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Can I transplant dormant or dead perennials?

14 years ago

I meant to do this earlier but now the plants have either gone dormant for the winter or died.... yellow leaves... anyway, we'll be moving next Spring and I wanted to dig up some of my perennials and put them into pots so when we move, it will be easier and can then replant them in the ground come next May. Is it too late to do this? I have never done it after they went dormant. I have daylilies, hostas, some Lily (bulbs) and/or Iris and other perennials like shastas, coneflower, coreopsis and others.

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Comments (4)

john_4b
14 years ago
Yes, you should be able to do this, and if you are moving, you have nothing to loose. The trick is to keep them dormant in their pots. Maybe you could dig them up, plant them into pots and water them, and replant the pots into the garden for winter, and mulch once the ground is frozen. In the spring, you can just remove the potted plants from the garden. Most of the plants you have listed should be fine with that I would think. If you keep the pots above ground, you have to keep them from the alternate cycles of freezing and thawing that can happen in the early spring. That means keeping them frozen and dormant as long as possible into the spring in an unheated garage, or on the north side of the house out of the sun, or insulated from early freeze and thaw cycles.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
14 years ago
Maybe I'm missing something but I'm not sure why one would want to transplant or move "dead" perennials.......

Regardless, depending on the timing of your move, I'd be inclined to wait and do any digging/potting/transplanting in early spring rather than now. The plants will be safest and best protected in place through the winter and you can start the process as soon as the soil is workable in early spring. If you think you may have difficulty locating specific plants that early while they are still mostly underground or not visible, mark them now.

I do agree that you can do it now if you prefer or if timing is critical but you will need to take extra care over the winter, either heeling in the containers or otherwise protecting and attending to them over winter. Personally, I prefer to let nature do this work in winter and leave the transplanting issues until spring.
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If I really really really have to transplant this time of year I wait for a forecast of at least three days of cloudy/foggy/showers/rainy days. I cut the plant back as well. A Phlox will be cut back to 6 inches, Daylily leaves will be cut back by 1/2, etc. Keep it well watered and mulch. Not the best time of year, but if you really really really need to... You can also transplant in the fall when things get cooler. If you do this time period, then make sure you mulch well so when the freeze/thaw cycles of winter happen, then the plant is well protected. We have such bad 'heaving' here that I keep a bag of shredded leaves in my basement for those plants that I may have transplanted at this time period and may start surfacing. Just like Piti, "I actually have more success in late winter/early spring soon after the winter thaw." No doubt!! The plants do not have to deal with heat or with possible ground freeze. I am having the same problem. Some Milkweed and Heliopsis have taken over an Astrantia and you can barely see it bloom since it is completely surrounded. ARGH!!
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Thanks. Forgot to mention peonies too. And I assume these really should be done in the fall rather than wait until spring.
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mxk3 z5b_MI
14 years ago
I'm wondering, too, why you would want to transplant dead perennials - ?

Anyway, I routinely over-winter plants (perennials and woodies) in the unheated garage, and when I moved to this house about 10 years ago I dug up a multitude of plants in the late fall, potted them into cheapie plastic containers, and over-wintered in the garage, took everything with me when I moved early the following spring. Everything survived, like mentioned above the key is to *keep* them dormant until spring. An unheated garage or shed will do the trick nicely.
MissMyGardens
14 years ago
I think nanaclaire means "died back" instead of completely dead plants.

LOL...it stumped me for a minute too.

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