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claireplymouth

Best time to transplant pokeberries?

I have a couple of big pokeberries (Phytolacca americana) that planted themselves too close to the wall of my house. They're so close that they can't stay upright in a heavy rain because all of the growth is on one side. Thus they topple over even though I try to stake them.

I want to move them a few feet out (I love to see the flowers and berries out my kitchen window).

When is the best, or a reasonable time to transplant them? Now? Fall? Next spring?

I tried moving a small one a few weeks ago and it still looks like wilted spinach, although not dead.

My first thought is to wait until the berries ripen and drop (or get eaten), and then move the plants, but I'm worried that the root won't survive the winter if it doesn't have time to reestablish itself.

Pokeberries don't act like shrubs - they're very big herbs that die down in the winter. I don't know how to deal with very big herbs that die down in the winter.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Claire

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