Early spring when the ground is thawed, is a good time to move your perennials. Before they get too big because this is hard on the plant. This year I plan on not waiting until they get ‘toooo’ big and it stresses the plants. Some times just moving them a few feet can mean the difference in how they will preform in the future. Perhaps they received too much sun or not enough.

Another reason to relocate is too many plants in one area, or we just want to change the garden around. I have a bed the construction of the bed is not working, so I need to move everything and find a new home until the bed can be re done.

Try not to plant too many plants in one location, give them room to grow. I know a fuller bed looks nice but when it comes to herbs they have a tendency to get happy as one of friends like to say of spreading plants.

Plants like to have room and dividing them makes the plant healthy and happy. Not the same kind of happy as the above comment. It may take a year for the plants to bloom, but next year the blooms will be better than ever.

Some plants can have the bloom period extended by cutting back. Try cutting back half of your purple cone flower (Echnicea) and or yarrow, some will boom now and some will bloom later. Zinnias, even through they are annuals work great using this method of cutting half back to bloom at a later time.

If you have a garden tour plan for late summer, cutting back will give you booms that might not otherwise be present. Be sure and do this before they bloom for the summer. Most perennials will only bloom once a year. Now their are exceptions to every rule and Stella De Ora will sometimes bloom both in the early spring and throughout the summer if it is not too dry.

To relocate a plant, dip it up carefully, try not to disturbed the roots too much. Some can take it more than others. Dig a hole slightly larger than the clump. Water the hole before planting and allow to drain completely, and fill again to make sure the hole is thoroughly watered. This will help the ground from wicking the water away from the plant. Carefully place the roots the same way there were growing and at the same depth as before.

Now an exception to the above rule about not disturbing the roots. Purple cone flower can have the dirt mostly removed and replanted. In fact I usually cut off some of the roots if the plant is at least three years old, and use the roots in a tincture. Be sure the plant is old enough because you can loose the plant if not careful. I usually don’t take all the dirt off the plant unless I want it for a tincture.

Some herbs are hard to kill as I mentioned in a previous post, I just want to restate be sure you plant it where you want it, because even a small root can spread.

Happy Gardening SK

Have you ever had a patch of grass too hard to mow? Well consider using herbs to fill in those tough spots. Creeping thyme, wooly thyme, perennial chamomile also known as Roman chamomile or pennyroyal can take some traffic without damage.These are great herbs to replace the lawn.

Just think of the fragrance released with every step. Pennyroyal is a form of mint and will also repel most insects. Creeping varieties of herbs have a wonderful feel and fragrance as you walk on them. These herbs are not hard to maintain or get started.

Herbs can be mixed with cool season grasses, such as rye, bluegrass, or fescues. They add a touch of color in cold winter regions. Roman chamomile has small white daisy like flowers.           Both have a wonderful fragrance especially when step on.

How to Grow:

Sprinkle the seeds on loosened soil (where grass is not growing) or plant seedlings in bare spots. Water well and keep soil moist until plants become established.Once established they take very little care, especially thyme. Every few years they may need to be replaced as they may get a woody center. Take cuttings or divide plants.

In the lawn where you have mixed herbs with grasses you may need to mow every other week. But in the areas with just herbs, mow only a few times a year or leave completely alone.

A Quilt for your yard:

How about creating a show piece in the yard by planting creeping thyme in quilt like pattern with creeping variety of golden marjoram. Marjoram is lime green where the thyme is dark green. Add a statue or other garden art and you will have an area everyone will notice.

Stepping Stones:

These same herbs work great around stepping stones. Other plants might include low forming sediums. Set the plants about six inches apart between the stepping stones. These herbs should fill in by the end of summer. Next year, you may need to cut back the plants to keep the area looking good.

Two thymes for these projects include low-growing English thyme and Mother of thyme. These work in sunny location or part shade. Especially after noon shade. Creeping forms of thyme will provide a dense mat as well as being durable for walking.

Roman chamomile grows best in full sun to part shade. Grows 5-6 inches tall and works in zones 4-8. Tolerates light foot traffic. Have fun with your new herbal lawn.