Re: Planting while flowering

On 2009-11-11 20:27:59 +0000, Jess N <jsREMOVETHISnicholl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> said:


In general, what do people think of planting anything while it is in
flower?

It feels like it's a bad idea because if the plant's already putting
the effort in to creating flowers adding the hassle of settling in to a
new place might be mean.

I ask because I realised I have always avoided it but no one ever told
me to!

Maybe it isn't that bad?

Jess

If you mean moving a plant that's in the ground, it's usual to wait until the plant is dormant. In 'the old days' most nurseries sold plants during their dormant period. Container growing changed all that. But that's one of the reasons bare-root plants for e.g. hedging aren't dug up for sale until all their leaves have dropped. They've taken up nourishment, absorbed sunlight and are going into dormancy.
However, if you *have* to move a flowering plant, again dig a large hole and take a really huge amount of soil from around its roots when you dig up your plant, trying to simulate the effects of a container, i.e. not disturbing the roots but just plopping them from one container (plastic) to another (ground) There's a fair chance you'll lose the flowers for that year but it might not happen. Even if it does, the plant should live to come back next year, assuming it's a perennial or shrub, of course!
If you mean container grown plants, most nuseries and garden centres sell more things when they're in flower because the public see what they look like. If a big enough hole is dug, carefully back filled so as not to harm the roots and the plant watered in, it will hardly know anything's happened.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

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