Basics on how to start a vegetable garden using transplants

Start this process towards the end of fall when the climate is becoming less cold.

Weaning off indoor seedlings

If you are growing the seeds indoors and plan on transplanting them to your garden soil, you will need to wean them off first.

Place the container, in which the seedlings are planted, in a sheltered location outside your house where it is well sheltered from the cold winds. Shelter them inside your house if the nights get too chilly. Do this for at least a week or two.

Once the seedlings are hardened off, you can plant them in your garden.

Planting those transplants

Here are a few tips to follow while planting the transplants.

Water the transplants in the container: A day prior to planting your seedlings, make sure you water them amply. They should be well hydrated before they take to the soil.

Dig the holes: Dig small holes in your area when you plan to plant. The hole should be big enough to accommodate the ball of soil which would contain the roots for your seedling.

Allow proper spacing: Also for proper spacing between two seedlings, remember that these would grow to be big plants in a few weeks. You don't want to cramp them for room. The seed bag would have the required instructions on spacing.

Pop the transplant: Remove the seedling from the pot with the aid of a small spoon or just by using your hands.

Tap out the air brackets: Place the roots of the seedlings in the hole and backfill soil on top of it. Press lightly to remove any air gaps inside.

Water away: Now water the seedling gently without disturbing the soil. A light sprinkler should be fine.

Don't forget the mulch: Add mulch around the seedling. Maintain a distance of 1 inches from the stem.

That's about it, from here on your job would be to take of watering the plant to keep the soil damp most of the time. Add mild fertilizers once in two week if you soil is not fertile enough. Ensure proper hygiene of the plant by pruning away dead leaves and branches.

Every bit of effort and care pays off when it comes to gardening, for that matter its true for everything in life.