Plug Plants

I discovered plug plants after years of trying to grow my own vegetables from seed. Growing from seed is fraught with difficulties for the amateur gardener. Such a boon to be able to get plants that have had a good start and that are 100% guaranteed from the supplier. When you purchase a tray of plants you can see exactly how many are there and know that each one of them is established and ready for planting. Very few plants are lost unlike when you grow from seed where the yield can be poor. Using plug plants adds so much value to the time spent in the garden and the extra time freed up allows for improvement of the garden decor.

Plug plants and dibbers explained

A plug plant is a plant that is already robust and has moved on from the delicate weak stage after the seed sprouts. The plug plants get introduced into the garden with the growth already firmly set in motion in miniature garden pots.

The most common way to plant them is to prepare a number of holes roughly equal in depth to the root ball of the new plant and then simply ‘plug’ them into the soil. A dibber can be used to make the holes (a dibber is simply a pointed wooden stick) Dibbers are manufactured in a variety of designs but can be made easily at home. The plug plant container, which is a small miniature plant pot, is removed immediately prior to the ‘plugging’ of the plant into the ground.

Plugging away

These ‘pluggable’ little pot plants are ideal for all gardeners irrespective of experience. Plug plants are quicker to produce your goods (vegetables, flowers, fruit etc.) instead of the traditional planting of seeds from scratch, so great time saving is a bonus.

Annuals, environment and plug quantities

Each plug plant gets established in its own 1½ inch square garden plot. You do not have to plant new plugs every year because certain plugs can be bought that are perennial plants instead of the annual variety. Some growers of plug plants provide the container made from an environmentally friendly degradable paper, which allow for easier planting because there is no need to remove the plant from its housing. This reduces the amount of plastic waste. Growers supply vegetable plug plants in batches of 50, 60 or 100 pots per tray.

Plug growers

Growers manage the whole growth process from seed to small plant ensuring that each pod (container) is thriving before the planter begins to sow the crop. If an inferior quality seedling is noticed it is replaced thus ensuring that trays are always 100% full of healthy plug plants. The grower ensures that each individual plant will have its root system firmly established, so losses are few. A tray will have more than enough plug plants for the average home plot so it might be worthwhile sharing the cost (and benefits) with a friend or neighbor.