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Post by Ladygardener on Sept 25, 2012 10:06:53 GMT
I thought there was a thread about this but could'nt find it so feel free to direct me if there is. I was wondering what folk think about planting out plants now or waiting until springtime. Most of the Hemerocallis I bought last year disappeared over the winter never to return. I can't help thinking that if I'd potted them and the gift plants I recieved from Tig and others, they'd have stood a better chance. I rescued a lovely Lobelia Fan Burgundy the other day and I'm going to divide it and pot it up over winter. Do most folk plant out now or keep until springtime. i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/undecided.gif |
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Post by Tig on Sept 25, 2012 10:30:16 GMT
For me it depends on the size of the plant and the position it is going in LG. I struggle to overwinter plants due to space limitations so for the most part they have to take their chances. I also have found that in my plastic growhouses small pots freeze solid, damaging the roots of most plants, even those that go dormant through the winter. They still need some moisture and cannot get any from a solid block of ice for months. In the ground the temperature stays a little warmer around the roots of bigger plants, and unless the winters are extreme most survive if planted out before the end of October. If they are slightly tender I cover them with some evergreen conifer branches to protect the growing point from the worst of the frosts and snow. I am lucky that my soil is quite free draining, as sitting in very wet soil all winter can cause roots to rot, which is perhaps what happened to your hemerocallis. Mine got stuck in the ground in November if I recall correctly, and all survived  It is one of those questions where there is no right or wrong answer, you just need to consider what conditions you are able to provide for the plants and how tough they are I suppose. Putting a layer of grit underneath when planting out may help if the ground is prone to water-logging. x Tig |
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Post by carolann on Sept 25, 2012 10:35:47 GMT
Good thread LG ;D I'm a Spring planting person as I dont have a lot of plants that are over wintered all I have are my Fuchsia which I have taken cutting off and over wintered them inside the house, my one and only Dahlia which I just leave in the tub and put into the GH for the winter I dont have any heat in there so as of yet have never taken any cutting from it, it is very late to come into any leaves this year and is only just coming into flower. The Day Lily's which Tig and Jas sent me the year before last I over wintered in the GH in pots then put them outside in the Spring, I think it gets a little too cold and wet up here for Autumn planting but I put that down to where I live,
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Sept 25, 2012 11:42:27 GMT
I am itching to get out into the garden to start ripping stuff out tbh...it's been an awful season here...the plants have valiantly battled to still bloom but apart from a few notable exceptions we've had a rubbish display. Autumn is usually the time when I lift and divide things like primulas, and when I move plants that have grown too large for their space. I haven't the heart to do it yet tho as the mexican sunflowers, dahlias and cosmos are still giving a good show despite the weather.
Once I've cleared all the summer bedding I will bung in some wallflowers, sweet williams etc...maybe some heathers and bellis...just to provide a little colour. I need to replace the knackered echinaceas but will probably wait until next spring to plant.
