When is a good time to plant a smooth hydrangea?

[Heruga]

I want to buy and plant a couple smooth hydrangeas(hydrangea arborescens incrediball). Would fall be the best time to plant it? I know macrophyllas like to be planted in the fall but how about arborescens?

 

[Esther Knapicius]

all these years, never heard of a "smooth" hydrangea. ???? If your shrub is now in a pot from the nursery then would plant it now. IN SHADE.

 

[Heruga]

Well I didn't buy it yet. But don't they like part sun? If I plant it in shade now, then I would eventually have to transplant it in a partly sunny location wouldn't I?

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Part Sun, Part Shade, and the difference is?????? Most of mine are planted in shade. Some have had to adjust to more sun, since we took down 8 trees in one of the areas, so they get about 4 hours of sun, then the sun moves and the house gives them shade, so far they are doing well.

 

[Heruga]

Well I thought you meant complete shade. As in shade all day. The area I want to plant them gets around 3 hours of morning sun so I guess thats good then.
By the way, a bit off topic but you said to plant potted plants now. So does that mean I can't just buy my plants now from the nursery and wait to plant it in the fall? I have a specific Japanese maple I want from the nursery and the nursery is doing a 40% off sale until August. I want to take advantage of the sale since the Japanese maple is pretty expensive. So I was thinking of buying the Japanese maple now and keep it in shade until september when I will be planting it. Is that a bad idea? The location will be getting like 5 hours of sun.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Transplant in the fall, that does not mean move from pot to ground, that means move from ground to ground. I just put in 2 shrubs and a plant. I like sitting them overnight in lots of water so they shuck up all they can. The hole I dug was a little deeper than the pot, then put better soil on the bottom to bring it up to where the level of the plant would be. The diameter was about 6 inches further out than the original pot. I then discarded the soil and used nice top soil to fill in the whole. Keeping the level of the hole the same straight level of the soil line in the ground. I hope this helps you. Sometime it is also good that when you get a new plant in a pot, that you let it sit in the pot for a week to get it used to the new lighting etc. but make sure it gets watered . You can plant the Japanese maple now, or let it sit in the area till then, neither will hurt it.
However, how long as the maple been in that pot to begin with? maybe its crying to be free by now, especially since its been at the nursery all this time.

 

[Heruga]

Transplant in the fall, that does not mean move from pot to ground, that means move from ground to ground. I just put in 2 shrubs and a plant. I like sitting them overnight in lots of water so they shuck up all they can. The hole I dug was a little deeper than the pot, then put better soil on the bottom to bring it up to where the level of the plant would be. The diameter was about 6 inches further out than the original pot. I then discarded the soil and used nice top soil to fill in the whole. Keeping the level of the hole the same straight level of the soil line in the ground. I hope this helps you. Sometime it is also good that when you get a new plant in a pot, that you let it sit in the pot for a week to get it used to the new lighting etc. but make sure it gets watered . You can plant the Japanese maple now, or let it sit in the area till then, neither will hurt it.
However, how long as the maple been in that pot to begin with? maybe its crying to be free by now, especially since its been at the nursery all this time.

Oh ok then I guess I will buy this Japanese maple, plant it in area with mostly shade, then transplant in the fall in a sunnier location. I was just worried that any location in general in the summer, shady or not, would be too hot for Japanese maples. But thanks for the planting tips, that was really helpful.
And Well I didn't see this Japanese maple in the nursery until early July so it was recently bought in I think. So I am guessing now would be a good time to buy it.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

why are you moving it twice???? I would not move it twice. Why can't you plant it at its permanent place???

 

[Heruga]

Oh because it will be in a sunny location and I thought planting in full sun in a july especially for Japanese maples(laceleaf variety-waterfall) would be too much heat for it? So its ok to plant in the sun? And you said this: Transplant in the fall, that does not mean move from pot to ground, that means move from ground to ground. I just put in 2 shrubs and a plant.
I thought you meant plant stuff now in shade to protect from heat and transplant in fall again.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

You need to plant it, where it will do well all year, and be done with it.

 

[Heruga]

So you are saying it is ok to plant a Japanese maple in sun in July?

 

[Esther Knapicius]

This makes no sense. What are you planning to do move it again next year???? Find the forever, correct, spot for it.