The majority of people are aware that “transplanting” refers to the act of digging a plant up and planting it in another spot.
The BEST TIME to transplant hydrangeas, according to experts, is when they are dormant, or after the majority of their leaves have dropped. Hydrangeas were transplanted when I lived in South Carolina in late November or early December, but if your ground isn’t frozen, January or February work just as well.
When is the ideal time of year to relocate a hydrangea?
The optimal time to transplant hydrangeas is right after the autumn dormancy of the plants. This indicates that all of the flowers have withered away and that most or all of the leaves have fallen.
- The optimum time to move hydrangea shrubs in colder locations is in November, when the bushes are dormant but the ground is not completely frozen.
- You can transplant hydrangeas in warmer regions where the ground doesn’t freeze between December and February.
While these are the ideal times to move hydrangea bushes, you may actually do so at any time of the year as long as it is not the hottest part of the year.
When should I transplant and prune my hydrangeas?
A hydrangea’s roots shoot can be cut off from the mother plant and planted somewhere to produce a new (and free) hydrangea.
Q: In front of my house, there is a really enormous hydrangea. It receives morning sun and is flourishing. I want to split it in half and move a piece of it to another area of my yard. Can you divide hydrangeas? If so, when would be the ideal time to do it? Do they thrive in the shade?
A: Hydrangeas are an exception to the rule that not many shrubs may be divided like perennial flowers, and they are probably one of the simplest to “create kids” this way. Comparable to splitting a perennial flower, the procedure.
The greatest option is to search for shoots that are poking through the plant’s outermost layer. These shoots typically have their own healthy underground root system at their base a year or two after they first appear.
Sever the stalk with a spade to check for a piece with roots. If you succeed, you will have a young plant that is prepared for replanting.
This type of viable perimeter shoot is common on mature hydrangeas, and it can be dug up and divided. It’s the major method by which hydrangeas increase their range.
Whole hydrangea plants can be pulled up and divided into two or more parts if you don’t notice any shoots or are obtaining portions with no roots.
Look for naturally occurring divisions in the root ball, such as intersections where the main stems are protruding. A wishbone from a turkey can sometimes be separated by simply pulling apart the parts. To divide the plant, you could occasionally require a fork or a shovel.
In either case, you now have two plants to replant once you have two sections with roots connected to each.
Early spring is the ideal time to divide bigleaf hydrangeas, when the stems’ fresh green buds are just beginning to swell and unfold. A few while ago, that was. Mid to late October is an excellent period as well.
Treat divisions like a fresh plant by keeping them continually wet. These divisions’ smaller, weaker roots can’t draw as much moisture from the soil as a mature hydrangea’s large, well-established root system.
Your hydrangea’s placement in the early-morning sun is ideal. The majority of hydrangea varieties thrive in rich, moist soil with good drainage that receives early and afternoon shade.
Although they will live in heavy shade, they might not bloom at all or only slightly. Choose the native smooth hydrangeas, botanically known as Hydrangea arborescens, for heavy shade.
By the way, another question I’ve been getting lately is how hydrangeas will fair after many of their new leaves were destroyed by the almost record-breaking cold weather we experienced the third week of April.
Only the young leaves sustained the harm that I saw. In June, I predict that fresh leaves will emerge and the flower buds will unfold gracefully.
The flower buds weren’t developed enough, in my opinion, for the late cold blast to cause them significant harm.
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Should I trim my hydrangeas before relocating them?
The root-pruning of hydrangeas is frequently advised by horticulturists a few days before transplanting.
I grow a lot of hydrangeas. A small strip of land between my driveway and the house next door is where two of them, each about 4 years old, are growing. I have to regularly prune them away from the driveway because they are becoming fairly tall. They should be relocated, please. Is it feasible to move the hydrangeas without harming them, and if so, what would be the best course of action? Euclid’s Abbie Vernon.
Hydrangea transplanting is risk-free if you follow the correct procedures. Losing the plant is always a possibility, though.
The fall, after the plant has lost its leaves and gone dormant, is the finest time to transplant hydrangeas. Ideal conditions include cloudy days with cool temperatures above freezing for at least a few weeks.
