I originally posted this in the soil forum, but someone suggested I come here. I have a well-established perennial bed that needs to have 2 to 3 inches of soil added to compensate for compaction and erosion. Will I need to dig each of the perennials up and replant them to compensate for the deeper soil? Some of them are quite large, so I really hope I don't have to do this with most of them. Specific plants are:
Two mophead hydrangeas. One of these is VERY large.
Four hostas, all of which are humongous.
One good-sized, well-shaped Japanese painted fern.
One plot of lamb's ear, maybe 20 plants in total.
Two lungworts (Gaelic Magic)
A smattering if foxglove that doesn't seem to be doing well anyway.
I also have two plants that I need to move and divide anyway, the wood sorrel and the clematis, so these aren't an issue.
My other bed, which will need to be leveled out at the end of the season contains:
Mexican Heather
Four O'Clocks
Bleeding heart
The rest are annuals, so I'm obviously not worried about those.
Question about raising soil levels in a perennial bed
It's a challenging situation you've got there. It depends on how large the work-load is going to require. By my own experience. Most plants will encounter crown-rot, if planted too deep. Even a big mature tree will succumb to "drowning" condition. When we renovated our garden, a few years back, and having to built a new garage. The grading has to be raised up for the new foundation. A medium size sweetgum, gradually die off. It took the tree 2.5 years to completely give way. For perrenials? It may show decline and eventually wither.
You're correct, Clematis will not "mind" having a couple inches of good soil added, similiarly likes that of Tomatoes plants. But most others; it's a delima. In the heat of Summer, transplanting could be stressful to your plants. I'd wait until the Fall to minimize the transplanting shocks. Unless you can provide ample of water by mean of soaking or irrigations, and temporary-shade to help the plants reestablish into the new environment.
The hyrangeas, I'd definately want to transplant.
The Hosta, how old are they? They probably can use a devision to rejunvinate, and again best time is at the end of the growing season. Or early Spring. In this case, I'll opt for the 1st choice. Transplant them now, they'll wilt big time. (I've received dozen of hostas as gift, in mid spring; even then, they stayed wilted for weeks -- and slower to recoop).
As for the ferns, and others they seem to be small enough to be easily managed. Hope others will chime in to help. I'm no expert. Just share my own experience.
Happy gardening.
I have no idea how old these hostas are, but they have to be YEARS old--I'd guess 10 or so. They're really, really big. Like, take over the world type big. Oh, and I do plan on doing all of this in the fall -- whichever way I do it.
I probably will just suck it up and do the transplanting. I'm just so afraid to touch anything, because I"ve never transplanted large plants or divided things before. I'm new to gardening, and this garden was well-established when we moved in this past February. I just hate the thought of destroying everything.
I think you will need to dig up and replant . Otherwise as has been said you risk crown rot.
And your hostas might benefit by being split if they are that old and big. I dont know about hostas wilting if split in the summer I dont know your zone - I am only zone 3 and I can split them anytime of the summer and they never wilt.
I agree with everyone else, the vast majority of plants won't enjoy being planted too deep, that's a recipe for crown rot. Unless the soil has eroded to the point where there are roots out on top of the soil, then you can probably get away with adding a little bit of soil. I have to ask though why it's really necessary to add that extra soil? In my mind if the plants are planted at the correct depth then I would leave well enough alone, just add some mulch to help prevent further erosion of the soil. It's a lot of work as well as a lot of stress on the plants to dig everything up and replant it so personally I'd probably leave things the way they are. Maybe you could post a picture so we can see what's going on?
Maybe you should step back and figure out if you really need to add soil to the bed. I suspect that you can get by with topdressing with an inch or two of compost and then mulching. Just be careful to not cover up the crowns of the existing plants.
- Brent
Edit: I see that ecrane3 posted similar thoughts while I was typing.
This message was edited Jun 18, 2007 4:02 PM
Time is on your side, you'll do well.
1. When it's time to move your plants; prepare a temporarily "heeling in" area, preferrably in the shade, out of the wind. Rest your plants there as you dig them up.
2. Dig up as much of the root ball as you possibly can handle; I and hubby (needs couple strong arms, preferrably more), and the use of hand trucks to move them about.
3. Cover the rootballs up with fresh, light soil (so you won't have to dig them out the second time).
4. Water them, keep the rootballs moist to prevent stress.
5. Prepare your bed, add good topsoil, compost ect. The way you wanted it.
6. Finally replant your plants to the dept of the original soil-line.
7. Create a berm around larger shrubs to help keep the water and direct it deep down to the rootballs (minimize run off).
8. Mulch the planting several inches thick to prevent unwanted weeds to come into your new planting bed (any time, the soil is expose/bare, weeds will find their ways in. Mulching will save you much time later, as far as labor. More time to enjoy garden. Less time spent to weed. :-)
FINAL step; do post a picture to share your success (just kidding - only if you wanted to).
