Your Plugs Have Arrived, now what?
Your little box of spring magic has arrived!
If you ordered Isao Sato pansies or violas from Thief of Weeds, your plants are arriving as young plugs rather than finished plants. These little plants may look small, but they already have an established root system and are ready to grow quickly once they are unpacked and cared for properly.
Shipping can be stressful for live plants, so don't be alarmed if your plugs look a little tired when you first open the box. Flattened leaves, slight wilting, yellowing of an older leaf, or a generally rumpled appearance can all happen during shipping.
Most plugs recover very quickly once they have water, light, fresh air, and a little time.
1. Open Your Box Right Away
As soon as your package arrives, open it.
Do not leave your plugs sitting in a mailbox, on a porch, in a hot car, or inside the shipping box any longer than necessary.
Carefully remove the plants and all packing material so they can begin getting fresh air and light again.
2. Check the Moisture
Feel the growing mix around the roots.
If the plugs still feel moist, you may not need to water them immediately.
If they feel dry, give them a gentle drink.
One of the easiest ways to water small plugs is to bottom-water them. Place the plug tray or individual plugs in a shallow container of water and allow the growing mix to absorb moisture from the bottom.
Usually, about 10–20 minutes is enough.
Remove them from the water once the root ball is evenly moist. Do not leave the plugs sitting in water for extended periods.
The goal is moist, not soggy.
3. Give Them Time to Recover
Freshly shipped plugs should not immediately be placed in strong afternoon sun.
For the first day or two, keep them somewhere cool with bright indirect light or gentle morning sun.
If temperatures are appropriate, a protected location outside in bright shade works very well.
After they have had a chance to recover, gradually introduce them to more sunlight.
Pansies and violas love cool weather and good light, but plants that have spent several days inside a dark shipping box need a little time to adjust.
4. Pot Them Up
Your plugs are young plants and are not intended to remain in their small plug cells for an extended period of time.
For best results, pot them up soon after they arrive.
A 3- to 4-inch pot works well if you plan to grow them for several weeks before planting them outside.
Use a good-quality potting mix that drains well.
When transplanting, handle the plant by the root ball or leaves rather than pulling on the stem.
Plant the plug at approximately the same depth it was growing in the tray. Do not bury the crown of the plant.
Water gently after transplanting.
5. Keep Them Cool
Pansies and violas are cool-weather plants.
They generally grow best when temperatures remain cool rather than warm. A bright, cool garage, greenhouse, enclosed porch, cold frame, or protected outdoor location can all work depending on your weather.
Avoid keeping them in a warm house for long periods if possible.
Warm temperatures can cause pansies to stretch and grow more quickly than you may want.
Cool temperatures encourage compact plants and beautiful flower color.
6. Give Them Plenty of Light
After your plants have recovered from shipping, give them plenty of bright light.
If you are growing them indoors or in a garage, supplemental grow lights may be necessary.
If they are outside, gradually move them into morning sun and eventually fuller sun as they acclimate.
Plants that do not receive enough light can become stretched or "leggy."
7. Don't Overwater
One of the easiest ways to damage young plants is by giving them too much water.
Allow the surface of the potting mix to begin drying slightly before watering again.
The roots need both moisture and oxygen.
Constantly saturated soil can lead to root problems.
8. When Can I Plant Them Outside?
Pansies and violas are much more cold-tolerant than many spring annuals.
They can usually be planted outdoors well before heat-loving annuals such as zinnias, basil, or tomatoes.
However, newly shipped plugs are still small plants, so give them time to become established before exposing them to severe weather.
If a hard freeze or unusually cold weather is expected, protect young plants with frost cloth or temporarily move containers into a protected location.
As the plants grow and establish themselves, they will become increasingly tolerant of normal cool spring conditions.
9. What If My Plug Looks Wilted?
Don't panic.
A wilted plant immediately after shipping does not necessarily mean the plant is dying.
Check the moisture level first.
If the root ball is dry, bottom-water the plug and place it in a cool, shaded location.
Give it several hours to rehydrate.
Many plants look dramatically better within a day.
10. A Little Patience Goes a Long Way
Remember that you are receiving young plants, not finished garden-center pansies.
That is part of the fun!
You'll get to watch these special plants grow, fill out, form buds, and eventually produce the incredible blooms that make the Isao Sato Elegance pansies and violas so unique.
With cool temperatures, good light, proper watering, and a little patience, your tiny plugs will quickly turn into beautiful plants.
We hope you enjoy growing them as much as we enjoy bringing them to you.
Happy growing!
— Thief of Weeds
Beautifully Untamed Flowers