The plant should be root-pruned a few days before being transplanted, according to many horticulturists. This lessens the shock to the plant. Dig a 45-degree angled, shovel-deep ring just beyond the plant’s leaf line with a spading shovel. With as little disruption to the roots as possible, only make one cut. The following few days, make sure to give the plant enough of water so the roots can rest.
If the plants are quite huge, you can trim the stems by one-third, but if the variety blooms on old wood, you will lose your blooms the next year. One to two years may be needed for larger plants to recuperate from transplanting. Newer cultivars, such the “Endless Summer” hydrangea, bloom on fresh wood, lowering the likelihood that you won’t have any flowers the following year.
Prepare your hydrangea’s new home before removing it from its present place. Dig your hole with particular focus on width. Don’t squeeze the root ball; instead, leave it room so that roots can spread out naturally. Work some quality planting soil, such Fafard Planting Mix, into the existing soil. Whenever you are planting or transplanting any landscaping plants, I also advise using Espoma’s Bio-Tone. Bio-Tone will assist lessen transplant stress and hasten the establishment of the plant’s roots.
You can start transplanting your hydrangea after the new hole has been made. Take care not to harm the roots as you use a spading shovel to gently rock the plant out of the ground. Never touch the plant or move it by the branches; always move it by the root ball. To lessen the possibility of injuring the plant before pulling it out of the ground, some gardeners prefer to delicately tie the plant’s branches using burlap and rope.
Once the plant is loose, rapidly move it to its new position by loading it into a wheelbarrow or tarp. Place the plant in its new location at the same depth that it was previously planted at, backfill the hole with a combination of new planting mix and existing soil, ensuring that there are no gaps, water well, and mulch. Mulch will assist keep the soil moist, the weeds out, and the roots of the plant cool.
Never allow the roots to become dry; water your hydrangea regularly until winter; however, take care not to overwater as root rot could result.
The next summer, when you notice the plant growing once more, fertilize your hydrangea. Good fortune!
Can I relocate a mature hydrangea?
Don’t worry if this advice makes transplanting seem difficult. In reality, hydrangeas are remarkably hardy and relatively portable plants.
Your plant should be alright as long as you wait until it is dormant, keep its roots moist when you move it, and give it lots of attention once it is settled. Make sure it receives an adequate amount of sunlight for growth and shade for protection from the heat of the day. These crucial pointers will ensure that your Hydrangea’s big transfer goes off without a hitch.
A mature hydrangea can be transplanted.
A: I want to relocate a sizable hydrangea plant to a different area of my garden. What time of year is ideal for this?
A huge hydrangea plant can be moved, but it will be very heavy so plan to seek assistance. Make sure to remove the largest portion of the hydrangea root ball.
Hydrangea shrubs can be planted in spring or fall, but the majority of the publications I read advise waiting for cooler weather and moving the bushes in late fall or early spring, when the plants are dormant but the soil is still usable.
The plant’s mature, unpruned size should fit in the new planting location. Pick a location with soil that drains effectively. Rich organic matter in the soil will help it retain moisture. Keep in mind that soil that is damp can nonetheless be effectively drained. A spot where water pools or takes a long time to drain should be avoided after a strong downpour.
An excellent location will not be completely shaded in the afternoon. To blossom, hydrangeas require sunlight—not intense sunlight, but also not complete shadow. Each kind of hydrangea has a different tolerance for sun exposure.
After relocating, give the transplanted hydrangea one good soak in water. After relocating, avoid overwatering, but give the plant additional watering over the course of the following two summers as it gets acclimated.
A: I have two healthy fig trees (same cutting), but for the second year in a row, neither of them has produced any figs. Advice?
A fig tree is something I’ve never grown. I’ve looked at a few sources and can suggest the following. I am aware that the cuttings are from the same tree and of the same age, but I am unaware of the reader’s growth practices.
Starting with the potential causes of a fig tree not producing fruit:
It isn’t old enough: A fig tree usually starts bearing fruit between the ages of two and six. It makes sense that two trees that were grown from the same cutting will develop similarly and reach maturity around the same time.
An issue with gardening is having too much nitrogen. A plant with too much nitrogen will have healthy leaves but no fruit. The majority of the sources I looked at advised making only one sparing spring fertilizer application.
Fig trees don’t like to be too wet or too dry, which causes water stress. Make sure the soil has good drainage, and keep it evenly moist but not soggy or humid.
