Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a perennial plant that is drought tolerant and is a very popular choice for your gardens. However Russian sage is invasive and will need to be divided and transplanted in this article we cover When To Transplant Russian Sage and How To Transplant Russian Sage
Can You Transplant Russian Sage
Yes, you can easily transplant your Russian Sage to a new location which you will especially need to do so to avoid winter and when propagating Russian sage seedlings into your garden. Russian sage spreads so it makes the division of the Russian sage plant and transplanting Russian sage a necessary requirement
When To Transplant Russian Sage
The best time to transplant Russian sage is in early spring but do wait a little longer if you live in a cold area until the soil has started to feel warm and then transplant it. If you transplant Russian sage in early spring then you are transplanting it just before the growing season and giving it a good chance to grow into a healthy plant before summer.
How To Transplant Russian Sage
Step 1: Prepare the Soil for New Location for Russian Sage
Before you transplant the Russian sage you need to prepare the soil at the new location. Make sure the soil you have selected is loose and drains well add some compost to the soil so as to ensure that water drains well and the soil still remains moist evenly. Use a garden fork and make sure that you loosen the soil at the new site for planting to a depth of 12 to 15 inches and add compost and mix it well with a garden fork or shovel. When adding compost make sure that layer of compost is at least 2 to 4 inches thick.
Step 2: Dig Out the Russian Sage
When digging the Russian sage out of the soil you have to be careful so as to not damage the roots of the plant. Russian sage is usually 3 to 5 inches in height and has a width of 2 to 4 inches due to this when you loosen the plant from its current place some amount of damage to roots is unavoidable but try to minimize it at much as possible. Before you transplant Russian sage make sure you prune the plant to make it more manageable height. When Digging up Russian sage you have to dig in a wide area around the Russian Sage plant so that you dig out soil as well as all the roots of the plant without causing any damage.
Take a Garden Shovel or Fork and put it in the soil one foot away from the central stems of the Russian sage plant and use it as a lever to pull out the plant. You have to repeat the process all around the plant maintaining a distance of one foot until you have managed to get the root balls out of the soil. Make sure that you dig carefully and if you see any roots move your shovel or fork farther away.
After getting the root balls outside lift the plant and place it on a solid surface and start removing all the excess soil that doesn’t have roots that will help lighten the plant’s weight when you will lift it. Make sure that while digging the plant out of soil you are wearing gloves as some leaves of this plant can be allergic to some gardeners.
At this stage, if you are dividing the plant make sure that you gently move the roots of the plant apart so that the roots are not harmed.
Step 3: Transplanting Russian Sage
You need to dig a hole that is at least two and a half feet deep and 1 foot wide usually though it needs to be as wide as the root balls of Russian sage and place the plant in the center of the hole so that the base of the plant is level with the hole and is as deep as it was in its original growing location. Add extra soil or remove if required at the base of the hole so that it is filled completely and make sure that the soil line can be seen just at the root level and now your plant has been transplanted. If you are planting more than one make sure you provide adequate spacing between them which is usually 18 inches for Russian sage.
After you dig up the Russian sage make sure you take it new location and transplant it immediately afterward in order to reduce the chances of its roots getting dried up. You can also try to place the root balls in a container that has water so that the roots remain moist before you actually transplant them.
Caring For Russian Sage After Transplanting It
Russian sage is usually a low-maintenance plant and should face very few problems after transplanting it but make sure of the following things
- The new planting location for the Russian sage plant should have full sunlight.
- The new planting location should not have clay or wet soil as that can have the risk of root rot
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