Transplant shock can occur when you transplant rosemary (or any other plant) from one location to another, such as moving it from a pot to the ground or from one spot in your garden to another.
Transplant shock damages the plant and can even kill it in severe cases, so it is important to know how to avoid it and what to do about it if it already happened.
I cover everything you need to know about rosemary transplant shock in this article.
First, I explain what you should do to save rosemary suffering from transplant shock and then the signs you need to look out for to identify the problem as early as possible. At the end of the article, I cover the causes of transplant shock and what you can do to avoid it in the future.
What Is Transplant Shock? Definition
Transplant shock is a wide term that covers several problems caused by transplanting a plant. It is a stress response that occurs when a plant is moved to a different location such as a different spot in the garden or a new pot. The primary cause of transplant shock is stress or damage to a plant’s roots.
It usually takes rosemary a few weeks to a month to recover from transplant shock, although it depends on the severity of the shock. In severe cases, a full recovery can take several months.
How to Save Rosemary Suffering From Transplant Shock
If your rosemary is suffering from transplant shock, you need to take action in order to save it. Luckily, there are several steps you can take to help it recover and thrive in its new location.
Here are some things you can do to save your rosemary if it is suffering from transplant shock.
Remove any dead or dying foliage
Remove any damaged foliage and foliage that seems to be dying. Pruning dead or dying growth can reduce the demand for water and nutrients by the plant, allowing it to redirect its energy toward recovery. Additionally, dead foliage can increase the risk of other problems such as pests and diseases.
Make sure the soil is not soggy or fully dry
Ensure the plant receives adequate water. Transplant shock can cause root damage, so the plant may have difficulty taking up moisture. Water deeply but avoid overwatering, as overly wet soil can lead to root rot.
The key is that the soil should be moist. If the soil is fully dry, the roots will dry out and if it is soggy, the roots are going to struggle to keep up and eventually rot. I have written another article, where I cover why it is important to water rosemary after transplanting in more detail as well as how you should do it.
Do not fertilize for at least a month after transplanting
Hold off on fertilizing until you see signs of recovery and new growth. Fertilizing during transplant shock can stress the plant further and cause damage to the roots. When (and if) you do fertilize, use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer.
Rosemary rarely if ever needs to be fertilized. I don’t fertilize my own rosemary and it is doing great but if you decide to do it, you should wait at least a month after transplanting.
Do not transplant again for several months
Even though it might seem like your rosemary is unhappy in its new location, chances are that the problem isn’t the location but rather the process of being transplanted.
Plants can find it stressful to be transplanted as it disturbs the roots and brings environmental changes that they need to adapt to.
Keep in mind that it is common for most plants, including rosemary, to appear droopy for a few days after being transplanted so you should not go all-in on saving it just yet as it might not be necessary. If the plant stays droopy for a week or so, it might be suffering from transplant shock though.
Keep reading as I will cover the signs you should look out for to identify transplant shock as early as possible. That way you have the best chance of saving your rosemary.
6 Signs Your Rosemary Is Suffering From Transplant Shock
Transplant shock in rosemary, like in many other plants, can manifest through various symptoms. It is important to recognize these signs early so you can take the necessary steps to help your plant recover.
Here are the signs you should look out for to identify transplant shock as early as possible.
An overall decline in appearance
An overall decline in the plant’s health and appearance usually indicates an underlying issue. If you have recently transplanted your rosemary, it might be suffering from transplant shock.
I have found it surprisingly useful to take photos of my plants right after I transplant them. That way, I can easily compare the current situation to the photos and determine if my rosemary’s health is improving or declining.
Wilting
One of the most common and noticeable signs of transplant shock is wilting of the rosemary’s leaves and stems. The plant may appear droopy, and the leaves may lose their normal stiffness. Wilting can also be a symptom of other issues though, so look for some of the other signs too.
Stunted growth
Rosemary plants that are suffering from transplant shock usually exhibit slowed or stunted growth. This is because the roots are unable to obtain the necessary water and nutrients and because the plant is spending most of its energy on recovery instead of the production of new foliage.
Yellowing leaves
The leaves of a rosemary plant that has recently been transplanted, particularly the lower ones, may turn yellow This is often a sign of stress and can indicate problems with obtaining nutrients.
Leaves turning brown and crispy
In severe cases, leaves or parts of leaves may turn brown and become crispy as the plant struggles to take up water and nutrients. This is often a result of stress to the roots caused by transplant shock.
This problem typically only affects individual leaves initially but can get progressively worse and eventually impact entire stems, as illustrated in the photo of one of my plants above.
Leaves falling off the plant
The plant might drop some of its leaves as a response to the stress of transplant shock. This is a natural way for the plant to conserve energy by reducing its need for water and nutrients.
