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Gardening with Allen: Move and plant in February, March

By Allen Wilson, Columbian freelance writer
Published: February 1, 2025, 6:07am

I have some shrubs that are too crowded. I read that February and March are the best months to plant or move trees and shrubs. Is that really true given our rainy weather?

Yes, although the weather is usually rainy, there are breaks in the weather when planting can be done quite comfortably. Roots begin growing at colder temperatures than leaves. Planting when it is cool and soil is moist gives roots a chance to get established before they have to support new top growth. This is particularly true when plants are moved to a new location. There is always a loss of roots when plants are moved. Much less care and attention are needed than during hotter weather.

  • Moving plants too large for their planting space

A common problem with almost all landscapes is to have plants installed which outgrow their space and intrude on walks, walls or windows. February and March is the ideal time to move trees and shrubs while they are dormant. If shrubs are too close together, now is a good time to remove some of them, giving the remaining shrubs enough room to be attractive without shearing them into artificial shapes.

Landscape contractors can move quite large trees and shrubs, using a “tree spade.”

When shopping for new replacement plants, be sure to check the mature height and width. This is the size the plant will reach in five to 10 years. Ultimate sizes (after 12 or more years) can be as much as a third larger than “mature size” in the Pacific Northwest.

  • Landscape remodeling

Now is a great time to make plans for changes in your landscape. If you have a new home or want extensive remodeling, you may want to consult a landscape architect or landscape designer.

These professionals are much more available now than they will be if you wait until later.

For most of us, some books for ideas and graph paper for sketches are adequate tools. I like to start by browsing through my own books and make visits to the library and bookstores. Most of the books on gardening and landscaping are in one location at bookstores.

I check the online catalog at the library by subject, such as gardening, landscaping, perennial flowers, etc. Then I go to the shelves and browse through the books on subjects in which I am interested. There are several good series of books on specific subjects such as Sunset and Ortho.

I like to put my design sketches on graph paper. I measure the area I want to redesign and then mark it off at one square equals a foot or 2 feet on the graph paper. Then when I go to shop for plants, the sketch tells me how much space I have to fill and how many plants I need to fill the area.

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Columbian freelance writer