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Planting in z 4 now, too late?

15 years ago

Is it too late to plant clematis that have been in gallon pots all summer in the ground here in MN? We have not had a frost yet and do not see one in the next week. They all have roots showing in the drainage holes. Our ground will not freeze until mid/late November.

I can sink the pots in the veg bed if I can't plant them along the fence.

How about moving an established clematis that has a good root system?

I have moved perennials until the end of October in other years.

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Comments (3)

summermusicz4ia
15 years ago
I am in zone 4 also (NE IA). Have planted 4 clems...8 to go...will plant them all into the ground.
We moved last year so re-planted all established clems in Sept & Oct, also 4 new ones in Oct. They all grew just fine.
As long as the plants have good root systems it seems to be OK.
Dug/brought more plants home yesterday from my brother's house (their temporary home) and will be digging them in during the next several weeks. Finally, the last of our plants made it to our new address!
I also keep planting as long as the weather is reasonably pleasant, often through most of October. I know that is not the recommendation of most garden experts but the plants don't seem to know that.
Marlene
janetpetiole
15 years ago
I said it before, but I think it's important to repeat.

The last 2 years I planted a total of about 20-25 clematis from September to November. The first year, it was snowing in November when I planted, the 2nd year it snowed the following day. All clematis survived.

I'm sure you probably know this, but just make sure to firm the soil around the root ball, make sure the soil is level with the surrounding soil, and water well. If you don't have rain for a long time, check the soil and water if necessary.
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If you have any place where you could dig a ditch, it is one-time labor that hasn't failed me for the last two winters. I did lose plants when I tried the pots in the barn, insulated, or in the garage under the house. I was lucky enough to have a drainage problem in back of the barn that was solved years ago by a ditch, about a hundred yards long, and at its deepest (and closest to the house)about 3 feet deep. After a few years of the barn/garage losses, it occured to me that with the ditch, I had the start of an informal "minnesota tip". I just set the potted roses in the ditch in early November, covered them with leaves, and left them there. The snowfall closed them in safely. The first spring I made the mistake of trying to lift them out before removing enough leaves, and broke a few canes pulling them through the weight of the leaves. This year I was more patient, took ten minutes to lift off the wet heavy leaves and all came out fine. If there is a spot where you could dig a winter home, it will be the easiest solution, reusable every year so that you can impulse buy more roses without a plan for them "right now, because it can always winter in the ditch...."
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perfect time ... get 'er done ... in as perfect world.. you MIGHT be a week late.. but i have gone as late as 11/15 ... ground freeze is usually around 1/1 .... in my z5 ... a good ring of mulch.. will take up the little bit of lateness ... just get it done ... water well .. mulch ... keep properly watered all next summer... and you should be all set ken
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nckvilledudes
15 years ago
Marlene you gotta do what works for you. The garden experts probably are giving a conservative approach to the general public so that they have as much success with their plants as possible--especially if the plants were young and not well established in the pots they were in. What really matters is whether the plant roots have time to get established before the ground freezes solid. This can be ameliorated by planting deep since the further into the soil you plant the more insulation the roots have and the longer they can grow. In addition, mulching will add to the insulatory properties of the soil and further prevent the soil from freezing until the later in the season. Snow actually is another factor that helps to insulate the soil and prevent it from freezing solid. Just because it is cold enough to snow doesn't mean that the ground is frozen--air temperature and soil temperature are two different things since the soil acts as a heat sink, collecting warmth all season long and slowly releasing it over the course of the winter. Of course, one other factor that can come into play is how severe any winter is and how early in the season it gets really cold and only Mother Nature is going to know that in any given year.

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