Transporting your plants and the end product


Selling your plants 

What to consider when replanting them in soil and how to transport the end product


One of the many advantages of a hydroponic system is the fact that the client can either grow the plants in their own hydroponic system or in soil. If they want a end product in soil, you have to replant them before transportation. 

The plants that you propagated is used to very wet conditions, to ensure that the plant doesn’t go into shock, you should help it adjust first. Otherwise the plant won’t survive, and your client won’t be very happy.
An advantage is the fact that the roots will be unharmed and undisturbed because it’s easy to remove a plant from the hydroponic system. The plant can be planted in the same soil as you used in your mother blocks, in a container big enough to house all the roots that formed. The same container can also be used to transport the plants.

Make sure that the entire root system is covered with soil, up to the bottom of the stem. Water the plants everyday for 5 to 7 days, making sure they don’t get water stressed to help them adapt to this new lifestyle. Wean them off heavy watering after the first week, till you reach a point of normal water application of soil grown plants. 
At this point your plant can be transported to the client. Prune the plant by removing a few leaves before transporting it. This makes the transport less stressful as the plant won’t need as many nutrients or water.

If the end product needs to be a hydroponic plant, the plant can be transported using specialized trucks. These trucks will be able to hold the container system, consisting of the water medium and plants. The plant will be held in place by holes made on the lid of this container, allowing the plant to stay in place while the water stays inside. You don’t want to fill this container up with as much water as you used to in the nursery, just enough to keep the roots alive and supply the plant of it’s needs. This also ensures that the water doesn't spill everywhere while driving. (Let's face it, South Africa has a few potholes.) 
Pruning is also very important when using this transport method. This ensures that the plant doesn't need a lot of water.  The client can then just put each plant in their own hydroponic system upon arrival. It’s very important to ensure that the water supply is refilled through out the journey and that transportation doesn’t take too long.
An example of a specialized truck used to transport hydroponic plants
Source: Pinterest 


Because of the adjusting time that a plant needs to get used to growing in soil again, make sure that the client buying plants from you specifies before hand if they want the end product in soil or not.This will help you to plant and schedule ahead. For this reason, it will also be better to propagate to order. it will also be advisable to only take orders of larger quantities as transporting just a few hydroponic plants won't be worth the effort or money. 

An example of a transportation system you can use to transport containers with plants to and from trucks.
Cecile Bester 
20899629

References: www.katiecavuto.com, www.maximumyield.com

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