If your perennial blooms in the spring or early summer, it should be transplanted in the fall. If your perennial blooms in the late summer or early fall, transplant it in the spring. Remember that when transplanting in the fall, the perennial needs to be in its new location about six weeks before the first hard freeze.
Transplant perennials when the weather is cool, even a little rainy, if possible. Early spring and fall care are best times for transplanting.
September is the best month to divide and transplant perennials, but you can still be successful in early October.
Lupine. In areas with cool summers, lupines are prized perennials that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The secret to beautiful lupines is rich, slightly acidic soil that drains well. This deep, tap-rooted perennial doesn't respond well to division or disturbance, so let plants set seeds instead.
In general, it is best to divide spring and summer blooming perennials in the fall, and fall bloomers in spring. By dividing the plant when it is not flowering, all the plant's energy can go to root and leaf growth.
Perennials with fleshy roots such as peonies (Paeonia spp.), Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale) and Siberian iris (Iris siberica) are best divided in the fall. When dividing plants in the fall, time it for four to six weeks before the ground freezes for the plants roots to become established.
Spring blooming perennials should not be pruned until after flowering. Summer bloomers should be pinched in early spring. Perennials that bloom in the fall should be cut back by July 4.
Plants that thrive best being transplanted include celery, eggplants, collards, kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, leeks, onion, peppers, scallions, Brussels sprouts, tomatillo, and tomato.
1st Week - Water every day unless there is rainfall that day. 2nd Week - Water every other day, unless there is rainfall that day or the day before. 3rd Week & Beyond - Water 2 to 3 times a week. The top 2 inches of the soil should be dry out in between watering.
If your perennial blooms in the spring or early summer, it should be transplanted in the fall. If your perennial blooms in the late summer or early fall, transplant it in the spring. Remember that when transplanting in the fall, the perennial needs to be in its new location about six weeks before the first hard freeze.
Some perennials, like hostas, peonies and daylilies, need to be pruned in fall to avoid winter damage. Plants like these should be pruned after the first few frosts in late fall or early winter. Other perennials like mums and coneflowers are better off being pruned in spring just before new growth comes in.
It's common to think that everything should be chopped down to the ground in the fall, but some perennials actually need their foliage to protect new shoots through the winter. Other varieties offer up important habitat for local wildlife and some perennials provide height and interest through the winter months.
Cutting back perennials in the fall is not only a great way to keep flowerbeds looking neat and tidy through winter, but it also aids greatly in keeping plants vibrant and blooming the following year. Removing spent foliage and blooms helps a plant focus on recharging it's roots and resources.
Fall is an excellent time to transplant herbaceous perennials because your plants will then have three seasons to establish a good root system before hot summer weather sets in next year. Herbaceous perennials are non-woody plants whose tops die down in the winter. They come back each year from the root system.
Sugar water does not do anything to help plants with transplant shock, and it can make it worse. Often, plants recover on their own. Just give them time, keep them well-watered and protect them from too much sun to prevent more leaf scorch.
Recovery time may vary from plant to plant. It depends on the age, type of the transplanted plant, soil type, and climatic condition of the planted location. In the seedlings stage, it will take up to 2-3 weeks, but in matured plants or trees, it will take up to years. 3.
The best time to water plants is in the morning or evening.
Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.
Don't transplant perennials where the weather is hot, either. Every time you dig up a plant, it loses some roots. In hot weather, this root deficit may make it impossible for a transplant to cool itself. The best times for transplanting perennials are the months when the weather is cool.
Use starter fertilizer when transplanting to give your plants a faster start. Starter fertilizer is an all-soluble fertilizer high in phosphorus, for example10-50-10 or 10-52-17. Mix fertilizer with water (about 2 tablespoons per gallon of water).
After transplanting, the seedlings should begin a regimen of fertilizer. If you're growing organically we recommend Peaceful Valley Liquid Fish Fertilizer, Liquid Kelp, Soluble Kelp Extract, or Maxicrop.
Also, do not cut back hardy perennials like garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), and Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum). Leave the foliage. It's important to protect the root crowns over winter.
As a general rule, hostas should be cut back in the late fall. Start with leaves that have wilted or turned brown. Healthy leaves can stay a bit longer to help the roots store needed energy. If 25% or more of the hostas is dying, you will know it is time to cut it back.
Daylilies are best cut back in autumn, once the leaves have had a full growing season on the plant. While there are some evergreen types of daylilies, most are herbaceous, meaning that the leaves die back in the wintertime and sprout anew in the early spring.