The Best Times to Transplant Silverado Sage

Pink Flowers and Silver Leaves

• Silverado sage is smaller than the native plant, growing as a small shrub that's usually 2 to 5 feet tall with an equal spread. It has silvery-green leaves and a rounded growth habit that's dense from the base to the plant's top, unlike the more leggy, open-formed native plant. A perfect plant for xeriscaping, Silverado sage blooms in spring and summer, covering itself in small but attractive pink flowers. Brown capsules containing small, wrinkled seeds follow the flowers in a few weeks.

When To Transplant

• If you decide to move a Silverado sage plant, some planning can help ensure success. The best time for transplanting is in early spring, just before the plant begins to put out new growth. Timing depends to some extent on your plant hardiness zone, but should be when danger of long-lasting spring frost has passed. Moving the plant in early spring lets it start growing new roots below ground, helping nourish the plant before warm sun and longer days stimulate the start of growth above ground. You can also transplant the plant in early fall, several weeks before weather remains cold, so that root growth begins before the plant enters dormancy.

Preparing The Site

• Before moving a Silverado sage plant, spend some time preparing the new site. Remove any weeds from the area, as well as any roots from nearby plants that could compete for soil nutrients. Turn the soil at the new site, using a spade to aerate the soil and loosen its layers. You can add some compost to the site if it's highly compacted, or contains lots of rocks or gravel, but do this sparingly, because Silverado sage grows well and blooms best in poorer soil.

How to Transplant

• Before transplanting a Silverado sage, water the plant well to prepare it for the move and help keep soil in place around the roots. If it's a large plant or you're moving it some distance, wrap the root ball in burlap for transport, removing this when you re-plant. Use a sharp spade to cut through roots around the plant, making the root ball as large as is manageable and keeping as many roots in place as possible. Place the plant in a hole wider than the root ball, planting it at the same depth as it was in its old spot. Back fill the hole with soil, and water the plant well, flooding the root ball and disturbed soil to ensure no air pockets remain around the roots. Keep the transplant watered well for its first season in the new spot to help it become well established.