I may have been a little dumb in planting multiple tree seeds in one container, because let's face it: its next to impossible to untangle those roots once they've grown together, right?
Wrong!
Now, I will say I definitely picked the wrong containers for this! Those little biodegradable/plantable pots turned out to be a horrible idea! They absorb moisture, and they hold it even better. What do fresh young baby tree roots like most? Water.
So I forgot to check on my baby trees for a few weeks outside of letting D water them... and when I finally looked back at them their little roots had pushed through the container and were soaking uo water that has collected at the bottom of the tray.
Welp, its time to transplant them!
Getting the container off was the worst part. Not only had roots grown through the potter to the outside, but they had grown along the inside of the potter itself.
So I began to peel... and peel... and peel. I peeled about like you would an orange: gently and in small pieces. I didn't want to lose any roots I didn't have to. Twenty or so minutes later, I got the whole container off.
If you used plastic planters, you're doing good! All you gotta do is squeeze gently to losen the soil from the side and turn her upside down!
Do NOT pull them by their stems/bases. You risk breaking a lot more of their roots and potentially shocking them or killing them!
Now came the hard part: seperating the roots of my two baby peach trees without breaking any more roots.
All you need for this ladies and gents are the following few materials:
- a bucket of water
-new planters and soil for your baby plants
-a watering can to gently water them once transplanted.
1. Shake it off!
With your clump of soil and plants, gently brush off any loose soil from wherever it falls off. Don't push extra hard, if it doesn't budge that's okay!
2. Get ready!
Once you've gotten the loose bits off, encase your plants gently in your hands. You're essentially creating a cage for your plants so you don't lose them in the water.
3. Dunk tank!
Now gently, submerge them in water, and make sure you dont try to pull the plants apart. Most soil will dislodge in the bucket and you can gently agitate the water to help in the process. Just shake your hands a little like you're rolling a ball from one hand to the other until you feel the roots of both plants fall away.
4. Up for air!
Go on! Pull them out! Most of the dirt should be gone and you should be able to see your healthy root system all happy and unbroken!
5. Replanting!
Now take your favorite, and grab your new pot! With one hand hold your plant (at the base people! As close to the bottom as you can!) and slowly start filling the planter with your soil. Since they're still young, I continued to use my seed starting mix since it is rich in the nutrients my growing babies need! Continue to fill it up until your roots are covered and pat the soil down gently.
We do it this way so you're not putting extra stress on the roots by forcing them into the soil a certain way.
Gently water the transplanted plant just enough that the soil is moist. The roots should have plenty of water from their bath, but I find a little extra water in the soil can help with the shock.
6. Repeat!
Do this for all your little seedling babies and you'll be on your way to full grown plants in no time!
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