Many people would say now is the perfect time to plant hardy perennials. The soil is still warm, so plants can get established, before what are often nowadays, cold dry Springs.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
I agree get them in the soil as soon as you can. If you have something that is very small and prone to slug and snail damage such as delphiniums I would put some grit around them.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Thank you all for your comments and advice. AnniD - the plants are still in the pots I bought them in.....6-8 inch? I think I will go ahead and get them in the ground and hope for the best! It was like concrete in the summer as we are on clay. Much easier now we have had rain! Thank you again.
The only warning I'd give is that if you're on very heavy clay and there's a spell of wet weather, then the roots of your baby plants could be sitting in cold, wet, sticky soil for a prolonged period. The roots can rot in those conditions.
I garden on such soil and now do very, very little planting in the autumn. I still divide plants etc but pot the divisions up and plant in spring when the soil is drier. It's nothing to do with the cold or how hardy plants are. It's the fact that very few immature plants do well if they sit for weeks with their feet in cold wet soil.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Topbird makes a good point. It might be worth adding some grit to the planting hole perhaps if you want to get them in now. A lot also depends on what they are, some may survive the conditions better than others.
The only warning I'd give is that if you're on very heavy clay and there's a spell of wet weather, then the roots of your baby plants could be sitting in cold, wet, sticky soil for a prolonged period. The roots can rot in those conditions.
I garden on such soil and now do very, very little planting in the autumn. I still divide plants etc but pot the divisions up and plant in spring when the soil is drier. It's nothing to do with the cold or how hardy plants are. It's the fact that very few immature plants do well if they sit for weeks with their feet in cold wet soil.
Good points, which plants do you rec that do ok in autmumn
It's very difficult [almost impossible] to state which plants will be fine planted in autumn. Anything that's filling a 6 - 7 inch pot [roots that is] will, in theory, be fine, but it isn't that simple. Location, climate, and soil conditions are the important factors. I can plant shrubs or trees and barely have to water them in here. Perennials are more fussy, but if the site they're going into is well prepped, suited properly to the plant, that won't be a problem either. Our ground is often more hospitable at this time of year than spring. If I can't plant now, I'd have to wait until May to be sure, especially with slightly less hardy or reliable plants, as the ground doesn't warm up until then.
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I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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I think I will go ahead and get them in the ground and hope for the best! It was like concrete in the summer as we are on clay. Much easier now we have had rain! Thank you again.
I garden on such soil and now do very, very little planting in the autumn. I still divide plants etc but pot the divisions up and plant in spring when the soil is drier. It's nothing to do with the cold or how hardy plants are. It's the fact that very few immature plants do well if they sit for weeks with their feet in cold wet soil.
Good points, which plants do you rec that do ok in autmumn
Anything that's filling a 6 - 7 inch pot [roots that is] will, in theory, be fine, but it isn't that simple.
Location, climate, and soil conditions are the important factors. I can plant shrubs or trees and barely have to water them in here. Perennials are more fussy, but if the site they're going into is well prepped, suited properly to the plant, that won't be a problem either. Our ground is often more hospitable at this time of year than spring. If I can't plant now, I'd have to wait until May to be sure, especially with slightly less hardy or reliable plants, as the ground doesn't warm up until then.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...