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krystistaheli08_gw

What week should I plant perrenials?

krystistaheli08
10 years ago

I purchased some perennial plants from an online nursery, and am curious if anyone has any recommendations on when they should be planted? I've only planted annuals in late May so I'm not sure when it is safe to plant perennials. A couple of the things I purchased were: bee balm, hostas, liriope, keys of heaven, coneflowers. Thank you in advance!

Comments (5)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    might help if you told us where you are ..

    and in the mean time.. what you need to know.. is where they are coming from ... and whether they will be fully dormant.. or actively growing ....

    if they are greenhouse grown.. they will need to be hardened off properly.. before they go straight into the ground ... ask your seller ....

    e.g. .... leafed out hosta.. have no sense of humor about frost or freeze ... and can not be planted out.. until all threat of such is completely gone ..

    on the other hand ..... if dormant .. they could be planted ....

    others though.. could be.. if you get them out of their greenhouse frame of mind.. and harden them off ...

    so tell us where you are.. and hopefully someone in that area.. can guide you as to date.. but as noted.. there are other issues

    ken

  • gardenweed_z6a
    10 years ago

    I'll throw my voice behind Ken's comments above. I'm assuming your soil can't be thawed this early so planting out isn't an option for at least the next couple of months. Nursery-grown plants that are in active growth mode likely wouldn't survive being planted out until the ground can be worked.

    I have about 30 'designer' hostas in my garden; none will even begin to emerge until April/May where I am. Echinacea/coneflowers don't show themselves until sometime in May. I don't grow Monarda/bee balm but it's in the mint family* and I would expect it generally starts to emerge in May.

    * Check the stems--they're square, ergo mint family

    There are many perennials that are early season performers such as Brunnera/Siberian bugloss, Dicentra spectabilis/bleeding heart, Hellebore/Lenten rose & Aquilegia/
    columbine, to name a few, which obviously begin to show themselves much earlier in the season than others.

    Each perennial is guided by its genetic code to emerge in spring when soil temperature + hours of daylight signal the time is right. Once they're in the ground, the gardener is no longer a part of the equation.

    Good luck with your garden.

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    10 years ago

    krystistaheli08, I would hope that any reputable nursery would not send you your plants till it was at least close to planting time in your area. Did the nursery say when they would be delivered?

    Dee

  • dbarron
    10 years ago

    I usually asked them to ship in Feb or early March...because I knew I was getting dormant grown-outdoors perennials (from where I was ordering).
    Thus, no stress on plant or broken stems, etc. And they're ready to leaf out and bloom in my garden...but then my ground never froze either.
    It's about what you know (or can find out)...lol

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    They can be planted out as soon as the ground is workable - that is, not frozen or overly saturated by winter rains. In zone 7, it is unusual for garden soil to freeze to any significant depth, so planting time is typically whenever :-) But this winter has seen some pretty wierd weather across much of the US, so let your own climate be your guide. Generally, if it is comfortable enough for you to be able to garden outside, it is okay to plant hardy plants. Frosts can damage newly emerging foliage as mentioned above but if the perennials are hardy for your zone, there is little concern about the root systems. Still, I would err to the side of acclimating the new plants to your area before plunking in the ground.

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