Best time to start planting out?

CraighB

Hi guys,

I wondered when is the best time to start planting out potted plants and transplanting other plants in the garden?

I have lots of plants in pots that I have grown from cuttings and seed such as foxgloves, delphiniums and cornflowers and I'm itching to get them into the ground

thanks

craigh

Last edited: 04 February 2017 10:29:30

Logan

Hi Craigh

It all depends on were they are at the moment. If their in the green house you'll have to harden them off. I would wait until end of may. If they're out side you can., but not when it's frosty ground. Also it depends where you live, in the south it will be earlier than the North.

Last edited: 04 February 2017 12:37:10

Fairygirl

In theory, you can plant out a potted plant at any time as long as the ground's suitable - ie not frozen or waterlogged. 

However, anything small is likely to get damaged by being planted out now, and by that I mean anything not in at least a  6 or 7 inch pot with a decent root system on it. Something tough like foxgloves would probably be ok, even at a small size, but delphiniums are slug fodder so I certainly wouldn't put those out for a good while, and cornflowers the same. As Logan says, if they're under cover just now, you'll have to harden them off a bit anyway. 

Ideally, you'd grow them on till they're a decent size and plant out then. Weather and molluscs will devastate anything little. 

Obelixx

It is unfair and unwise to put plants grown in pots out in the garden before the worst of the winter frosts are over and that depends on where you are and how exposed you are.   Even hardy plants will need hardening off which means moving them from the shelter of a greenhouse or conservatory to a cold frame and then gradually exposing them to outdoor temps by day and covering them again at night.

As FG says, foxgloves will be tougher than delphiniums and also safe from slugs and snails.   I wouldn't put out cornflowers before late March so I suggest you pot everything on into the next size of pot with good compost so they can continue to grow without check.

CraighB

Thanks guys

Well all of these plants are outside protected under clear tarp and when there Is a frost I bring them into the coal shed for the night.

I think I will continue to pot them on for now as there are quite a lot of frosts predicted over the next week here in Leicester.

my delphiniums that are already in the ground have 4-5 inch shoots at the minute, should I leave them or chop them off??

Obelixx

Leave them but scatter slug pellets thinly or the shoots will be chopped off by slimesters.