• Transplant correctly to prevent plant shock.spring planting image by judwick from Fotolia.com
  
  Proper transplanting ensures plant health, whether you grow from seed or purchase seedlings from a nursery. Root damage, sunlight and pests can all lead to transplant shock and later plant decline, if the plants aren't set into the bed properly. Preparation before transplanting and proper care afterward prevents shock and leads to healthy plants.
  
  

Choosing Transplants

• Plant only healthy transplants into the garden, otherwise you may introduce disease into a bed. Healthy transplants have a better survival rate, and are more likely to overcome any shock of moving them to the bed. Look for transplants with healthy foliage and no disease or insect damage. Avoid heavily fruited or flowering transplants, as these do not tolerate replanting well.
  
  

Hardening Off

• Hardening off prevents damage from sun, wind and other outdoor conditions, helping accustom plants to their new home before transplanting. Place the plants outdoors in an area out of direct sun and protected from wind beginning at least one week before you plan to transplant. Gradually moving the plants into more direct light over the course of the hardening-off period helps plants slowly accustom themselves to the brighter, more intense sunlight outdoors.
  
  

Plant Preparation

• Prepare the plant properly before transplanting to make the process smoother and less stressful to the plant. Water the soil in the pot thoroughly at least two hours before transplanting so the plant easily slips out of the pot with minimal root damage. Do not remove plants from their containers until right before you plant them into the new bed.
  
  

Timing

• Transplant most plant varieties after all frost danger is past in spring. A later season frost can kill off the healthiest plants, especially if they are still immature or overcoming transplant shock. Plant to the bed on an overcast day or in the afternoon, when possible, so the plants can accustom themselves to the new bed before they are subjected to heat and bright sunlight.
  
  

Starter Fertilizer

• Starter fertilizer gives plants a boost of nutrients at transplanting, encouraging them to quickly set new roots and become acclimated to the bed. Use a soluble quick-release high-phosphorus fertilizer so plant roots can access the nutrients immediately to help overcome any root damage that occurs during transplanting.