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Wednesday - May 13, 2009

From: Grenville sur la rouge, QC
Region: Canada
Topic: Best of Smarty, Planting, Transplants, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Transplanting Trillium in Quebec.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I live in the Laurentiens of Quebec where they are putting a HWY in my back yard. I have a lot of white trillium that I am wanting to transplant before they start the excavation but, I have heard the they don’t transplant very well unless you dig up the whole bulb of the flower, is this true if so how far down and wide do you have to dig to make sure your flowers you are transplanting stay a live? Thank you,

ANSWER:

From what I have found, it is true that Trillium does not transplant well. According to various sources, your timing is also bad; some suggest that you attempt transplanting in early spring, and others prefer the fall after flowering. In your case, it doesn't seem like you have any choice. So as you proceed, keep thinking that its is difficult, but not impossible.

A previous question deals with the issues involved in transplanting Trillium, and you should be able to glean some good information from it. A Master Gardener fact sheet from the Toronto Botanical Garden should also prove helpful. For a source of help closer to home try Flora Quebeca.

Two helpful hints that I have picked up in researching this question:

1. Dig carefully with a spading fork, not a shovel, to avoid slicing the rhizomes which may lead to infection.

2. Leave as much soil as possible surrounding the rhizomes.