6 Causes of Transplant Shock in Rosemary
Transplant shock in rosemary, like in many other plants, can be caused by a combination of factors related to the process of transplanting and the plant’s ability to adapt to its new environment.
Here are the most common causes of transplant shock in rosemary.
Wrong type of soil in the new location
If your have moved your rosemary to a new location with a different type of soil, it might struggle to adapt. Especially if the soil in the new location contains a lot of clay and little sand as that means poor drainage or is very high in nutrients as that can cause the roots to become scorched.
Rosemary needs sandy or loamy soil that drains well to prevent water damage to the roots. If the soil contains too much clay, water won’t drain away as effectively as it should, which can lead to problems. That’s precisely what happened to the plant in the photo above, which I tried to plant in the wrong location in my garden a while ago.
Letting the soil become soggy or fully dry
Rosemary, and most other plants, are more fragile than usual after being transplanted so it is crucial that you keep the soil consistently moist for about a week.
If you water too much and the soil becomes soggy, the plant’s roots might start to rot which kills the plant in severe cases.
If you don’t water at all and allow the soil to dry out completely, the plant will also die relatively fast. This happens because the roots need moisture to grow and adapt to the new location.
Incorrect watering after transplanting is a common mistake people make when transplanting rosemary that can lead to transplant shock. I have written another article where I cover many more common mistakes people make when transplanting rosemary, which I recommend that you read to get ahead of potential issues in the future.
Picking the wrong location in the garden
A common cause of transplant shock is that the growing conditions in the new location aren’t suitable for rosemary.
A common problem I’ve seen over and over again is the soil. Rosemary needs sandy or loamy soil that drains well. I have often seen people (and I must admit that I’ve done it myself a couple of times) plant rosemary in soil that contains very little sand but a lot of clay.
Soil with a high clay content doesn’t drain well which usually leads to the roots becoming damaged and eventually rotting, which kills the plant.
Forgetting to harden off the plant
Changes in light, temperature, and humidity between the old and new locations can lead to transplant shock. For example, moving rosemary from indoors to outdoors or from a shady spot to a sunny one can be stressful.
Rosemary needs a warm, sunny spot with sandy soil that drains well to thrive. If the conditions in the new location are very different from those in the old location, the plant needs to acclimate or “harden off”.
The easiest way I have found to harden off rosemary is to put it in its new spot for only 1-2 hours on the first day and then take it back inside. Put it back in its new location the next day for 1-2 hours more than the day before. Continue this while gradually increasing the amount of time the plant stays in its new spot over 1-2 weeks until leaving it there permanently. At that point, it is also ready to be put in the ground.
Transplanting at the wrong time of the year
It is best to transplant rosemary in the spring but you can do it throughout the summer and into the fall until about 4-6 weeks before the first expected frost.
Transplanting in the winter or when it is too cold often leads to transplant shock as it causes a lot more unwanted stress to the roots than if you do it when it is warmer. I have another article where I go into much more detail about the best time to transplant rosemary and what you should be aware of when doing it at other times.
Fertilizing immediately after transplanting
Fertilizing rosemary immediately after transplanting can stress and damage delicate roots and result in transplant shock.
Fertilizing too soon or too much after transplanting can delay acclimation or even prevent the plant from acclimating to its new location entirely.
Rosemary usually doesn’t need any fertilizer but if you do decide to fertilize your rosemary, make sure you wait at least a month or so after transplanting it.
Of course, the best way to deal with transplant shock in rosemary is to avoid it entirely. That might not always be possible, but I do have some tricks that can reduce the risk significantly. I share those below.
How to Reduce the Risk of Transplant Shock in Rosemary
Transplant shock is a common issue when moving plants, including rosemary, but by following these guidelines and providing the plant with the care it needs, you can reduce the risk significantly.
Here is a handful of simple but effective ways to reduce the risk of transplant shock in rosemary.
- Choose a location that gets at least 8 hours of sun per day on average.
- Choose a location with sandy or loamy soil that drains well.
- Include a lot of soil around the roots when you transplant.
- Avoid excessive pruning for at least a month after transplanting.
- Put the plant in its new location as fast as possible after removing it from the old location.
- Keep an eye on the plant for at least a month after transplanting to catch potential problems early.
- Transplant rosemary in the spring after it finishes flowering.
- Let the plant harden off before putting it in its new location permanently.
- Look at the weather forecast before transplanting and avoid transplanting in periods with heavy rain.
- Avoid transplanting rosemary more than one time per year.
- Water your rosemary immediately after transplanting it.
One last thing you could consider is to root prune your rosemary before transplanting it if it has a dense root system. I have a full guide on root pruning rosemary where I also explain when it makes sense to do and why it can be important.
Of course, the best way to avoid problems is to know how to transplant rosemary correctly with as little risk as possible. I wrote the perfect guides for that.
You can find my guide on how to put rosemary in the ground here and my guide for repotting rosemary here.