Ok–they don’t look like much now, but come summer time these newly transplanted ferns should be lush and green and everything I pictured when I decided they would look better in the woods.
Transplanting is a big part of gardening–a really fun part. And Winter is the best time to move things around. All you need is a day when it’s not too wet to dig.
Advantages of winter transplanting–
- The ground is soft. It’s easy to dig big holes and wrench out large root balls.
- Plants are not actively growing. They’ll experience less transplant stress and will have a long time to get established before the long hot summer sets in.
- Mother Nature will do most of that critical early watering for you.
- Planting mistakes are easier to see in the Winter when trees are bare. (I put plants in the wrong place all the time)
- Moving mature plants makes a big impact. You don’t have to wait years for them to fill out. So you can save your garden money for other things like seeds and soil.
When I moved the ferns I also divided them, slicing though the large clumps with the blade my shovel to make 2 plants from one. And I resisted two big temptations which makes me very proud–
1) I resisted putting them in two beds. For some reason I’m always tempted to put a few plants here…a few more further down the path or bed. NOT GOOD. Plant in mass for maximum impact. This goes for buying new plants, too. The canvas is always larger than you think.
2) I resisted planting my ferns in a row along the edge of the path. Something drives me to plant in narrow bands. Maybe it’s a hold over from my first gardening experience–working with my father in his big vegetable gardens. And while there’s nothing so pretty as a row of homegrown corn, outside the veg patch, you should plant in drifts. Look at nature–ferns are in big patches, irregular drifts.
Finally a word about moving BIG things. Do it. I know that’s two words but you get the point–Don’t write a plant off because it’s in the wrong place. Keep trying. A room addition forced me to move this White by the Gate Camellia the first time. It has taken me two more moves to get in the right place. (I hope)
But hurry. Winter only seems to go on forever. Before we know it–Spring. And other plants and tasks will be clamouring for our attention. Winter is the time to use what you have.
5 comments
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February 7, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Melissa Blaisdell
Great post! It’s funny, when you told me a couple of years ago that you move your plants all the time. I thought to myself…really…I can’t even fill my garden with the time and energy I have…I sort of wrote it off saying…she is crazy. But now, I see. I finally get why moving is important and fun. I have always been the destination gal…who cares how you get there…it is the end that is important. But my garden has helped me see the value in the journey. Which is what a garden is…a an endless journey with lots of moves and lots of rewards along the way.
February 8, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Megan Valentine
Thanks for this posting. One question and one comment:
1) You know the Edgeworthia by the gate to the dog area? It loves the soil where it’s living but keeps reaching for the sun — by blocking the path. There are flowers — sort of — on it. However, I’m guessing that it’s dormant. The idea of moving it scares me but its coming down to re-routing the path or moving the plant…and, if I do comitt to moving it, where should it go? Help!
2) This wet weather is also great for getting things out of the ground. Item a: rocks. I love using rocks from the property to outline beds/paths. The ground is so saturated that we were able to unseat a ton of rocks that were immovable previously. The plan is to use them to build up the back end of the vegetable garden and up in the corner of the back yard that also has a serious slope. I’m moving them from the woods slowly but surely…my inspriation is that garden in Raleigh where the woman had built all of those rock retaining walls. If she can do it, so can I!
Item b: invasive plante. We are trying to clear the property of ileagnus (Russian Olive; silverberry) a pretty bush with silver leaves and tiny red fruit. It’s invasive and is the bane of our neighborhood. It tends to have spinly superficial roots/runners and one big old tap root. We were so helped by the saturated ground…cleared out a ton of the stuff this weekend.
February 9, 2010 at 9:42 pm
christineramsey
Don’t re-route the path if it makes sense, and your path does. It’s very utiliterian and in the right place to get you to the back yard
Instead, consider moving your Edgeworthia to shaded front yard where you will see it when you come home from work, or the edge of the woods in the backyard, where you can see it from the house. (I’ll come and help)
And yes–this weather is great for pulling noxious plants out of the ground. Inspired by your post, I pulled some briars and lirope out of the woods yesterday.
Your warning about invasive plants isso true and timely. I cringe when I see English Ivy and other ground covers popping up in our native woods. They’re thugs and will kill all the fragile natives.
February 9, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Lisa
Ok so you are giving me the courage to move a camellia that hasn’t done anything in seven years. I have been scared to move the plant because it was given to me by my uncle – he was a nursuryman – and I am afraid it will die. I will let you know how it goes
February 9, 2010 at 9:48 pm
christineramsey
I feel your pain–but I think you have to take the risk and move it. Otherwise–it will nag you forever. Evertime you look at your Uncle’s gift you’ll think–”I could do more with that Camellia–”
It’s a meanful plant–sometimes finding the right place for something specail is a quest of sorts. Keep at it.
And thanks for the comment. Let us know how it goes.