Transplanting Perennials
Flo7
Posts: 33
Hello
I am in a situation where I need to choose the lesser evil, and I am not sure which one that is. I would like to re-arrange my border for next year, but it largely consists of summer/autumn flowering perennials, such as Rudbeckia, Asters, Hyssops... So this would point to transplanting in spring for me.
At the same time, I only started the border this year (made a design mistake) and it turned out to be the heaviest clay. I have dug manure and compost under when panting in spring, but I am not sure whether it will ensure sufficient drainage in winter to make the plants survive. They have been fine in summer and are growing merrily, but it was quite dry here, so I could administer water in the doses needed, preventing overwatering. So I wanted to move them now, mixing lots of compost in again, and put grit under each plant to improve drainage. This would mean I have to do it before winter.
When is the better time? Autumn, or spring?
Many thanks for your help!
Flo
Posts
providing it's not too hot where you are,, I'd say you'd be ok to move now, make sure they're well watered the day before you move them and keep them watered.
Thanks for the reply!
If I did transplant them "now", I would do it at the end of September, probably, and at least give them a chance to bloom properly. The asters are only coming on now...
It's best to move plants once they have finished flowering as then you can cut off the spent stems and reduce stress on the roots and foliage as they settle in again.
I have friends who garden on heavy clay and have carved their garden out of a former wilderness of gangly conifers, even ganglier birches, brambles and weeds. Apart from digging over new borders and gving a generous layer of muck and compost to their new beds their soil improvement regime consists of giving all the beds a generous layer of well rotted compost every autumn after they've moved any plants that need relocating, dividing or introducing and once perennial foliage has largely died down. The worms work it all in over the winter and the new shoots come through happily the following spring.
Their garden is 2.5 acres and they get the local council to deliver a truck load of municipal compost as they can't generate enough themselves. You could simply reorganise your bed in September and October while the soil is still warm and not too wet to be workable and then mulch in the same way in November and December using your own garden compost or bought in soil conditioner. You don't need to dig it in first apart from adding some to the soil when re-planting. Putting piles of grit under individual plants can have the reverse effect and lead to water collecting there in a sort of sump effect.
Thank you, that is very helpful, indeed! The consensus seems to be autumn which suits me very well, as I wanted to plant some peonies and they will have to go in October time.
Thank you for the advice re soil conditioning, as well - I got the tip from gardeners world, Monty did it with the lavenders in the scented garden, and I thought it was a good idea. I did wonder whether the water would not just sit in the grit rather than in the soil - not sure what the exact rationale is.
Lavenders hate wet feet so it's the only way Monty can hope to grow them well as he has long, wet, cold winters.
Since he's always on about right plant right place and going with what you've got I'm not sure why he's persisting with lavender in that situation but let's hope it works.
I too have long, cold, wet winters and grow my lavender hedge in a raised bed just along the retaining wall so they have fierce drainage and full sun all year. Happy as Larry but I did choose hardy English varieties. French lavenders can be a bit wussy.
I totally agree obelixx. I also have long, cold wet winters (- and often cold, wet summers too!) and I can't understand why anyone bothers with Lavender here .
I find the best method for anything need sharp drainage is to mix plenty of grit through the soil and compost before planting, not dump handfuls of grit at the base of the plant which becomes a sump, as you rightly say. Many plants will cope with quite extreme cold if they're on the dry side, but cold and wet...
Flo - I often move plants when you're not meant to. If you get a decent rootball and you water them in well, they often barely notice. It depends on the type of plant as well though. Picking a cooler day for doing it usually helps. As obelixx says , it's best when they're dormant because of minimising stress but sometimes it can't be helped.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I am slowly approaching the time to move the plants, so they can re-establish themselves, but both my asters and rudbeckias are still putting on the most amazing display of flowers. When do you reckon is the latest I could be moving them really? Is mid-October too late?
Thank you Verdun, it's good to get encouragement. It's crazy really they are so gorgeous at the moment, but it's so inconvenient... haha.
Not sure if this is horticulturally correct (and not sure how big the border is and as always I'm prepared to be corrected) but just to throw the idea into the mix, what about digging them up and potting up over winter giving you the opportunity to roughly dig the bed and let the frost break it up, throw masses of stuff over it (compost, dung, shingle, whatever) and then going at it again in spring with another dig over and rake then replant with your new scheme.