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Transplant shock

b3rnd

b3rnd

Hey guys! So I've been thinking about transplant shock for a while because of another topic. I've always thought of transplant shock as the wilting after a transplant, but I also realised that doesn't always happen. I just did some reading and everywhere they recommend to disturb the roots as little as possible to avoid transplant shock. But I almost always loosen up the roots a bit, sometimes I even ruffle them carefully until most of the old dirt is gone. They very rarely wilt after that, just when I accidentally break a few roots. That almost never happens though.
 
What are your thoughts on transplant shock? Do the plants experience it even it they don't wilt?
 
I'll break the roots up a little if they're root bound but other than that they go straight in the way they are. I rarely notice any wilting but they'll be slow to grow for a while. Not sure if the stunted growth is from the plant devoting energy to new root growth or if it's shock. Or both.
 
I break up the roots when I put them in the garden. I used to just scratch the outside, but they didn't do so well. My gf mentioned breaking them up more (she worked in a greenhouse for a while) and they did a lot better. So now I'm not so gentle when transplanting. Lol. I'm not Hulk with them, I just break the bottom of the roots open.
 
I break up the bottom layer of roots...I am not gentle.

I don't worry about transplant shock from doing so.

Put some fish fert emulsion in the hole, break up any roots at bottom especially circling roots.

Shove it in the hole and water. I avoid transplanting on hot days or direct sunlight, getting a couple over cast days is usually my routine.
 
All the professional horticulturists that I've heard render an opinion on this topic recommend that you shouldn't be afraid to mangle that root ball.

They are usually talking with respect to nursery plants, so it may be a different matter if you're transplanting a pepper that doesn't have a well developed root ball yet.
 
Never have broken up the roots when planting out, and mine are always very root-bound.
 

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Very interesting, so those websites with so-called gardening experts are just full of crap. I thought so already, good to hear you guys confirming it.
 
I have a technique that doesn't break up any roots, by the way. I roll the root ball between my palms to loosen it all up a bit, then I ruffle it slightly from the underside. Doesn't take a lot of ruffling to make it loose enough to just shake all the earth out. Since I roll it before ruffling, I haven't had any broken roots at all. 
 
I don't break up anything when I transplant - goes right in the hole - but depending on the plant, I may give it a day or more in shade to recover before giving it full sun. In my experience, for annuals, they don't seem to get upset with transplant > partial sun or full sun. Other, longer-lived plants, e.g., fig trees, need some time to get straight.
 
I've been doing experiments based on my previous knowledge and work with plants in college; and I have more heavily weighed on personal philosophy of how roots function, but like to alter them as need fit. For example: plants going from different substrates should be properly freed of bonds and binds within the old substrate which is different. Same substrate:same substrate u minimally disturb other than as previous members have described about freeing the bottom and sides properly.

Either way transplant shock is something I believe only apparent in drastic situations such as when your plant is unhealthy (like many of us on here by the time they get overgrown and are unable to have their needs met), or you throw some extreme conditions at them (I. E. Drastic temp fluctuations, watering, nute profiles, etc). Otherwise, putting it into something much better amended than it came from; not to mention the medium compaction and root growth, I see no reason you shouldn't see prominent growth upon every uppot or transplant...

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I've never seen Transplant shock.
 
Maybe it can happen if all the plant's surroundings change at once , from shaded nursery to home in the sun , from coco coir based soil to any other soil , from being shaded from the wind to full wind  , and then everybody just blames it on the roots being transplanted.
 
 
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