Well, the reason I assume I need to add so much soil is because they flood when it rains really hard. Besides, I thought that since the soil level has gone down so much over the years, this would be necessary anyway. Am I off base with that?
Lily, thanks for posting those detailed instructions. :)
And Fancyvan, my hostas are monstrous, but I suspect they've been split at least somewhat in the past 2 years. Why do I think that? Because there are some piddly little, scrawny hostas in the front that look suspiciously like the two varieties in the back.
One thing I don't understand is, how do you split hostas and have them keep their round shape? Do you just arrange them in a circle, or do they mound like that on their own? One reason I'm confused is because of the aforementioned scrawny little buggers. There's nothing round about them, LOL!
Lono;
You're quite welcome. I type fast, so it doesn't take much effort. :-)
To devide hosta once the leaves are all brown off, you gently pride them off. I use a hatchet, a wooden chopping block, and cut them into small sections. (I do this carefully, make sure I won't chop any thing beside the intended plant. Tease the roots out of the way of your cutting, preserve as much of the root as you possibly can. Replant them as you go. Hosta will naturally "fill out" the area that it stands, try to position them as round as you like them. Most of my "square" transplanted hostas does round out nicely once they re-establish. Another thought, if you're creating a more "formal" garden, and like them uniformly round in shape. Use your 1 gallon pots temporarily, let them fill out in those, before you transplant them to their permanent home? Try out with those "aforementioned scrawny little buggers". You'll see the results before soon? Best of lucks.
Well Lily does it very carefully but to be honest I just take an edge cutter or a shovel and split them! and they do just fine! Maybe your scrawny little specimuns were really tiny pieces and that is why they have not done well. It does take a while for most hostas to get really large and of course there is a big difference in sizes - I have wee tiny ones to humungous ones!
I have a large hosta that I chopped 3 pieces off last year and you cant tell the difference this year!
That hosta looks lovely next to that bleeding heart.
Thank you Lono.
It is part of a section that is my 3/4 white semi shade garden!
I took out a lot of ground cover and other things a couple of years ago and only put in white flowering plants. Of course there is some colored stuff already there but I am trying!
I never would have thought of an all-white garden, but I'll bet it really stands out in the shade. Do you have flowering white ground cover as well?
Just Lamium 'White Nancy'
There is a very famous white garden in UK at Sissinghurst Castle planted by Vita Sackville-West.
This message was edited Jun 19, 2007 1:45 PM
What other plants do you grow in your white shade garden?
Caitlinsgarden: Well it has ended up not being a real white garden because there were some things already there not white and it is tough to get white flowered plants that are good in shade!
Lamium white Nancy
Astilbe Weisse Gloria
Anemone sylvestris
Cut Leaf aruncus
White Peachleaf bellflower (Campanula)
Shasta Daisy
White Bleeding Heart
Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia)
Variagated Solomens Seal
Rhodgersia
White Liatris
White Salvia
Non white plants are some Heucheras, hostas, primulas, a pale pink geranium and pale yellow foxglove.
It is currently an almost full sun garden as a couple of shrubs that provided shade were removed or cut down and new ones have not yet grown up.(Siberian Coral dogwaood, Dwarf leaf birch and yellow twig willow) And it has been a very hot summer so for a few hours at mid day I put up beach umbrellas! The picture was taken last month.
Lono, I added a new scallop edged bed the length of my back yard this year. Being the over eager I am I immediately started adding lots of plants. We'll first good rain left most of them in 2 inches of water. I had brought up the soil level by 4 inches by adding topsoil and compost but it wasn't enough. I should have raised the bed at least 8 or 9 inches for a true raise bed. I have added 2 truck loads of soil and compost since I planted. Raising it another 2 or 3 inches. I did not lift any of my plants and all are doing fine. We've had several good rains here in Georgia lately and the bed no longer floods but my plan this fall is to lift up most of the plants and get 7 or 8 loads to raise another 6 to 7 inches. If your only raising yours 2 or 3 inches my experience was not to lift.
good luck,
Arlene
I also have a small white garden. It is one of my favorite little nooks. It looks wonderful in the moonlight. Planted in it are bleeding heart, liatris, early mini daffodils, crocus, hyacinths-both giant dutch and grape, astilbe, ghost fern, Jack Frost, edelweiss, dianthus and a mini rose. It also contains self seeding allysum and pansies. Each year I fill it in with whatever white flowering annuals look good at the moment, usually ending up with snaps, cleome, dusty miller, salvia, cosmos, petunias and verbena. I can see the garden at night from my covered porch. It brings me much peace and pleasure.
