[Jimmy Splash]

the problem i'm having at the moment is transferring my shoots/seedlings from their pots to the soil.
i take great care taking them out of the pots, not ripping the roots and plant them gently in the soil. They either struggle to grow or just die after that.
my soil isn't the greatest. it has some homebase manure added to it and that's it.

[Goosegirl]

Are you doing them too soon and what sort are they? If you let them get a good growth, they should transplant ok providing you firm them in and don't harm the stem.

[mumofstig]

yes, if we are transplanting shoots and seedlings, it does sound to early.
Things like cabbages need 4 proper leaves, and that is quite big, if you think about it

[pink aubergine]

Yes, if you wait until the roots have got to the bottom of the module or pot, then lift them out carefully with a thick lolly stick or forked stick to ease it whole then they won't be too stressed. If they are tiny seedlings, then pot them on into slightly bigger modules or small pot, but not too big a jump otherwise they will suffer a set back.
Then when you transfer out to the soil, make sure it is damp, fine enough not to leave any air holes, firm in and water well, and protect from birds, slugs and strong winds. I often put hoops over with fleece or insect netting as we are on a windy site - just helps get them going, and stops them drying out in the early stages.

[Gandan57]

Can you be a little more specific as to what the seedlings are and the size of pots?

It`s best not to have seedlings growing in too big a pot so that when planting out the rootball completely fills it. That way as long as the plant is kept watered in dry weather there will not be any check to growth.

[TheSpartacat]

Could they be drying out a bit once put in the soil?