when should I move my plants from pots to the ground?

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blackthumbRose Chattanooga, TN Jul 28, 2009

I have several plants that I bought to make a butterfly garden, then found out I was moving. I potted them and brought them with, but have been in an apartment and so they have been potted for almost a full growing season. we are buying a house and hopefully will be closing end of August (in Chattannooga, TN). Should I transplant them right away, or wait, let them winter in the pots, and transplant in spring??

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lily_bud Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Jul 28, 2009

I feel your pain. I am a perennial gardener who moves around a lot, so my beautiful perennial garden exists in my mind and in a collection of pots in the backyard. Some of my potted plants have lived at 4 different houses over the past 8 years.

To answer your question, first, do you have annuals or perennials? The annuals will not last through the winter for another growing season. Fall is a perfect time to plant perennials. It gives them time to put down a good root system before cold weather comes, and the plants are not so stressed by being transplanted in hot weather. I have a lot of experience with overwintering plants in pots, and generally, planting them in the ground is going to work better.

If you are moving to a new property, the 2 most important things you can do for your garden are to make sure it is in a sunny location, and prepare the site properly. A little investment in time and materials at the beginning will pay off in years to come.

If you have questions about anything, just ask.

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lily_bud Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Jul 28, 2009

You can keep your plants healthy in the meantime by putting them into bigger pots, as needed, and fertilizing them. If you just have a few pots you can use houseplant fertilizer. Any kind of fertilizer will work; Osmokote, Miracle Grow liquid, or even spikes, just use it according to directions.

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Jul 29, 2009

If your plants have been growing indoors for a season, you need to harden them off before planting them in your new garden. Give them early morning sun then gradually increase the amount of sunlight they get otherwise the leaves will burn from the sun they aren't used to .

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