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Post by Ladygardener on Sept 25, 2012 11:55:29 GMT
Tig and Carol and CPB thanks very much for your replies. Tig I take your point about about lack of space to overwinter. I think in one way I'm lucky enough that my back yard whilst outside, has a perspex cover and the boiler in it and never goes below about 10c no matter how cold the weather is. There is a limit however to the amount of plants I can fit in there and I mostly use it for seedlings or cuttings that could'nt stand any frost at all. Last year I used it to overwinter some of the Dahlia and then I started them off early and was able to take a few cuttings. I think you're absolutely right about the wetness being the reason I lost so many plants last year. Even 'tho there's lots of compost in the borders, we just had too much rain for a lot of my plants. This year I will cover the Dahlia I have growing in the borders as well as the allotment, with either loads of compost and/or fleece depending on wether it freezes or rains i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/rolleyes.gif . Carol your weather is quite similar to mine over here and I too have some Fuschia cuttings which have rooted well which will need overwintering.I think I'll do what you do and keep the pot grown Dahlia in their pots and overwinter the whole thing rather than storing them in boxes and having to keep checking them all winter long. I was never sure if they were ok or not.  CPB I have Wallflowers that I've been growing since they were baby plugs, they'll need planting out too but not until next month as the are much too small yet to survive. I'll have to take a chance with them as there are too many to overwinter. Likewise Sweetwilliam that I've grown from seeds. They're a good size now too and I think I'll have to plant them out next month as well and they'll both have to take their chances. At least I'll be planting them near the front of the border where it drains quite freely unless we have a very wet winter again. It's all a bit hit and miss then really is'nt it. |
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Post by Amber on Sept 25, 2012 13:34:50 GMT
Since containerised plants have been so popular many folk plant at any time of year, unless the ground is frozen or waterlogged. As far as the plants are concerned, the best time to plant is the autumn, while the soil has some warmth. This gives the plant adequate time to get its roots growing and settled to cope with the winter. The flowers next year will be better on these plants. Of course they need to be kept watered while they are settling in and any that you are not sure about hardiness wise..can be mulched for extra protection.
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Post by Auricula on Sept 25, 2012 15:53:32 GMT
Things I lift and divide, I tend to do in Autumn. Traditionally I have planted things when they are too small and they get overwhelmed by weeds, so, now, I plant large things in October and small things in March.
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Post by Ladygardener on Sept 25, 2012 16:17:39 GMT
Thanks Amber and Auricula. I understand completly the reasons for planting out in autumn but I think I have to take into account the growing conditions/weather here in N.I. We're generally much wetter and cooler than those of you on the mainland. There's also the problem of the borders being quite full with Dahlia, Cosmos and Rudbeckia still and will be until the first frosts at least. In springtime I might have a chance to see where I'm planting.  I have a few things like Phlox and Shasta Daisies that will need to be divided and I'll do them this autumn as you suggest.  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Oct 26, 2012 12:56:04 GMT
Well I changed my mind and lifted the Dahlia, I still have one in the ground but I'm trying to leave it as long as possible. I'd split and potted on the Lobelia. Both bits took on a new lease of life and grew really well in the pots I'd put them into. Today I made spaces in the borders, very well drained bits and planted them out. I was really surprised to see how many new roots they'd put out. I think the month in the pots helped them and they should be ok in the borders over the winter, fingers crossed. i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/smiley.gif I divided Daisys and Coreopsis and have put some into pots to give away and some have been relocated in the borders. It's amazing how much has died down in just a month and I now have room to plant out my Sweetwilliam seedlings which are a fair size. I'm going to take a chance that they'll be ok too. They've been growing outside so they're hardy enough. i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/smiley.gif |
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Post by Rosefriend on Oct 26, 2012 15:11:23 GMT
I have been thinking about this for a while now and I have come to the conclusion that planting/gardening in general is common sense and a large portion of luck. There are hard and fast rules as when certain things should be planted or pruned or whatever...but are they always right, I wonder !!
One example come to mind immediately - roses. So, roses should be planted in autumn to give the roots chance to grow without competition from the growth "up top". Great and then you get a winter like last year - freezing for weeks and no warming blanket of snow...loads die...
I now plant new roses in the Spring... infact I plant a lot of things in the Spring. I have 6 grasses to plant this autumn and I am interested if they will survive...
RF
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Post by Geranium on Oct 27, 2012 2:55:49 GMT
We're lucky here. We're near the coast and in a mild-ish part of the UK. I do plant in the autumn if the plants are strong and healthy, but smaller ones I leave until the spring. Anything that might succumb in a bad winter has to wait - like the Verbena bonariensis I've grown from seed. East winds do more damage than cold, really.
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Post by Ladygardener on Oct 27, 2012 6:12:53 GMT
I remember you saying you lost a lot of Roses POD. I think you're right and there are no hard and fast rules. I divided quite a lot of Primula and moved Geum this past week or so as well.
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