Report From An Opinionated Gardener – May 2
I’ve been transplanted several times in my life. I moved from California to Indiana and Wisconsin in my youth, and from Wisconsin to California, New York and Massachusetts as an adult. I view all of these moves as a blessing. In moving from one part of the country to another you find that there are good people everywhere, and that the pursuit of a meaningful life is possible no matter where you are.
Transplantation is on my mind in the spring. Although there are those that believe that moving plants is best done in the fall, I don’t agree. At this time of year everything is telling plants to grow and regenerate.
Perhaps of greater importance is our attention to the landscape from May though August: when we move plants in the fall we are likely to turn off hoses shortly thereafter, and we forget that these transplants need watering every week if it doesn’t rain. In fall our attention shuts down along with the irrigation.
At this time of year we’re thinking about our landscape, and we’re likely to continue to do so for at least the next four months. This means we’ll pay attention to recently moved plants, watering, mulching and amending the soil around them.
When a living thing, person or plant, has been disrupted and moved to a new location, a period of adjustment naturally follows. What’s important to recognize is that thought should be placed toward the reestablishment of life supporting systems.
In and out of the garden we want to cultivate future growth.
The entry garden looks good at this time of year but I know that there are several plants that need to be transplanted. I have to get the perennial geraniums that were labeled 'Rozanne' but clearly not that cultivar out asap. The Solidago 'Little Lemon' also have to be placed elsewhere...they might be perfect in a less prominent part of the landscape but they don't do the job here.
