Transplanting

Hello everyone

Going to look at the delicate art of transplanting shrubs, trees and perennials today.
As most would agree Winter is the best time to disturb the roots of most plants when they are dormant, especially deciduous trees and shrubs. Perennials, once they have died back and become dormant in the winter, can be liflted from the ground and given a jolly good beating without them being remotely aware of it, other than a slight headache when they wake up in the spring. Evergreens can be moved successfully in Winter, Spring and Autumn as can most things the trick is to maintain a balance between surface area of leaf and surface area of root.
No matter how careful you are when digging something out of the ground, some root will always be damaged. To compensate for this damage to the roots we have to damage the top growth to. Sounds a bit harsh but think about it, if its a big bushy plant covered in leaf what are those leaves doing? Losing water! Thats right, they transpire, or exhale moisture if you like, through those tiny pores in the leaf. Meanwhile down below a damaged root system is trying to heal itself and take up water at the same time. If the surface area of leaf is greater than the surface area of root then the plant will wilt. It's losing water quiker than it can take it up, a classic imbalance. No amount of water seems to perk it up again. If you dont do something quick it'll be a gonner. Take the shears to it and cut off some leafy growth.
It's a million to one shot but it might just work. And just like in the movies those million to one shots seem to work out just fine and dandy. This is starting to sound like the script from a 50's B movie.
So if you are planning to move something consider this vital piece of information. Water well, prune first, then lift and transplant. Water well again in the new situation.
If you look at the gardening by the moon site in my link list they will suggest specific times of the month for transplanting. Usually near the full moon when the growth is going into the stems and leaves and the roots are resting.

April sun

Hi all

Hello to the person in California who visited.

This sun spot activity is great isn't it!
I have a row of spinach seedlings emerging and potatoes coming through the plastic. also my first parsnip seedling has poked through in the big green bin. See earlier blog. How exciting. Other things going on are the Ipomaea seedlings which I cant keep up with. They shoot away so quickly that by the time the first set of true leaves appears and they're ready to prick out the damn things are a foot tall.

Most of my group three clematis are out of the cold frame and plunged into place next to the shrubs I want them to grow through. Only the four Romantika to go in and they'll be trained up an obolisk. Sounds posh but actually it's a rough looking thing I put together using slaters lats.

The newts are actively chasing each other round the pond and last night I watched a male smooth newt trying to pursue a female great crested newt. For those who dont know cresties are about three times the size of our other two native newts smoothies and palmates. still you had to admire the little fella for trying. The frog spawn that was laid earlier in the year I took out and put in an aquarium. This is not so I can watch the tadpoles but more to preserve them from being devoured by the newts. Once they are big enough they'll go back in the pond. Not as many frogs this year as previously, have any other pond owners out there noticed a decline?? My little baby Acer palmatums are all leafing up nicely. I bought a tray full of seedlings last year which I planted out under a net tunnel. I hope to grow them on for a few years then sell them when they're worth about £50 each. there are 45 of them and the tray cost me £36. They are field grown so dont require too much attention.

Hi to Debbie who put a comment on my site. You said your dad didn't rate raised beds, well I do and so have the Chinese for centuries. If you ever get the chance visit the Buddist monastery in the Scottish borders near Lockerby, their organic garden is wonderful and entirely made up of raised beds.

This is my raised bed pictured at a bizzare angle! What possessed me?

Thats the plastic the spuds are now coming through the spinach is appearing infront of it.

There is a row of onions at the near edge.

The Hellebores are just going over now but I took some pics a week or two ago.

This black one is dead sexy.

Helleborus orientalis pupurea

Helleborus orientalis alba

They all seed like mad and some of the offspring I put into the gardens of my garden customers.

I'm nice like that.

Happy Easter and all that. Now go and get grubby,, except Debbie, do your bloody assignment!