Topic: Hellebores?

[Doris_Pinks]

ohhhhhhhhhhh, I love Hellebores, thank you for the photos
 Richard!

[Mimi]

Robert they are lovely, is that also an Arum Lily to the left on the second photo?

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's Arum italicum, a bit wonky becase it was dug up and I didn't put it back straight.

[Garden Manager]

Robert were those actualy moved in flower? If so it shows that the 'received wisdom' with them is complete bunk.

Hmm might be moving at least one of mine sooner than expected. I have a new home in mind for one of them, and would like to see what it looks like in flower in that spot, without waiting a whole year to do so!

PS Doris: It was Robert not Richard who posted the pictures ;-)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Some of them were either just coming into flower or just about to, I'm not sure which. Either way it makes no difference; transpiration is very slow this time of year, and as long as you disturb the rootball as little as possible, I find there's very little that will wilt or be noticeably set back if it's moved in winter or early spring. One odd exception is Trilliums; if they're moved now, they grow away as though nothing had happened, flower as normal, then go floppy as soon as we get some warm sunny weather in May or June! They really need to be moved after flowering if at all possible.

[Garden Manager]

Some of them were either just coming into flower or just about to, I'm not sure which. Either way it makes no difference; transpiration is very slow this time of year, and as long as you disturb the rootball as little as possible, I find there's very little that will wilt or be noticeably set back if it's moved in winter or early spring. One odd exception is Trilliums; if they're moved now, they grow away as though nothing had happened, flower as normal, then go floppy as soon as we get some warm sunny weather in May or June! They really need to be moved after flowering if at all possible.

Interesting... - Thanks

[grawrc]

I have serious qualms about received wisdom. I have even transplated a flowering "Sexy Rexy" rose in July, simply because it was that or stick it in the compost. It survived and continued blooming.

[Garden Manager]

I have serious qualms about received wisdom. I have even transplated a flowering "Sexy Rexy" rose in July, simply because it was that or stick it in the compost. It survived and continued blooming.

Yes i have done things like that too. If something is in the wrong place or is simply in the way, nothing is lost by trying to move it. If it dies it dies - it would have had to have been dug up to bin anyway. If it survives then you have a larger and more mature specimen where otherwise you might have a small young garden centre plant.

Thats the rub. You might be able to buy another plant of the same type at the garden centre, but you'd never be able to buy one of the same size, therefore moving the plant is well worth doing, even if it is the middle of summer!!

Gardening 'rules' are there to be broken or at least stretched as far as they can go as far as i am concerned ;-) .

[Doris_Pinks]

oh Thanks Richard, Robert fab pics! :-[

[Garden Manager]

Just an Update:

I havent moved my original plants but I have recently moved some of the 'seedlings', some of which have become large plants and have flowered.

I did this by preparing a hole in its new home and diging out a 'block' of soil around the roots with a border  spade. The whole block of plant ,soil and roots  was then transported to the new site in a bucket. Back filled and well watered I made sure eacj plant had a nice mulch of rich homemade compost. I have kept close eye on them but si far so good - no major wilting. There are a couple of plants than didnt move with much soil so they will need carefull monitoring. Hopefully all will be well and they will settle in nicely in their new homes!

This moving was done end of april-early may. So technicaly 'after flowering'  ;D

Like we said before when things need moving they have to move. The plants were too crowded in the nursery bed where i had lined them out last year.  Also i need the space in the nurdery bed!!

[Deeds]

One odd exception is Trilliums; if they're moved now, they grow away as though nothing had happened, flower as normal, then go floppy as soon as we get some warm sunny weather in May or June! They really need to be moved after flowering if at all possible.

I don't have any probems moving Trilliums now - I have some fabulous clumps of 'Snowbunting', T.rivale and T. vaseyi that I moved this time last year, they seem to be much better this year too.

Just goes to show there is no one 'right way' to  do things  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's probably something to do with my soil, which dries out rather fast. It's been very dry this spring, obviously, and they've all shown the same tendency to flop on sunny days, but to nothing like the extent I see it with newly transplanted plants.

Do you know the best way to send them in the post, and when?

[Deeds]

Hi Robert,I always send mine out when they are dormant (September/October depending on the weather. I dig them, pack them in slightly moist peat and post them the same day.  Never has a failure yet (touch wood  :))

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's what I was thinking of; I'm swapping some of my kurabayashii for grandiflorum, luteum, recurvatum and sessile. Do you have any pics of yours?

[Deeds]

Not yet, the best ones are in bud at the moment (Snowbunting, vaysei and rivale purple heart), these are only small at the moment (2 - 4 growths).
But I'd be up for swaps  for kurabayashii, I have some lovely sessile and recurvatum.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Whatever you've got available to swap, just PM me.