crewmember sent me. I guess I feel like just starting everything off with Recharge resolves the problem of transplant shock or am I Crusin for a Bruisin by not watering it in ?
Well, since you kinda do it the way I do, I’d say, bravo! I use this method when seed starting. Wet the medium, if it’s too wet at sowing, squeeze out the excess. Since my actual seedlings are outside or in a cold frame, I water in, but it’s just enough to meld the soils. If that makes sense. Then in a day or 2, they get a drink. The recharge is a great idea. I used humic acids and a little silica last time.
Well I guess great minds think alike. Been nice getting to know you on Discord. First female grower that has been around for more than a minute here.
I’ve done this for a long time, currently doing it now. A day or two before I transplant, I fill the new containers and then give it a complete soaking with a tad more than normal run-off and let it sit. I do this for the exact reason you mention. I want the new soil to be thoroughly wet but I also want there to be adequate oxygen in there for the new roots to prosper. I’ve been using pre-amended soils, so I don’t need to worry about anything for days or even a week if it is seedlings that popped, going from towel to soil as is the case this evening.
I will add that when I do transplant a more mature plant that has an established rootball, I’ll water a bit after I plug it into the hole. Trying to balance the water equilibrium between the new and old soil.
But like I said, for the seeds I’m doing now, I filled and watered my 4×4″ containers last night and I’ll be putting in those little babies this evening. Shout out to a DGC member who sent the beans for this to happen. I’m excited to see what we get.
I guess intuition just makes you do things. So wait you got some seeds from a DGC member also? Mine all just popped out of soil yesterday. I wonder if it was the same member… Wouldn’t it be funny if somebody was tricking us and sent us some horrible bag seed ? Haahaaaa I am doing mountain goat. What are you doing?
Ok then I’m alllllll over it!