AboutTom Alonzo Expertise I have been a gardener for 20 years with perennials both growing from seed and from nurseries. I went through the Master Gardener Program from Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service and I answered questions on the Hotline a few years ago for the Wyandotte County Kansas Extension Service. I have also lived in the Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Missouri and am experienced with a variety of climates, soils and weather conditions.
Experience I have been growing perennials for over 20 years now. I am self-taught mostly except for a master gardener class. I have experimented with all kinds of perennials including many that are not common to my area. I have read hundreds of books and grown hundreds of varieties of plants and hope to make it a business some day. I have become versed in botanical names and growing conditions and what I don't know off of the top of my head I can usually easily find in my vast array of research material and botanical and horticultural contacts. I especially enjoy experimenting with growing plants out of zone.
Question Purple coneflowers have taken over my garden and I would like to transplant some of them. I'm reading early spring is best, fall is best, and mature ones are hard to transplant. What is the real truth about transplanting them? They seem to be growing like weeds.
Answer Hi BJ,
Thanx for your question. Mature purple coneflowers are difficult to transplant successfully because they have a long taproot. Dig up and transplant smaller plants in the spring after the last fall or in the late fall. Purple coneflower likes direct sun. I hope this helps.
Tom
