best way to transfer plants

My hubby John and I were just discussing the way to transfer ownership of plants. By this I am speaking of digging up live plants at various stages of growth and giving to another person when there will be possibly days or longer before the plants will be trasplanted to new home.

The question is when we know there will be a period of time between the two homes, is it better to transplant in to a pot say a month early and let them get established there first and then be transfered again in to the soil upon delivery or would it be better to just move them once and only dig them as close to the day of the trade as possible?

I can tell that I have been sitting here since 2 AM because I having a hard time even asking a question. I am going to try again so you folks will understand what I am asking. hahaha

Should we dig up the plants that we will be taking to the swap and pot up now for the recipient, or wait a couple of days before the swap to dig them and save them having to become established in two places?

Which way have you all who do this found to be the best in terms of the life of the plant? Will be anxious to hear what you all have found.

I will post this question on swap thread too, but anyone else who reads this, please tell me what you consider as the best method. Thank you in advance.

Ruby

I try to do it as close to the date as possible, but if it's a big clump that you'll have in a pot you can do that now.

I try to pot them close to the date except for the ones that pout after being dug. If you pot them a little early, they can recover by the time of the swap.

I've been potting some as I have time to putter in the garden. Then they're stablized by swap time as hart mentions, and I know they're ready.

I understand that not all swappers can have everything potted up by swap day, stuff happens.

Its a luxury that I appreciate to receive a plant in a pot so I don't have the pressure of getting it planted day after the swap. But having them all potted in garden soil makes for a lot of lifting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I try to pot on the small side and keep them in shade. And I am not going to spring for potting medium for you guys, sorry!!!!!!!!!!!! But I'll use some mostly finished compost to lighten it up.

I was wondering exactly the same thing ^_^

I got one of those big bags of potting soil at Walmart last year for around $8-9. It was plenty enough to pot everything for the swap and I had a carload of plants, was lighter than garden soil too. You don't have to pot things in big pots, just enough to keep the roots alive.

Good point on the shade too, Sally. Definitely keep them in the shade.

The other thing that really helps is labeling the pots. I hate it when I get home and I have something that I have no earthly idea what it is. You can get silver marker pens in the office supplies at Walmart that show up on black plastic pots for a couple of bucks.

I have found that the bigger things that were just placed in plastic grocery bags with some soil still on the roots did fine until I could get them planted so long as I kept the soil moist. That might be easier for some things you're swapping. You can easily mark the bags too.

I didn't mean to sound like a swap snob there. I'm grateful for any free plants!
But since I decided to start digging early I felt I HAD to put them in pots to hold them for 4-6 weeks. You could do fine pulling them OUT of the pots the night before, wrapping them with some potting soil, wet newspaper or paper towels and plastic and most things that way would hold in the shade well.

hart- you're right, it's cheap enough to use the potting soil instead of real dirt.

Labeling IS really helpful if not essential. Writing on the pot or bag is a good idea. Making a plant stick label is good too. Both is really going whole hog. Plant name and who is giving it, gives the recipient a way to ask followup questions

This year, I'm going to try to print off a sheet of stickers with "from Critterologist" on them... that seems faster than writing my name on each pot or bag. Plant names will be in silver Sharpie, as usual. :-)

I worked too hard on my dirt -- not giving any of it away! I usually have a container of potting mix going, anyway. If you see any "jello" looking bits in my pots, not to worry... just hydrated moisture crystals.