I have several large clumps myself and I've transplanted them just before all the foliage disappears - when they're yellowed. They transplant fine and should bloom for you next year. Filtered Sun/Shade with leafy, humus soil seems to work best for them. I always lightly work in a light layer of leftover leaves from fall in and around their crowns in the spring after they've sprouted. Also, I've found after a few years of being established they will begin to slowly seed themselves on decent soil which is another bonus.

I have a patch of them next to a gravel path, and they reseed into the gravel constantly. I move some of the seedlings each spring before they go dormant, and I can still find them; and never have had a problem getting them to live. They have a taproot that looks like a carrot. The big ones are hard to move, but the babies are never a problem. Just dig them up and put them where you want them, and forget them. They do like lots of light tho not direct sun, and don't need any special care. It is a good idea to mark where you've put them so you don't accidently dig them up or plant something on top of them, tho I did inadvertantly plant a hosta in the middle of one patch. Both plants are fine, and the bluebells came up anyway. I'm sure they are putting lots of seed out for you, but it may not germinate due to good weeding or cultivating practices. The seed falls into the gravel path here and doesn't get dislodged before it germinates. It does take 2 or 3 years for the babies grow up big enough to bloom, and they are easily mistaken for weeds until then. It's kind of a myth that they need rich woodland soil and lots of moisture. They do like average woodland soil, and moisture in the spring when they are growing, but when they are dormant average rainfall is fine. They even survive a drought without a problem. Sandy

Glad to hear most of you have had good luck with the BlueBells. We went to a local plant sale in the fall that was 75% off and we took our chances with everyting b/c they no longer had greenery showing (had already died back for winter). We got 3 pots of Virginia Bluebells, 3 pots of Solomon's Seal and 3 pots of Bunchberry. At first we thought all 9 pots were duds and we vowed not to take our chances with the fall sales but we've just found that the bluebells have sprouted and we are really pleased. They have such big roundy leaves...very pretty and such a contrast to all the feathery foliage that our little woodland garden currently has (blue cohash, columbine, ferns etc.) Good luck to everyone else's bluebells. :o) Barb

Hi John! Thanks for the response. The VB were sown in plastic cell packs, kept in an unheated porch for the winter and put outside in March, as by the time I thought of it, it was too late to find the ground here in Western New York. After they died back I left them in the deep shade under big Arborviae trees (had several species there,including Dodecatheon meadia: Midland Shooting Star, growing pretty much the same as the VB except many more of them, and ungerminate woodland species I was planning to second cycle) and mist-hosed them on the rare dry spells, but being above ground they got pretty dry. In the fall I dug little holes and plopped the little plugs into the ground in the pine woods and covered them lightly with pine needle leaf mold. I wasnt going to order new VB seeds and wait to see how the ones I had made out, but now I really want to get some more and try again. But same problem - no ground here and minus 9 wind chill. I am thinking of ordering seeds and waiting to see if an opportunity arises to find the ground in January, or if there isnt I think what I would do differently is sow them all in one larger biodegradable container, in more nutrititious compound/soil, putting it right outside, and sinking it into the ground in the woods ASAP. Then not looking at it *grin*. Little bitty plants like that make me a nervous wreck. Does that sound like a good plan? Then I shouldnt worry if they only make a little leaf and dry up? PAX Laurette