herbacious perrenials

[umshamrock]

Hi,
I bought a bunch of young herbacious perrenials (verbena bonasaris, foxglove, nepeta, delphiniums) from the garden center. They are small, in about 3 inch pots. I live in Plymouth so our climate is pretty mild...do you think it is too early to plant these guys into the garden? At the garden center they were stored outside. Thanks!

[umshamrock]

[john_miller]

If the ground is warm enough, and dry enough to work, then you can plant anytime. If your soil is still cool though they could well just rot off.

[ACE]

I would pot them on into bigger pots if the roots are good, then keep them in a cool greenhouse/coldframe etc until  mid march. Even in the sunny south we can get caught out.

[Doris_Pinks]

Remeber Delphs are a slug delicacy! Have just heaped egg shells round mine today! ;D

[umshamrock]

Hi,
Thanks for your advice! I will beware of slugs and try to pot my plants into bigger pots this weekend. After the frost we had saturday night i am wary of putting them in the ground and will just pot into bigger pots...

Thanks!

[aquilegia]

Whenever I buy small periennials, I usually pot them up and grow them on for a few months before planting them out. It's much easier to protect them from nashing jaws and extremes in weather that way. If it gets very cold, do be wary that soil in pots may freeze. It might be worth putting them in a cold frame (or a box with a fleece lining, if you don't have a frame).