A friend recently emailed, asking advice about cleaning out and rearranging an established planting bed. She wanted to know if it would be best to dig up everything in September and plant them into containers, then replant the garden in spring. This would give her the winter to get rid of the ambitious growers she wants out of the garden, like her ginger plants. Or should she wait until spring to work on the garden? I thought I would share my response. I live in Zone 8; her garden is in Zone 7, both in the South. Further north, the ground may freeze in winter. 

Dear M, 
I would replant in fall and mulch well. In my garden, winter is a significant growing season that prepares new plants for the brutal summer. The only exception for us that I can think of offhand are palms.  Where you are, there is more snow, but the ground doesn't really freeze, so those roots can establish and grow this winter. Wait until the end of the summer season (which I judge as halfway through football season - those fans are in brutal heat for the first several games here) to dig up and divide and replant. Bearded iris like to be dug up and replanted in July and August. Those iris can go into containers for now.  

SO I would say - plan to do most of the work between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Think of it as your 2021 Shade Garden Boot Camp. Then blow the garden a kiss and let it sleep under mulch (and maybe some snow) for the winter. You can do a happy dance while you add caladiums and annuals when things warm up in spring. 


If you have a garden bed that you want to totally revamp I think it may be better for both you and your garden to put it on your calendar for this fall and take it off of your to-do list for now. No guilt. I am sure you have other things to accomplish.  Planting trees? Ask your county extension office. The best time to plant trees in my garden is Dec.-Feb. (palms after the last frost date). 

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Love, Connie