Does this resolve the issue? I’m not sure, but I think the first step would be to look at the circumstances that each plant is facing. Do you drink more or less water? Does one plant receive run-off fertilizer from an adjacent lawn if it is planted in the ground? Does the soil differ in any way? What has changed?
If you’ve grown figs and have any tips for this reader, send them to me and I’ll share them with them.
Even though it’s only September, you should get your amaryllis bulbs from the previous winter ready to bloom once more as there are only roughly 15 weeks before Christmas. If you followed my instructions, you would have cut the flower stems back after they bloomed and preserved the greens through the winter. You will then plant them this spring and let them to thrive throughout summer. The containers are filled with lush, deep green leaves.
Move the pots inside and stop watering them right away. The bulbs need to become dormant.
They should be kept in a dark, cool (not cold) place. Once the leaf has dried up and become shriveled, remove it. Before they begin to grow once more, the bulbs will rest for eight to twelve weeks.
Water the bulbs and relocate them to a location with bright but indirect light as soon as you see fresh growth. After emerging from dormancy, the bulbs should flower four to six weeks later. After 12 weeks, if they still don’t sprout, try watering them and moving them into light.
Until the first frost, I normally leave my amaryllis outside. Because of this, I had lovely flowers in February, when I really value them. For my Christmas display, I usually buy fresh bulbs, however after a while, I have a lot of bulbs. Can there ever be too many amaryllis flowers, though?
I have finally recovered from Lyme disease symptoms after taking medications and avoiding sunshine for more than two months. Every time you walk outside, take precautions against ticks to spare yourself a lot of pain. Although that is a story for another day, the garden is a jungle.
This orchard is nearby, accessible, and reasonable—only it’s 15 minutes from my house. James Hamilton founded it in 1974, and his twin sons Ron and Rick now oversee it. The family website states that the orchard started providing pick your own in 2015. On a Saturday afternoon, my friend Betty Cauler and I went and came home with a lot of gorgeous nectarines and peaches (Flaming Fury) (Fantasia).
There are now also apples accessible. Find a local producer and enjoy the delight of freshly picked, locally grown fruit if you are unable to do so yourself.
Native Plant Sale at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., September 17 and 18, 414 Center St., Bethlehem. There are more than 1,300 plants and more than 55 different species of potted native perennials available ($3–$6, larger pots $10). The Lehigh Valley’s green spaces profit from the sale. While you are at the plant sale, complete the native plant survey for the Lehigh Gap Environmental Educational Center to earn a voucher good for $10 off your plant purchase.
- Planting:
- Plant pansies for early spring blooms and fall color, if you choose winter pansies.
- Mums and asters are beginning to show up on the market.
- Plant seeds that need a period of cold weather for germination.
- Keep fresh plants indoors until it gets cooler.
- Seasonal:
- Let the last flush of blossoms mature and set seed.
- For planting in the fall, place an order for asparagus, rhubarb, bulbs, flower and fruit plants, and shrubs.
- Frequently weed and remove the blossoms from any weeds that you are unable to get out.
- Keep irises and day lilies from setting seedpods by deadheading the flowers and trimming any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage.
- Lawn:
- Through mid-October, sow, overseed, dethatch, and aerate lawns.
- Apply weed control for broadleaf plants from mid-September until mid-October.
- As the weather begins to cool in September and October, prepare sodding projects and lay sod.
- Treat for sod webworms and chinch bugs.
- Fill up the lawn’s holes and low areas.
- Apply weed control made of corn gluten to the garden; repeat every four to six weeks.
- Chores:
- Don’t water amaryllis bulbs anymore. Let the bulbs dry up and enter a dormant state. Keep them dry and cool until they grow again in 8 to 12 weeks.
- Regular crop harvesting should occur, ideally every other day.
- often, water containers.
- Garden hoses and broken screens should be repaired or replaced.
- Remove any standing water
- Protect delicate plants from deer, rabbits, and groundhogs. Reapply taste or odor inhibitors.
- Regularly clean and restock birdbaths and feeders.
- Rainwater runoff should be directed away from building foundations by clearing gutters.
- Equipment, supplies, and tools:
- Verify the seed supply for planting in the fall and late crops.
- Pots and trays used for seed beginning and transplanting should be cleaned and sterilized.