Transplant shock is a term that refers to a number of stresses occurring in recently transplanted trees and shrubs. It involves failure of the plant to root well, consequently the plant becomes poorly established in the landscape.
But the good news is that, in most cases, plants can recover from transplant shock and go on to thrive in their new home. Even if your plants look like they're beyond hope, it's worth giving them a chance to recover. With a little care and attention, you may be surprised at how quickly they bounce back.
Be patient: If you treat your tree well, the tree should recover from shock and establish itself. It can take up to 3 years for a tree with transplant shock to fully recover.
The telltale signs of shock are yellowing or brown wilted leaves that droop drastically. Often a stressed plant becomes very delicate and the leaves easily fall off, if touched or bumped.
Keep roots moist – Keep the soil well-watered, but make sure that the plant has good drainage and is not in standing water. Wait patiently – Sometimes a plant just needs a few days to recover from transplant shock. Give it some time and care for it as you normally would and it may come back on its own.
Sugar water does not do anything to help plants with transplant shock, and it can make it worse. Often, plants recover on their own. Just give them time, keep them well-watered and protect them from too much sun to prevent more leaf scorch.
The last step in a successful transplant process is patience! Some trees take two or more years to get rid of all their stress symptoms. Occasionally, it can even take up to 5 years for trees to fully recover. In most cases, it takes a year or so for trees to shake off transplant shock.
If you have a bare root plant, let it soak in a bucket of water for several hours. Make sure soil in a new pot is damp already, and water again after transplanting. If you're moving to a new spot in the yard, fill the new hole 3/4 full with water before setting the plant in.
It's okay if the soil feels damp, but it should not be soggy and especially not soaking. Both overwatering and underwatering your indoor plant at this point could worsen its transplant shock, so water the plant only when its soil begins drying out.
Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) can help reduce transplant shock by providing essential nutrients and nutrient absorption to the plant. Magnesium is a key component in the makeup and creation of chlorophyll.
Maybe the pot is too small for it. Perhaps the soil needs to be changed. There might be a pest or disease problem. Plants need water; If they don't have enough water, they can't take up nutrients from their soil, which means they'll wilt and become sick.
Keeping hydrated. A plant suffering from transplant shock needs plenty of water to stay hydrated and nourished in its new water environment. Once you've put your cutting into your propagation vase of choice, you'll want to change the water every 2-5 days for optimal health.
Why it is important to water the plant immediately after transplanting? Watering immediately after the transplanting keeps the root ball moist, this will help it from drying out and further root damage. Watering also helps in quick recovery from transplant shock.
A dilute, high-phosphorous fertilizer is preferable at transplant. We recommend Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizer (2-4-1), which is approved for certified-organic farms, or SeaCom PGR Seaweed Concentrate (0-4-4).
Water your plant after you transplant it
Watering your plant will help its roots settle into the new soil. Water the potting mix thoroughly, but don't let your plant sit in water. If you'd like, you can also mix water with a specially formulated solution for giving transplants nutrients and preventing transplant shock.
Always make sure soil is wet when transplanting. Don't think you can plant in a dry hole and quickly water the plant.
Stop Watering the Plant
But stopping your watering is always the first step. If you're overwatering, you'll likely notice that the soil is wet, so you want to make sure that soil is bone dry before you're ready to break out the watering can again.
Annual plants' roots can get established in as little as 6 weeks. Once established, you don't have to be as concerned about tending to their watering needs, but this doesn't mean you should neglect the plants at this point, especially during periods of extreme heat or drought.
Soil should be moist but not soaking wet. Water deeply a day before working the soil. Soil that's too dry pulls moisture out of plant roots and damages them.
Leaf scorch is a common symptom of transplant shock. Leaf scorch first appears as a yellowing or bronzing of tissue between the veins or along the margins of leaves of deciduous plants (those that lose their leaves in winter). Later, the discolored tissue dries out and turns brown.
After you have set plants in the garden, firm the soil around them, and water them. Fertilize newly set plants with a high phosphorus starter fertilizer solution, such as a 15-30-15, to promote root development.
Since we now know that using sugar in our waterings won't help plants effectively, we must also consider the potential harm. The number one effect that most studies have found is that sugar can reduce the plants' ability to absorb or take in any water.
In the US, the three leading causes of death after transplantation are cardiovascular disease, malignancy, and infections. Cosio et al. reported that while cardiovascular mortality is higher in diabetics post-transplantation, cancer is the most common cause of death in non-diabetics (Figure 1A).