I'm new to gardening and recently tried to transplant a really nice weed that was growing out of the bottom of my brick wall. I carefully dug it up, making sure to keep the roots intact, and replanted it in a hanging basket with fresh soil. I watered it as usual, but it ended up dying within a few days. I'm curious why it thrived in the wall but didn't make it in my pot. There are more of these weeds around, and I'd love to try again, but I need to understand what went wrong with my first attempt.
3 Answers
Transplanting can be tough for many plants, and some just don't take well to it. Identifying what plant it is can be a big help. Also, consider that it might prefer drier conditions, especially if it thrived in a gap in the wall.
Without knowing exactly what kind of plant you had, it's a bit tricky to pinpoint the issue. Some plants actually do better in tougher conditions, like growing through concrete, than in rich potting soil. There’s a chance you might have overwatered it since it was used to a dryer environment. Also, transplant shock could have contributed to its quick decline.
You might have thought you kept the main roots intact, but there are usually tons of tiny roots and a whole network of mycorrhizae that help the plant absorb water and nutrients. Disrupting those connections can severely limit its ability to thrive after being moved. Maybe try soaking it in water before replanting next time? It could help it recover before going into the soil.