Moving perennials

HoteiMarkii

Just wondering if now would be a good time to move some perennials, or would you guys leave it until early Spring next year?

Thanks.

looksee

You can move most of them now, have all the flowers died off? Its early enough for the big perennial geraniums and other things that have a lot of large leaf, but as soon as the leaves start to die back you can do it. I'd do it in the next couple of months rather than the spring, provided there is not a hard frost.

HoteiMarkii

Thanks for the reply. I just wanted to move my Cirsium rivulare. They were being swamped by larger perennials in the border this year. It was such a lovely afternoon, but had concerns about upcoming hard frosts.

wildwillow

Now is a good time but I’m postponing moving anything as the ground is so very dry and I don’t want to do daily watering. That is a tough plant and it’s safe to move up to severe frosts.

looksee

Heavens wildwillow, where do you live? The ground here is sodden, even though its freedraining and would dry off in two dry days, it seems to have been raining for ever?

MacDanger

Apologies for highjacking the thread but I have some apple trees (~2ft tall), some new yew treees (~9" tall) and one cedar tree (~15") in pots - is it okay to plant these into the ground now or would I be better leaving them in pots until spring?

looksee

The apples may be ok, but the other smaller trees I would think would be better left in their pots for 12 months. My experience is that they tend to get lost/ are subject to damage when planted out too small. Having said that, you could plant them out as soon as they are dormant - probably next month. If there is the smallest danger of rabbits or deer give them a good shield of chicken wire.

wildwillow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122699787#Comment_122699787

Kildare. My ground is cracking and dust dry. Main trouble is it's a fairly new garden, soil is compacted, and I've not managed to add enough compost and mulch yet. Was waterlogged most of last winter for the same reason although the drainage is good. It should be better once the soil condition improves. Will spread a huge amount of leaf mould and compost once it gets wetter.

But I do find that we don't get as much rain as you would imagine. I harvest every drop I can and use the watering can rather than a hose, so I'm very aware of rainfall.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122701262#Comment_122701262

You can plant stuff from pots any time of the year, with the proviso that they are already well rooted in said pots. If they are only rooting in then leave them til they are.

As for perennials, I've never had any qualms about moving them anytime, as you don't need to worry about keeping the growth. Chop them back to the ground, move, keep them well watered, and they'll grow away fine.