Butterfly weed, also known as milkweed, has a very long taproot that doesn't take well to transplanting. The perennial plant is best sown directly in the garden, in a sunny spot. If you're planting milkweed to attract monarch butterflies, look for swamp milkweed and common milkweed.
Root crops (carrots, beets, turnips, etc.) are not suited to transplants as the process will damage the root. Corn, cucurbits (squash, cucumbers, melons) and beans/peas don't like to be transplanted but can be with care.
Some annual flowers struggle as transplants when started indoors early in the season, and so they are best sown directly into the garden soil. Among these are nasturtiums, nigella, bachelor buttons, larkspur and sunflowers, all of which we plan to grow in the Rochester OPC Stone House Garden this season.
Don't Divide These Perennials
Some plants resent being divided and it should be avoided if possible. These include butterfly weed (Asclepias), euphorbias, oriental poppies, baby's breath (Gypsophila), gas plant (Dictamnus albus), Japanese anemones, false indigo (Baptisia) and columbines (Aquilegia).
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.
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.
Early spring through early summer is a great time to divide most perennials. This allows the transplants to establish their roots long before the following winter's frosts. Early fall is another great time to divide perennials, especially peonies.
Non-flowering plants include mosses, liverworts, hornworts, lycophytes and ferns and reproduce by spores. Some non-flowering plants, called gymnosperms or conifers, still produce seeds.
Plants that thrive best being transplanted include celery, eggplants, collards, kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, leeks, onion, peppers, scallions, Brussels sprouts, tomatillo, and tomato.
The brain is the only organ in the human body that cannot be transplanted. The brain cannot be transplanted because the brain's nerve tissue does not heal after transplantation.
Many root-type crops like carrots, beets, turnips, and parsnips are not conducive to planting in containers and up-potting. Also, most cucurbits like cucumbers, gourds, and watermelon plants don't like to have their roots disturbed.
September is the best month to divide and transplant perennials, but you can still be successful in early October.
Transplant three to four weeks before the ground freezes. Allow time for the roots to establish and not be heaved out during winters freezing and thawing weather. “Also allow the plants to become established before fertilizing. If they have been moved in the fall, fertilize the next spring.
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.
Perennials. Perennial plants are those with a lifespan that lasts at least three years, though they can live significantly longer as well. Perennial foliage may die back during the winter months but will regrow from dormant roots the next season.
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.
Transplant Shock occurs when a plant is uprooted or placed in a new pot and shows distressed symptoms afterwards. Plant Shock is a more generalized term that happens when there is stress due to abrupt changes in environment like temperature changes, water stress, over fertilizing, or drastic changes in light.
A plant suffering from transplant shock needs plenty of water to stay hydrated and nourished in its new water environment. Once you've put your cutting into your propagation vase of choice, you'll want to change the water every 2-5 days for optimal health.