A few months ago I purchased two brilliant red Geraniums and managed to snag a nice large clay pot at a garage sale. The freshly potted Geraniums looked nice on our front patio I decided to combine my yellow Mandevilla vine into the same large pot since it was becoming pot bound. Two weeks later I was left with brown geraniums and a parched Mandevilla. My Goggle Search Engine helped me quickly identify several plant experts which could help me fix my problem. My first mistake was trying to combine two different kinds of plants in the same pot. Even after the Geraniums were trashed the Mandavilla vine was still not producing the abundance of flowers. It needed more full sun. A friend down the street has the perfect sunny spot along her back yard’s chain link fence. Since we live in central Florida the season of year for transplanting will not be an issue. The only concern I have with the transplant at this point is the dreaded shock the plant will experience when it is moved. To minimize the effects of shock I will have to keep the roots moist and make sure their exposure to the air is minimal. The hole will need to be deep enough to cover all of the exposed roots. I’ll need to be sure the root ball should stays intact. One internet expert advised soaking the plant for two days prior to planting to further minimize the effects of shock. I will select a cloudy day to avoid the harsh drying effects of the sun. One expert suggested mixing some bone meal with the soil to be placed back around the roots. The final step will require tightly packing the plant with soil to make sure it is free of air pockets.
I know what you’re probably thinking. What does this have to do with me? I don’t even like plants! Well, from a spiritual standpoint we are all like plants. In John 15 Jesus states that He is the vine and we are the branches. Like the Mandevilla vine all of us have masterpiece potential to bring Him glory! God often allows us to remain in pots, containers (or locations) which give us a good start for our root systems in Him. He often gives us a rich nutritious soil for us to grow in an environment free of weeds where crowding is minimized. However, like the plant, if we stay in one location too long and/or receive too little watering we can welted and unattractive, non-productive and even die. Could it be that you are finding yourself in a position of being spiritually pot-bound? The experts tell us that trees which become pot bound and are later transplanted never reach their full potential even in the best of locations because the roots have been trained to only remain at surface level. Many Christians who remain pot-bound must deeply grieve the Master Gardner. To avoid this result I thought it might be helpful to identify a few factors to consider for a successful Spiritual Transplantation:
1. Choose good weather conditions to avoid extreme heat so that spiritual drying conditions can be minimized.
2. Become pre-moistened. In the scriptures there are two words which represent water. We need to soak in His Spirit and His Word for a few days before completing any type of Spiritual Transplantation.
3. Prepare the location. Will your new environment provide an adequate spiritual covering and the essential nutrients needed for growth? If not maybe your transplantation should be delayed to minimize inevitable shock.
4. Find an enriched soil. Will this change of locality nourish, encourage, feed, and support future growth?
Any move or transition has its challenges not unlike those experienced with plant shock. I hope this comparison will better prepare you for the next inevitable transplants ahead for your in the future.
