Re: Perennial

Name    : 
E-Mail  : 
Subject : 

Comments:
: : I live in Westcheter County, NY.  Some friends are moving into a new house which has a some perennials which they don't want and they've offered them to me.

: : It is the end of August.  Is this a safe time to transplant perennials?  Are there any specific instructions which I should follow?  There are also some asiatic lilies which have finished flowering.  Do I cut them back to the ground and then dig them up and plant them now?

: : I'd be grateful for any advice anyone has


: Hi Tena,
: Lucky you!!  Free plants!  You can dig them now as long as the soil isn't too dry or too wet.  If you've had lots of rain recently just take a hand full of dirt and make a ball by making a fist.  Now take a finger from your other hand and poke the ball so it falls apart.  If it falls into nice chunks and not wet soggy clumps or dust, then it's ok to dig.  Plants need oxygen around their roots and soil that is too wet will suffocate them.  If it's been dry, water well the day before digging. 

: Best to dig on a cloudy day if possible.  Have your pots or whatever you're going to put them into ready.  The lilies can be dug now.  Leave any green foilage on as that will keep feeding the bulbs for next years blooms.   If foilage has turned yellow or brown, you can remove when you replant. It will be easier to find the bulbs that way.  Make sure that the newly planted plants are well watered until they settle in - about a month. You may also want to prune many of them back by half as we rarely get all the root system when digging and the diminished root system won't be able to support all that top growth.  If anything is in bloom, cut off the blossoms.

: Good luck,
: Newt 



Optional Link URL:  
Link Title:         
Optional Image URL: 

 

Special thanks to Jane and Bob Rosi for providing this information.

YMCA Camp Loowit Alumni

advertisement

advertisement