The day has come, and your plugs have arrived! But when you open the box, there's an alarming surprise–spots all over the beautiful Lisianthus plugs, as shown above and below.
But never fear! This is not disease, and your plants have not been frozen or heated as they traveled to you.
The spots are simply moisture accumulated on the foliage from humidity in the box during transit. This will not damage the plants.
Follow the steps below to air out and harden off your plugs, and they will be thriving in no time.
- Remove your trays from their box and place in a protected, outdoor location.
- Give your plugs a thorough drink, as they will be thirsty after spending a few days traveling.
- Begin gradually hardening off your plugs to acclimate them to the harsher conditions of the real world, vs. the greenhouse environment. Here's our guide to hardening off plugs for transplant.
- As the leaves begin to air out, the moisture spots will disappear. Be sure to overhead water all plugs while they become established in the first few weeks after transplant, as their roots are too small to reach drip irrigation at first. Happy planting!