It s still early enough in the season to do it now with minimal risk of transplant shock. You want to avoid late spring and early summer when the plant is in full growth mode and shoot extension is at its peak and establishment is more likely to be limited by heat and dry conditions. Fall is a great time as well, as long as you can time it so the plant has sufficient time to settle in before a hard freeze.

Some types of shrubs (and trees) are just not very tolerant of transplanting at any time of year, but none of the ones you list.

Thanks gardengal. It's going to be in the 80s here today but after that it's going back into the 60s for a week. So I am going to make the effort to get as many moved as I can. On the Pieris, it is a 'Scarlett OHara' and is in full bloom, but it is a sh*rub I just planted from a pot last fall. I was thinking it would be barely disturbed. Should I wait until it's finished blooming? This is my first year with Pieris, so I'm not familiar with how long it blooms or when it develops buds for next year.

i agree with gal ...

while it has been a warmish spring in my z5 .... with many flowering trees and shrubs weeks if not a month ahead of schedule ....

it still should .. theoretically.. be 6 to 8 weeks before the real heat hits .... and is still prime time to move things .... by real heat.. i mean 75 all day.. and 60's at night ...

it is really all about night time temps..in spring.. no matter the day temp.. the nights are cool.. giving transplants time to recover from the heat of the day.. the hard time is when nights are warm.. and the plant might not be able to recover ....

in my world.. all i want it to do it live thru year one and two .... and if the flower show is not spectacular.. so be it .. so part of the issue is simply your 'need' to see the show .. put that part out of your mind.. and then the equation simplifies to now is the right time ...

maybe the flowers will hang on.. maybe they wont ....

but wait for the cool week coming up.. and make sure it is well watered a day or two prior to the move ...

i see no real difference between my z5 and your 6 ...

ken

Ok, Ken, I see what you mean. If I wait to move the spring bloomers until after they bloom, it is too close to the heat. Got it. That simplifies things. Thanks.

If the weather is going to be warm (80's - WOW!), try to do it as early in the day as possible or in the early evening. But not midday, obviously :-) And water well once replanted and continue to monitor for ongoing water needs.

gardengal, not planning on doing anything until it cools off again. No, I learned my lesson one year when I planted potted roses in late spring, not even transplanting them, and as soon as they were in the ground, we had a week long heatwave. They didn't do well all that year. I don't enjoy heat at all. I did when I was a kid and the beach was more enticing than a gar*den, but now I would love to live on an island somewhere up north, where summer temperatures never were any higher than 75 and nights were cool. :-)

I don't think summer temps not higher than 75 exist anywhere but the northpole do they?lol?

Hey Ken, we are about 3 weeks ahead. My Magnolias are going to be shot after tonight.

There are definitely prime times for transplanting...its all about odds. You can technically plant ANYTIME except while the ground is frozen.

I transplanted a viburnum in July last year...Juniper in August...I transplant when I want, when I have time. I then have to be prepared to supply the proper aftercare tweaked to the type of plant and time of year. For example, I'd never do this with a Hydrangea macrophylla.

It changes from year to year, but on average my best times.
4/15 - 5/15
9/15 - 10/15

Actually, the PNW has summer temps that average right around 75F. There will be the occasional heat wave - and last summer's record high of 103F was certainly out of character - but for the large part, very mild summer temps (75-80F) and cool nights characterize the PNW climate. And although we are pretty far north, we are nowhere close to the northpole!!

Sure, one can technically plant and transplant at any time you can work the soil, however transplating an established plant from one location to another poses far greater risks of transplant shock than just simply plunking in a 'new' planting. Timing and methods to reduce the potential of shock will put less stress on the plant and provide the greatest chances for successful re-establishment.

I always forget about you folks in your PNW micro climate...of course I was exagerating.

I was just thinking about the summers in the upper northwest corner of WI on lake superior....90s are never out of the question.

Happy transplanting! I had snow this morning!

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