Ground Breaking Banter - Rick
As Rick often says, “I’ve moved my plants so many times, they’re eligible for frequent flier miles!” And it’s true – while it may be easy to believe that gardeners just get it right the first time, the truth is we don’t. Plus, we change our minds or think of new ways to use plants in our gardens, and so we move them. And the vast majority of perennials and shrubs take to moving pretty well, especially when they are dormant in late winter/early spring (so long as the soil is workable), and in fall, when they are winding down for the season. But there are some plants – besides, of course, mature trees – that don’t take so well to moving: baptisia with its long, snaking tap roots, peonies, which are often buried too deeply when transplanted, and milkweed, another taproot plant, to name a few. But as with everything in gardening, the key is to make informed decisions and act at the right time, and have reasonable expectations about the outcome.
Join us at the YouTube link above or on your favorite podcast platform to hear our whole conversation on plants you can move, and those you maybe shouldn’t unless necessary.
One of the great things about shrubs is that they are, in general, quite amenable to moving. Unlike trees, they don’t create big, extensive root systems with heavy anchor roots – rather, they build quite fibrous root systems that are easy to dig and relatively easy to regrow. Plus, the majority of shrubs can be cut back severely in a process known as renovation pruning, which allows you to compensate for any root loss from transplanting so the plant can recover more quickly and completely.
So, knowing that shrubs can be moved successfully, there are many good reasons to do so: you’ve changed your mind about the area, you’ve thought of a better combination, you’re tired of the plant there, or perhaps it just needs a rejuvenation anyway. But overall, it’s important to realize that moving a plant does indeed set it back, and depending on growing conditions, it may be multiple seasons before the plant recovers enough to start growing well again, or even to flower again, as it diverts its resources to recovery instead of growth. As such, it’s important to choose and site plants according to their size and at least try to get it right the first time.
In my many years of answering garden questions, probably the number one plant that people have asked me if it’s okay to move is big leaf hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla. There are, no doubt, several reasons for this: one, it’s a plant whose performance is high sensitive to location, so if the first plan didn’t work out, it’s common to want to try a different spot and see if that makes a difference. Two, it’s a shrub that actually looks like it would move pretty well – compared to a lot of shrubs that look very woody and perhaps even a bit tree-like, bigleaf hydrangeas project a kind of perennial vibe that suggests they are easy to move (and they are). And finally, the third reason I think is that when people buy a big leaf hydrangea, it’s either hard to believe it’s going to get as large as it says it will – especially since older varieties easily reach 5’+ – and/or the buyer wants to believe it will stay small. But they don’t, and they’re actually fairly fast-growing, so the need to move a big leaf hydrangea that wasn’t properly sited for its size often comes much sooner than expected.
But this is where it pays to dig in and do some research, because there are very small big leaf hydrangeas out there where moving them will not be an issue – like Wee Bit Grumpy hydrangea, which reaches just 2’ tall and 2.5’ wide. It’s small enough to fit in the tiniest planting area in front of an apartment or condo, small enough to work into flower beds, and small enough to not need to be moved, which is why it’s today’s Plant on Trial. But let’s face it, the elephant in the room here is that name: wee bit is easy, but what’s with grumpy?
When we here at Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs receive plants to trial, we give them a working name, and if we have several different individuals of a species in a trial at the same time, we’ll often name them for something else that’s in multiples, like planets, dog breeds, etc. And in this case, the group of plants in this trial were named for the seven dwarves from the Snow White fairytale. Throughout the trial, the others were passed over for lack of performance, and Grumpy was the last one standing. But the fact was that every time anyone saw the name “grumpy” on the trial tag, they laughed. It seemed to suit the deep, moody colors of its flowers, which tend to be more purple than blue. So when it came time to name this petite and moody little hydrangea, Wee Bit Grumpy just seemed like the right name. And it has been continuing to make people laugh ever since. After all, we all know someone who is a wee bit grumpy, or want to share the funny name when someone asks what that gorgeous hydrangea in the landscape is.
Like other big leaf hydrangeas, it is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9 and thrives in full sun in cool climates and part sun in hot areas. It is not a reblooming hydrangea, so may need protection in the cooler ends of its zone range in areas with harsh winters and little to no snow cover. The same shallow, fibrous roots that make it so easy to transplant also necessitate the use of a good 2-3” layer of shredded bark or other organic mulch to keep them cool in summer, conserve moisture, and provide winter protection.
If you’d like to add Wee Bit Grumpy hydrangea or any of the 320+ Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs – to your garden or landscape, you’ll find a list of local retailers here.
Gardening Mail Bag - Stacey
Something attacked our Red Crepe Myrtle. Will it survive or do we need to remove it and plant a new one this spring? It was beautiful this summer. Pictures attached. - Steve and Mary
I am almost 100% certain that those are pruner cuts, and this is human-caused damage. Hear me out: though crape myrtle are generally deer resistant, it’s always possible that they could munch something, but deer damage has a very distinct look. When deer browse a plant, they tear off the growth they’re eating, leaving a ragged, tattered looking end, not a clean cut. Rabbits, on the other hand, use their front teeth to make a neat, clean, angled cut that could look like these cuts but:
- Rabbits don’t bite into stems this thick. They may girdle it by nibbling the bark off, but the wood you see cut into here is way too thick for them to bite off.
- When rabbits do bite off wood like this, they eat the part that they bit off, slowly nibbling it until they’ve eaten the whole thing. In these photos, you can clearly see that the cut portions are sprinkled on the ground around it.
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, though rabbits can leap into containers, it’s extremely unlikely that they would do, so given that they also don’t particularly like crapemyrtle, and that the stems are quite thick.
Is it possible someone would have done this, perhaps a landscape company or houseguest?
I need help with the problem of moss taking over the grass in my backyard. I live in northern NJ , zone 7a . There is a lot of shade . The yard is south facing and is the area is about 75 x 50 ft . Love your podcast 🌺 thanks - Gail
Ah, the irony of a mossy lawn: those who want one can’t seem to grow on, and those who don’t want one can’t seem to get rid of it. In short, moss is a plant that grows very, very well under certain conditions, but if conditions aren’t right, won’t grow at all without serious modifications to the growing environment. There are anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 different species of moss found world-wide, and each one has its own specific set of conditions where it will flourish. As such, it’s extremely hard to get moss to grow where you want it. And if conditions are right, because most common types of moss are capable of reproducing very quickly, moss can be very difficult to control.
In most of Eastern North America, the most widespread mosses are those that thrive in shady areas with moist, acidic soils, so one way to attempt to control them is to make the area less moist, perhaps by correcting a drainage issue, or change the pH. Rick also points out that if the area is shaded due to trees, then the presence of tree roots through your yard would make it difficult for anything but moss to grow in abundance. In short, if you want to get rid of the moss, you’ll need to change what’s allowing it to grow, and it sounds like that would be a pretty tall order. Or, you could make peace with the moss and embrace it, knowing that lots of people out there wish for what you had. Take a look at some photos of the legendary Japanese temple Saiho-ji, also known as moss temple, for some inspiration!
Do you have a question for us? We’re happy to help! E-mail us or use the contact tab above. Due to high volume, we may not get to your question, so if you need an answer quickly, please reach out via the Proven Winners website.
Branching News - Rick
We continue our conversation on moving plants – join us at the YouTube link above!
