moving aqualigias

[leona]

sorry if iv spelt it wrong. i found 2 plants growing in the corner of the garden. i didnt plant them there but id like to move them to somewhere we can actually see them. do they need shade? should i wait until the seeds have set etc as id quite like to collect some or if i move them will they still set seed after?

[Alice]

If you want the seed I would let them seed first, then cut them down and move them. But aquilegia seeds all over the place by itself and the seeds don't come true to the parents. They can be a bit of a weed popping up just where you don't want them.

[pigletwillie]

Ahh but such a pretty weed Alice.

[jacob marley]

A weed is only a plant in the wrong some are good some aint so good jacob

[valmarg]

leona, if you leave the aquilegias too long before moving, they will get so well established that it will be very hard work to dig them up. I would risk it now, before they get too big. You can always keep them in a bucket of water until you have decided where to plant them.

I've been lazy with two plants, which I am pretty certain are Nora Barlow. I have a pink and purple. They are beautiful, but they are in the wrong place in the garden. It will be an an enormous task to dig them out (thanks to my idleness). They are so well rooted, it will take a hell of a lot of digging to get them out.

If you dig your plants out now, and forego any seed this year. Plant them where you want them, and you should get good plants and loads of seed next year.

They are beautiful, but if left to their own devices, can become a bit of a thug!!

valmarg

[JennieAtkinson]

I moved a number this time last year Leona, and whilst they were a bit poor last year, they seem to be coming on fine this year.

[leona]

one plant was quite small so i dug it up and put it in a pot because i havnt decided where to put it. its started flowering again so cant be too unhappy. the 2 plants i found were both in deep shade so do they prefer shade or are they ok in full sun?

[Birdie Wife]

They don't like being moved particularly, so they may not flower the year after, but they are hardy little blighters so should come back up fine, even if you don't get all the root up. If you want to minimise root disturbance, try and dig around the plant and life the whole root ball up with the soil it's in, and transplant the whole lump.