October is a great time to transplant shrubs and perennials such as daylilies and peonies
October is a great month for transplanting certain trees, shrubs and perennials and also for planting bulbs such as tulips, crocus and daffodils for a more colorful spring.
If you have not yet fertilized the lawn this season, then remember that a fall lawn feeding is your best defense from lawn weeds. This is because a lawn food applied now will be washed to the roots by winter rains, and lawn grasses will respond with rapid spring growth. It is this surge of new spring growth that will crowd out many weeds waiting to fill in the bare spots of an underfed lawn.
Q. When can I transplant a peony plant? — J. Email
A. The best time to transplant peonies is in the fall, so dig in anytime this month. First, cut back any peony foliage to ground level. Soak the soil if it is not moist, then dig deep to get as much of the root system and tuber as you can. Have the new hole dug and ready to accept the transplant patient.
No need to add fertilizer at this time. Nobody wants a big meal when sick or right after a transplant operation, and you want your peony to focus on root growth and winter dormancy.
Don’t be surprised if your transplanted peony decides to take a year off from blooming the spring after the big move. Peonies are long-lived perennials so worth growing in the perfect spot for years of future blooms.
Peony Tip: The most common reason for a peony not flowering is that it is planted too deep. Position the growth eye, or place where the leaves emerge, just below the surface of the soil. Do not bury the top of peonies with a mulch.
Q. I have a big clump of day lilies about 2 feet wide. They seem to be making fewer flowers each year so I know I should divide them up. My question is, how many plants I can expect to get from a big clump? I want to share some of the divisions with family members as this is a day lily that grew in my grandmother’s garden. — G.G., Sumner
A. Love your thoughtful idea of “pass-along-plants,” and long-lived perennials such as day lilies are great heritage plants to share with new generations.
The number of plants you can get from one clump depends on how patient you are and how long you want to wait for the divided plants to flower again. For a day lily clump 2 feet wide, I am going to guess you can cut it into four to six sections and each new clump should flower next year as that would give the divisions plenty of roots.
The easiest way to divide a perennial like day lily with entangled roots is to dig and lift the entire clump from the soil. Next use a small saw like the type used for cutting sheet rock. Saw through the clump into at least four sections then try to ease the side shoots away from the center of the clump. Replant into loose soil at the same level the day lilies were originally growing, or pop the divisions into nursery pots with potting soil to make them easy to share.
Don’t fret if the foliage falls off. Spring will bring a new surge of fresh green leaves with memories of your grandmother’s garden in future blooms.
Day lily tip: This tough perennial responds with more blooms if fertilized in the spring. For the best-looking plants, make it a routine to remove the faded flowers each day during the blooming season. Day lilies have flowers that last just one day (hence the name) and the faded petals detract from the new blooms.
Q. I have some moss growing in my lawn. I heard on one of your webinar talks that adding lime to the lawn would help to prevent moss. My question is when should I add the lime? — T., Email
A. Fall is a great time to add dolomite lime, calcium or “Super Sweet” as a soil additive to make your soil less acid. In Western Washington, our native soil is naturally acidic. Moss loves to grow in acid soil. Some lime is in pellet form and works faster. Read and follow the instructions on the bag for best results as there are many formulas available for sweetening the soil.
Aerating the soil before you add amendments is best as this will help the ingredients get to the grass roots.
Lawn tip: If your lawn is mostly shaded and moist, stop fighting Mother Nature and embrace having a moss lawn. A lawn of mostly moss requires less mowing, less water and my own moss lawn stays green all summer.
Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.
