Moving plants around in your garden can be tricky. The most important thing to remember while in this process is to water. Always make sure to keep the plant and it roots moist.

Even though it is recommended not to transplant during the summer, most of the time it is in the summer that you want to do this. You are seeing how things have come up and perhaps it has become too crowded in an area for the plants to be healthy. Or one variety may have just taken over an area and needs to be trimmed back. If it is the summer, remember the sun can be very intense especially on exposed roots. The heat from the sun can be relentless so never leave plants above the ground for very long. Summer is never the best time to move or transplant garden plants. You can successfully transplant garden plants during the hot months if you are careful and follow the gardening tips here.

Make sure the whole plant you want to transplant is hydrated when it is time for you to transplant. Water this plant the day before thoroughly, leaves and all. It is best to dig or transplant on a cloudy, overcast day to avoid the heat from the sun. If you can plan this, all the better. Or perhaps you can schedule to do it in the cooler evening hours. Water the plant right before digging or removing from its pot. When you water, soak the root ball. This will make the soil adhere to the roots so that the roots are not bare. Never leave the roots exposed to sun, heat or wind. If you are transplanting several plants at once, do not remove all of them at once. Do it gradually. Guage the process so that each plant can quickly get into the new soil it will thrive.

Again, water is the key. Water the hole that the transplant will be going into before you place it there. After the plant is in the hole, fill it halfway with water. Allow the water to settle the soil around the roots and then finish putting more soil into the hole filling the hole. Lightly firm the soil around the transplant. And once again, water the whole plant, leaves and all.

Since you will be watering so much during this process, a wise investment is a garden hose reel. It makes the task of watering easier by storing your hose properly saving time from unwinding the kinks that inevitably occur otherwise.

For three to five days after you have transplanted, if possible, shield it from any direct sunlight. You can lean a board in front of the new transplant or use a floating row cover to block strong sun from hitting it. You want the effort to be worth it.

When you water can be as important as how much you water. Transplants will need watering every day, if not more, so check the plant daily for the first couple of weeks. If it is wilting, water the plant. Until the plant gets familiar with its new environment and depending on the weather, you may need to water twice a day. Never let it dry out. The time the transplant needs to have to get familiar with its new spot varies. It also depends on the plant you chose to transplant. If it is a hardy one, you will have less concern. General rule is the larger the plant, the more water it will need.

Plants go through shock when they are uprooted and given a brand new home in the earth. They need some tender, thoughtful, extra care to make it through the stressful transition time, especially if it is summer. Remember to water, water, water.