i buy nothing.. nor plant anything.. in july/august ...

if you can find good stock in fall ... or bargains.. give it a try ...

otherwise.. spring usually brings you your best stock ...

ken

ps: surprised about the clem... i would leave it be.. it might come back...

pps: i might make an exception to buying from a very high end dealer this time of year ... knowing they know how to deal with their stock... but that still leaves planting in j/aug

Ken,
The clem was destined to be moved as it was not getting enough sun in its first location. I was thinking about digging up what ever might still be alive in the ground and moving it to a pot that I could put in a sunnier location - bad idea? Should I just wait to see if anything sprouts next spring?

Do you have a sunnier spot? If it's raining there like here - several times a day, moving to a pot would likely be a death sentence, or you'd find yourself constantly moving it out of the rain, back out, back again... Understandable wanting to save something but unless you can move it to a sunnier spot in the ground, I wouldn't bother if you are also in a such a rainy-lately-and-going-to-continue place. But if the choice is from under standing water into a pot, that could help. Pots need water every few days, not hours. I don't have experience with all of the plants you mentioned but a few are known to be killed if they are too moist, too often, marjoram, thyme, lavender especially.

There's very little to buy here at this time either, maybe a moot point where you are too. Whatever annuals still look nice at the stores, might help for now. While the spot is empty, I'd add organic matter like leaves, mulch, compost. The more added, the better the drainage, tilth and fertility will be, decreasing the likelihood of plants succumbing to too much moisture in future monsoon years, as well as suffering so quickly/badly from drought in future drought years.

I had a clematis last year I thought was dead. It sent up a vine or two and crisped up promptly after that. When I gave two other clematis away I gave them the "crispy" one, too and said best of luck to ya but I promise nothing. Well, this year its growing! I guess not as much as the others but its giving it its all.

Depending on the nurseries in your area (and I'm even going to say Lowes and HD) you should definitely go look in the fall. I went last year around mid september and bought boxwoods for like 70% off and limelight hydrangea for like $5 and ech. ruby star for $3 all from lowes. I went to a local nursery and came back with a few russian sages, sage meadow salvias, creeping sedums and it probably only cost me around$10-12. And, for me at least, it seems like everything I planted last fall is miles ahead of things I planted last spring!

listen...

i said.. told you .. what i do ...

what i do.. on 5 acres.. is move things.. and forget.. lol ... remembering and caring for 95% of them.. and then next spring.. i find the dead stubs of the others... lol...

and you can NOT forget such.. in july/august... as just a day or two with no water is a killer ...

so the default... and the easy way.. are you listening newbies... is simply not to do it this time of year ....

but if you can insure sublime perfect aftercare... you can do just about anything... anytime..

if you are going to be there.. every day for a week or two.. dig up the clem..and find out what is going on underground .... its really hard to guess....

ken