Tips for Inspecting and Buying Healthy Vegetable Transplants from Stores: Check the Roots!

Tips for Inspecting and Buying 
Healthy Vegetable Transplants from Stores: Check the Roots!

I do grow most of my own transplants but I can't resist browsing the vegetable transplants that are put and signal spring. They are out as of this week here in Maryland Zone 7.  And if I am browsing, assuming it's a fair price, then I am buying. There are several tips you can follow to make sure you get a healthy transplant for your garden. Remember by the time they get to be displayed, they have already been growing 4-6 weeks. They really don't have but 2 weeks shelf life in my opinion.


Vegetable Transplants - The Rusted Garden 2014

The plants arrive healthy but they are at risk of great stress. Sitting in the sun, they easily and often dry completely out. This will stress the plant. The plants are usually large and because of that they will quickly use up the nutrients in the soil of the seed cell. Very few place feed their transplants.

You really want to get transplants that have only been out on display for 1-2 weeks. There shouldn't be any yellowed or dried leaves but for the leaves that first emerged. Yellow leaves typically mean poor watering. Sometimes you will notice tomatoes that have a purple coloration through them and that is a nutrient deficiency. The leaves and stems of transplants should look vibrant and healthy like in the picture and video.


Popular posts from this blog

Ten Things About Tomatoes for 2015: Tips for Tomato Success!

Image
Ten Things About Tomatoes for 2015 (Revised) Tomato Thing One: Two Types of Tomatoes Determinate and Indeterminate: There are two types of tomato plants. A tomato plant is either a determinate plant or indeterminate plant. A determinate tomato grows to a set height and stops growing. The fruits mature all at once or relatively close in time and the plant dies shortly after the final fruits mature. This determinate type of tomato is great for getting the first round of tomatoes from your garden (as they mature quickly) and they do well in containers. You might be able to plant two rounds of determinate tomatoes in your gardening zone. You can often plant them in May and again in July. The indeterminate tomato continues to grow and grow until frost. It sets fruit throughout the season. Only frost or disease will stop an indeterminate tomato from producing. Think of it this way, a determinate tomato grows to a pre determin ed size. Indeteriminate tomatoes often need to be staked and prun...
Read more

Understanding Garden Nitrogen: Products, Organic vs. Synthetic, Use and Strategies

Image
Understanding Garden Nitrogen: Products, Organic vs. Synthetic, Use and Strategies Nitrogen is a macro-nutrient which means it is a main element all plants need to grow. Without it, you can't really have a thriving garden. The earth's atmosphere is made up of nearly 80% nitrogen but plants can't use nitrogen in that form. It must be fixed or transformed into a form the plants can absorb and use. Nitrogen can be changed biologically or chemically. Biological forms are often called organic nitrogen. Chemically processed nitrogen is often called synthetic. Ammonia is the basis for chemical fertilizers. Understanding Nitrogen Fertilizer - TRG 2014 I made this video to help you understand the different forms of nitrogen available for your garden. I use both organic and synthetic forms of fertilizers. I also use compost and nitrogen fixing legumes like beans, red clover and peas. I believe is in using garden fertilizers in and educated and purposeful way. My recommendation is you...
Read more

Three Part Series: Growing Cilantro, Basil, Parsley & Chives on a Kitchen Windowsill - Seed Starting

Image
Growing Cilantro, Basil, Parsley & Chives on a Kitchen Windowsill Part 1 of 3: Starting the Seeds Peat pellets are used for this project because they are going to spend most of their time sitting in water mixed with 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer. The design of  a peat pellet is perfect for this. It allows room for root growth and it will allow roots to grow out of the medium and into the water. Cilantro, basil, parsley and chives were selected for this video because they don't mind wet roots and can do well in water. This is a 3 part video series I am doing. This video explains the basic concept of growing herbs in peat pellets and water and how to plant the seeds. The goal is not to grow full sized herbs on your kitchen windowsill but to grow many many leaves. The 1/2 strength nutrient solution will keep the plants happy. You do need a windowsill with at least 8 hours of full sun, if you are germinating them on the sill. If you start them under lights and get them to size, yo...
Read more