Beginners guide to transplanting

In all honesty I have a 0% record when it comes to transplanting. My morning glory plants that I transplanted were huge, and died, so did my willow trees when they were stuck in the ground, and my anemone. As I said, everything I've moved from a pot to outside has died.

So, I obviously need some help. I grew some coleus plants from seed and they're at the point where they need to be planted on to a bigger pot. If I could postpone it I would but I'm hoping to give 2 of them to a pair of friends.

At the bottom of the page you'll find a picture so you can picture how big they are. If I was going to do this unaided I would dig into the compost with a spoon, pull out the plants by the stalk and put them in a new pot of compost each, holding the plant up while pouring in the compost so the roots are in a similar position. Am I at least close?

 

simply fill a 3" pot with compost dib a hole in the centre, hoof out the plant you want to transplant holding by the leaves, re plant in hole and fill. repeat and water all transplants.

 

If I was transplanting those I would tap the whole lot of the pot and gently ease them apart, trying to keep as much root and some compost on each one. Then I would do as mentioned, loosely fill a 3" pot with compost, make a hole, lower a seedling in to the hole, gently push the compost around it with a dibber, then lightly tap the pot on a solid surface (not too hard) whilst cupping your hand over the the top to settle the compost and water in...job done