Transplant Mix
A good transplant mix eases the shock of moving a plant from a pot to open ground, blending the plant's original growing medium with the surrounding native soil.
Why Transition Matters
A young plant's roots are used to the loose, well-aerated potting mix it grew in, and dropping it straight into denser native soil can shock the roots and slow establishment. Blending compost, some of the plant's original potting mix, and the native soil in the planting hole eases that transition considerably.
A rough guide is half native soil and half compost or aged organic matter, adjusted based on how poor or heavy the native soil already is.
Avoid filling the planting hole with pure potting mix or compost — roots can become reluctant to grow out into the surrounding native soil, effectively trapping the plant in a small pocket of rich soil.
After Planting
Water thoroughly right after transplanting to settle the soil around the roots and eliminate air pockets, then keep the soil consistently moist for the first few weeks while the plant establishes itself in its new location.
