What Are Vegetable Plug Plants?
Vegetable plug plants are plants that are raised in their own individual cells, and are ready to be transferred, or transplanted into other containers, pots or a traditional garden. Professional gardeners and farmers have stated in the past that the critical period of growing for any vegetable is in the first four to six weeks. There are many reasons to use plug plants, including making life easier for the one doing the gardening.
Why Should You Use Plug Plants?
Statistics show that when plug plants were used, harvest time came a lot faster. This makes things a lot easier when you have a small garden, or if you just have very little space to work with. In addition, those who used vegetable plug plants had healthier, fuller plants that grew better without having to use stakes and cages to help guide the plants. These plants in turn were so healthy, that they did not attract pests, and were so hardy that they were able to sustain through periods of drought. Considering that the average gardener struggles with all of these factors when gardening, it may be well worth it to invest in plug plants.
When raising seedlings, there are many things that a gardener has to keep an eye on, and these things take up time. The gardener has to be mindful of the amount of light their seedlings get, along with keeping up on fertilizer, soil, and if growing them indoors this could mean spending time re-creating the natural environment which can take up more time than originally planned. Seeds are more expensive than they used to be, so it’s leaving many to look for other options. This is where vegetable plug plants come in handy, and a great option for those who don’t know much about gardening. In fact, if someone wants to grow vegetables, but they didn’t realize that they missed the proper time to plan they can use plug plants instead.
How Do You Care for Plug Plants?
When planting the plug, you always want to give it a little bit of water before moving it into another pot or garden area. Excess water will cause the plug to crumble and come apart which can damage the roots, so be careful. The roots are the most critical part of the plant, because they are what sustains the plant and keep it strong.
You can dig a hole that is comparable to the size of your plug plant, but make sure it’s wide enough to accommodate the roots. Remember, your plant has been kept in a greenhouse or similar environment, so when you pull it out of its tray or cell be very careful. This plant has been kept under controlled conditions, so you will need to introduce it to the new environment one step at a time. This is what we call “hardening off” a plant. This is what a gardener will do when they are growing seedlings, and they wish to transplant them. The gardener would take the seedling and put it outside for just a few hours a day to get it accommodated to the direct sunlight and the new temperatures. These sample steps are what you would do with your vegetable plug plant. Because they may now be exposed to more heat and a true outdoor climate, you may need to provide your plug plant with more water then you used to. Within in a short period of time, the roots will begin to grow which will speed up the growing process.
You won’t have to buy plug plants every year, but keep in mind that not all of them are perennials or annuals. So, it simply depends on what you wish to grow.