Growing your own food for garden-to-table meals means satisfying snacks and delicious dinners. With Bonnie Plants® vegetable, fruit, and herb plugs, you’ll enjoy nurturing your garden from its infancy, without the expense and long lead-time of starting seeds indoors. Whether you want to better control how your plants are grown, enjoy the convenience of an instant garden, or plan to grow a large garden on a small budget, growing plugs offers lots of benefits—including the anticipation of a scrumptious summer.
But how do you give your Bonnie Plants® plugs the best start? No worries—you’ve got this! With our tips and a little pampering, your plant babies will be off to a great start.
What, exactly, is a Bonnie Plants® plug?
A plant plug is a seedling that was started and grown in an individual cell filled with potting soil. Bonnie Plants® plugs provide a cost-effective way to jump-start your garden. These well-developed young plants with strong root systems are ready for potting up or direct planting in raised beds, containers, or in-ground gardens.
Quick Guide to Growing Plugs
Before you get started:
Plugs perform beautifully, but they need a little TLC. Always handle them carefully, making sure not to lift them by their stems. Instead, hold them gently by their root balls.
Tips for Planting Plugs in a Container:
Maybe you want to grow plugs in a container garden, or you might want to pot-up plugs to let them grow a little bigger before planting in raised beds or in-ground gardens. Before you unpack the plugs, make sure your potting area, pots, and soil are ready to go. Minimize the time the plug’s roots are exposed to air so that they don’t dry out.
- Choose a container with drainage holes. (Soil that is too wet can cause root rot that leads to plant death.) Or, if you’re potting up plugs to plant later in the garden, biodegradable pots make a great option.
- Fill the container with moist—not wet—soil.
- Make a hole in the soil with your fingers only as deep as the plant’s root ball—no deeper.
- Carefully remove the plug from the packaging. (Bonnie Plants® environmentally-friendly packaging can be easily recycled, but check with your local recycling company before adding it to your bin.)
- Gently place the plug into the hole. The top of the plug’s root ball should be level with the soil.
- Carefully tuck the soil around the plug’s roots, gently patting the soil to remove large air pockets.
- Water the plug at the plant’s base. Avoid wetting the foliage.
- Do not fertilize the plant for at least one week.
- Wait to place plugs outside until all danger of frost has passed.
- Place the pot outside in a partially sunny location for a week, gradually increasing the amount of sunlight each day, until it’s in the plant’s recommended amount of sun. (Full sun: 6+ hours/day; partial sun: 4-6 hours/day)
- Check soil daily for watering. Keep the soil evenly moist, not soggy, and don’t let the plugs dry out.
- Protect newly planted plugs from heavy rain and strong winds.
Tips for Planting Plugs in Raised Beds or In-Ground Gardens:
If you’re planning to plant the plugs directly in the garden, prep the space and soil before your plugs arrive. Plugs need a weed-free environment, so that the young plants aren’t competing for nutrients, water, and sunlight. They prefer rich, well-draining soil for best growth. Amend your soil with compost prior to planting if necessary. Plant plugs outside in spring after all danger of frost has passed.
- Choose a sunny or partially sunny space, depending on the plant’s growing needs. (Fruiting plants, like tomatoes, need full sun, while some herbs and greens grow well in partial sun.)
- Carefully remove the plug from the packaging. (Our environmentally-friendly packaging can be easily recycled, but check with your local recycling company before adding it to your bin.)
- Make a hole in the soil with your fingers or trowel, only as deep as the plug’s root ball.
- Gently place the plug into the hole. The top of the plug’s root ball should be level with the soil.
- Carefully tuck the soil around the plug’s roots, gently patting the soil to remove large air pockets.
- Water the plug at the plant’s base. Avoid wetting the foliage.
- Do not fertilize the plant for at least one week.
- Check soil daily for watering. Keep the soil evenly moist, not soggy, and don’t let the plugs dry out.
- Protect newly planted plugs from heavy rain and strong winds.
And voilà--your new green babies are off to a great start in their new homes! Wasn’t that easy?
For more detailed information about how to grow specific vegetables, fruit, and herbs, check out our Bonnie Plants® Growing Guides.
Make sure to handle plugs carefully when planting. Hold the plug gently by the root ball, not the delicate stem.
Plugs offer a great value. Although plugs are small, look at that strong root system! These babies are ready to grow into full-sized, productive plants for a great harvest.
