Hi All,

Tomorrow I'm renting a sod cutter and DH and I are going to widen my garden patches around the house and yard.

I have some plants that need to be moved to sunnier areas. Would I do best to leave them until next spring or do it now?

Also, if I plant perennials, will they survive with a fall planting? Does that give them enough time to develop a good root system where they sit? Would they do this best if I cut off any flowers? Or can they root and flower at the same time?

The plants that need moving are a lilac bush, daylillies and some other perennials.

Also, I want to air root my serviceberry tree so I can plant a new one in the back yard. Does that work? And if so, does it take a long time? Would that do better in the spring?

I'm so excited about all this, I've wanted to do this for over ten years!

Oh, we're also removing a ten foot strip of sod so that I can plant a row of asparagus in the early spring! DH will dig the trench next March, but at least we'll have the sod taken out!

Good luck to you! Sounds exciting. I will be waiting to see the responses because I also have some plants to move but don't know if I should wait. Have fun...but don't overdo yourself!

Transplanting now is a good idea. Plants will have the winter to recover. Add some fertilizer/root stimulator and be sure to cut them back. Also make sure they have plenty of water.

Yes, I am still planting this time of year. It's cool and plants do quite well this time of year. Water them in well, and add some fertilizer/root stimulator.

Air rooting/layering is a relatively easy process but doesn't always work. Serviceberry's transplant quite well. I would cut it back and transplant it. Is it a big "tree" or the small serviceberry shrub? There are many varieties of serviceberrys. Here's a link to explain how to air layer.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/e.../airlayer.html

Make sure you get good clean sand for the asparagus.

Have fun! Sounds like you've got quite a weekend project ahead of you! Can't wait for the pictures!

Hi GG and Cheryl,

Thanks for the advice Cheryl. My biggest goal for this weekend is to get the sod removed, and lay down mulch in its place. The rest can wait a day, or a week. DH thinks it will take several hours for the sod, but I think with the sod cutter it will go fast.

My serviceberry shrub/tree is huge. I keep trimming it back but it's easily over ten feet high when I go at it.

DH would love it if I would just transplant it. He doesn't like having it in the front yard. I personally, love it, but it might be happier in the back and I know the birds would still enjoy it back there.

My goal is to have a couple of sun gardens and shade gardens as well as some mixed. It will be next spring until I really start to coordinate and fill things in, but at least this weekend will be a start!

How's your project coming, Wiz???

Hi Cheryl,

Well, it has been in the upper 80's and lower 90's this weekend, but we got a LOT of work done.

DH removed approximately 1,000 -1,200 square feet of sod with the sod cutter. It took about six hours though, because he'd cut, and then stop to roll it up. It was too heavy for me to roll. Since it was a holiday weekend, I didn't have the heart to ask anybody to help since I knew it would be an all day job.

As soon as we started to set it out front, a neighbor asked if he could have it. I was worried that we'd have to get rid of it somehow. DH has a small SUV, so it's hard for us to haul too much.

I did the trim spots at the back of the rows with a pointed shovel (most of them anyway). Then I picked up all the pieces and put them with the sod. Our neighbor wanted it all!

Finally we had it all removed, so yesterday DH went to get loads of cypress mulch. He got 2 cubic foot bags, total of 57. I wanted a thick layer to cover the dirt. We got about 8-10 bags of top soil too, for some low spots next to the house.

I had to raise up a few hostas in those spots. I moved some hydrangeas and daylillies too. And laid all the mulch. I tried to work in the shade as the sun would move. The first day I had to keep coming in to rest and cool off, but yesterday, I worked straight through with only one break.

I have 12 more bags of mulch to spread, and then I might go look at perennials if I have time later. I won't need too much though, because I have a lot of stuff that I can divide in the spring and relocate.

I might get some bulbs from Breck's though. After laying the last of the mulch I'll take some pics to post.

It isn't going to look fancy, but it will give me lots of room to garden.

For the asparagus spot, I spread a layer of peat moss and mushroom compost and covered it with mulch. In March I'll rake off the mulch so DH can dig the trench and we'll mix in some clean sand as you suggested.

Hey Wiz, your project sounds great! I am going to the store this week to buy plastic twist ties for my garden. I will put a different color on each size so that when I re-arrange it I will know the larger from the smaller plants. I have a few large plants taking over the smaller ones and I know by fall I will have forgot which is which. lol Wish you were near because I have hostas and bleeding hearts that are so big! I bet I'll be able to divide them into 5 or more. lol

Sandy how did your new bushes take? well I hope

Ok everyone curious about hummingbirds, we planted a bush this spring it didn't take too well, and I cant recall what it was, might of been that scarlet plant I think something like what you got Sandy, it looked like it... but am curious about planting a yellow toonie and a butterfly bush, Fin had good luck with her butterfly, and it would cover a nice area of the pond and any other suggestions on what type of plant to plant for hummingbirds would be nice

Hi Sandy and Frank,

Sandy, if you can take a pic of your hostas, I'd know if I could use them. I look for certain types that do better in my yard. I'd come there and get some if you want to get rid of them! I could give you some asters, or purple coneflower in the spring, I have lots to spare! I could give you maybe 3-4 quart size plants each. Also, I have a huge fuchsia colored peony that divides pretty well. I could give you a big chunk of that in the spring if you'd like. Also, a cutting of Annabelle hydrangea that does great with morning sun and acid soil. BTW, bleeding hearts are for shade, right? Do they bloom a long time, and have nice foliage that lasts?

Frank,

I've had good luck with tall or short maroon and pink snapdragons (annuals), and also fuchsia, a hanging basket type of plant for the shade. I used to get hummingbirds with those.

See? You know all the names and I feel dumb. lol The bleeding hearts are in the shade and the hostas are too. I have peonies as well as geraniums I believe? My entire garden is in the shade and the foliage is great. So far I have something blooming each season, except winter of course. lol Let me know when you'd like to come by and look at what I have. I plan to start re-arranging this fall so anytime before I start that would be good. If there is something you'd like that needs to wait for spring I could do that too. I don't really need any plants at this time since I am being over taken by my one garden but you are more than welcome to come by and take what you want.

We have a guy down the street who raves how well my garden looks but I am not a green thumb at all. If I like the way it looks and is shade friendly, I buy it. And for some reason they grow and grow well. lol

Frank, they are doing really good. The Rose Of Sharon looks a little yellow but I think I watered it too much since I planted grass around it.