Stupid questions about things I've not done before

It was a weird year for gardening. Almost everything failed. I've also moved my garden. This is where the questions come in.

I want to move almost everything from all the random spots I have them to the new orchard/garden. Everything in my area is still acting like it's July though. I don't want to dig them up to transfer and kill them. Opinions? This is herbs, asparagus, flowers and some fruit trees I'm talking about.



My second question is about fertilizing everything. I've got pig poop. I'd like to put some of it around the trees and bushes I have and throw some randomly about the garden area for next year. Opinions on that?

Assuming you're not planting until spring, that should be fine to lay it out on the beds for next year. Just don't go nuts, and add some carbon material as well so it will break down well.

As far as putting it around trees, I don't see any problem as long as it's not super fresh. But I think you'd be better off to throw it in a compost pile this fall, mixed in with carbon sources, and work it into the ground in the spring to feed the trees. If you're in a temperate climate, your trees are going into dormancy and you don't really want to fertilize them now.

As far as moving things, let them go into dormancy. I'd wait until spring and plant them. That way, you can prepare the new spots now with the pig manure and it will have broken down enough that by spring, when you dig stuff up and water it in well, it should do super well.

If you break the grow cycle now, it could set things back more.

I was always told to move plants in the fall. No? I assumed the asparagus at least would need to be moved in fall. Please correct me if I'm wrong because I don't move things a lot. Pretty much never, actually.


I can wait until spring to move. Thanks!



Being not good at composting I tend to compost in place. So if I don't throw random poop over it's unlikely anything will happen with it. I'm awful!

Elle,

If you are dead set on moving everything, I would wait a couple months till everything goes dormant.  I am not certain exactly what your climate is like, but I would wait till the leaves dropped their leaves.  Hopefully this will be during cool but not freezing weather.  Cool temperatures are a great time for transplanting as the roots get a chance to get a bit established before the growing season sets in.

Just my thoughts,

Eric

Yeah, to clarify, if you can move things in the spring before they break dormancy, that's best. If not, I'd wait until after a frost forces them into dormancy (but before the ground turns hard if you're in the north). The key is to move them when they're not actively growing.

I don't think it will hurt to put the manure down as long as it's not fresh. Or put the freshest stuff on next year's garden beds.

I don't move stuff much but when I have to do it in the fall, I aim for early fall.  So the plants have stopped growing/flowering but have enough time to get their roots reestablished before winter hits.

elle sagenev wrote:Being not good at composting I tend to compost in place. So if I don't throw random poop over it's unlikely anything will happen with it. I'm awful!

How is it possible to be bad at composting?  Or do you mean that you don't like doing it, so you tend not to put in the necessary effort to do it effectively?  

Even if you don't like to do it, given that you're embarking on a huge project of moving stuff, this might be the time to force yourself, at least a little bit.  Throwing random poop around probably works just fine under normal circumstances, but these aren't normal circumstances.

Elizabeth Geller wrote:

elle sagenev wrote:Being not good at composting I tend to compost in place. So if I don't throw random poop over it's unlikely anything will happen with it. I'm awful!

How is it possible to be bad at composting?  Or do you mean that you don't like doing it, so you tend not to put in the necessary effort to do it effectively?  

Even if you don't like to do it, given that you're embarking on a huge project of moving stuff, this might be the time to force yourself, at least a little bit.  Throwing random poop around probably works just fine under normal circumstances, but these aren't normal circumstances.

I work full time with about to be 3 kids a farm and about 4 groups I'm involved/in charge of. I'm lucky to accomplish anything. I have no desire to turn a compost pile, ever. If I have the time to be doing things, I'm doing things higher priority to me than that.

Plus I did try the whole chicken composting thing. Made a pile in there. We just don't make enough waste to make much compost to begin with.

You don't have to turn it to age your manure.   You can just let it sit in a pile for the winter.  Or a year.   or until you get to it again.   As far as moving plants,  as long as it's not hot and dry still,  I move around a lot of stuff in the fall.    I want to give it 4-6 weeks before we get hard freeze so it has time to get settled in.   I watch weather for a cool week with a little rain, but make do with watering if I need to.   Most stuff will do fine imo,  especially the hardier things.  Good luck!   Gardening success involves some trial and error,  don't be afraid of mistakes, otherwise known as learning experiences!

you could move just after they drop leaves, late fall. you can also move just before they break dormancy, just before spring. i would wait a week or 3.

as far as compost, you can just makes spots to dump. dig a pit besides new beds or established beds, and dump stuff there every so often, collected in a sealed bucket in kitchen.
keep card board or actual boards over it, something over it anyway. then later either dig it out to use, or throw more cardboard/then soil/then plant it up.

hey maybe...some ideas anyway. this is how i compost, the major lazy way. just dump in a pit, top with cardboard and build sheet mulch on top.