I know I spelled that wrong . Sorry ! My question is : I have 2 mopheads that I would like to move to a different location.They are still blooming. I'm in zone 5 and was wondering if I should do it now or wait till spring ??Thanks in advance for your help! Rosie z5
Wait until next spring.
after they have stopped blooming, and before first hard frost, trim the spent flowerheads back, prepare the holes you are putting them in and move them and water them well, mulching them a bit. ANY bush can be moved or planted in the fall unless it's frelling huge. Just wait until the blooming is over, and even an overcast day would be perfect. Keep a watch on moisture and water if it gets dry because you want them to establish before the ground freezes. You'll see great success in the spring because they will have had time to settle into the hole and might even bloom for you because of this. I've moved a Lace Cap hydrangea in the fall and it didn't miss a beat in it's new location. madgardener
-- dogeydeath
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I think most plants do best if moved in the fall (must be early enough in the fall for the roots to become establish enough for the plant to get water during the winter) because the plants are not putting their energy into new growth or flowers, they can establish roots without any other demands and go dormant before there is a need for the roots to feed leaves and flowers. Come Spring the plant is already established and the natural order of events goes forth. You don't kill any of the delicate hair roots that need microscopic connections to the soil to do their thing. I imagine if you could catch the plant in very late winter before it has started to put out the hair cells, (the plant is still dormant) but the ground was workable and not wet then you would have the perfect time for moving but I have never found those conditions to be true. Basically if the ground is workable then the plant is putting out hair cells as far as I can tell. I think the dormant root plant stock that you can buy has been dug up in the fall and kept in straw or such.
I have lost more plants that I have moved in the spring then any other. I think it because I assume that they will get enough rain water to take care of themselves and I neglect them when in fact they aren't really established. I have never lost a plant I have moved in the fall. (knock on wood).
DK
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