Plug or module vegetable and bedding

Handling by the leaf or the rootball, never the stem, avoids crushing the growing point. Planting at the original depth stops rot at the collar and keeps the young plant growing without a check.

When

Pot on or plant out once roots hold the compost together and fill the cell, usually a few weeks after they arrive or are pricked out. Tender types wait until after the last frost in your area (late May in much of the UK).

How

1. Water the plugs an hour before handling so the rootball stays intact. 2. Push each plug out from below rather than pulling the top. 3. Either pot on into 7 to 9cm pots of multipurpose compost to grow larger, or plant straight out at the spacing on the label. 4. Make a hole with a dibber or trowel, drop the plug in to the same depth it grew, and firm gently. 5. Water in to settle the soil around the roots.

Notes

Small plugs establish better potted on first; larger garden-ready plugs can go straight out. Slug protection in the first fortnight makes a big difference to survival.