Balloon flowers are challenging to dig up and transplant because they have rich pat roots — but if you must move your balloon flower , do it in spring .
Also commonly call Japanese or Chinese bellflower , theballoon flower(Platycodon grandiflorus , USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8) is so call because its flower bud appear like blistering air balloon , and they pop when squeeze .
About the Balloon Flower
The balloon bloom is a herbaceous perennial plant in the Campanulaceae family that grows from 1 to 2 foot high and a little more than a foot broad . It can handle both full sun and part shade , but the location must have well - drain soil .
in the main , the balloon floweris low maintenanceand does not need staking or pruning , but it can be place by slugs and snails when its leaves are first emerging in belated spring .
Many gardeners favor this reliable bloomer in rock ‘n’ roll garden , in particular , the cultivar Astra Blue ( Platycodon grandiflorus’Astra Blue ' ) .
Flower coloration include white , blue , purple and pink . The flower color is less vibrant in partial wraith . Some diverseness have balloon - corresponding bud that do n’t in reality open into a flower .
Prolong this plant ’s efflorescence time by deadheading its prime by snipping them off when they are spend .
Transplanting a Balloon Flower
If you have a fledged balloon flower plant , it may not graft successfully , because its roots will be well established . Younger plants with small rootballs are light to dig up and transplant . That aver , let ’s consider the good scheme when you need to transplant a balloon blossom , whatever its age .
If your flower does n’t make it , call up that propagation by seed is common and sluttish with balloon flowers , so you should be capable to supercede your prime .
Tip
o.k. Gardeningprovides a video on dividing perennial that have taproots . Division first entails digging out the rootball , so the physical process is similar to transplant an entire plant , but you then terminate up with multiple industrial plant . One central point is to slit the roots into pieces while ensuring each piece has a section of the taproot itself ; otherwise , the Modern class will fail to grow .
Transplant in Spring
Before even believe about transplanting , consider the time of twelvemonth . For the best outcome , architectural plan for fountain , probably early spring , because you need to have completed this task long before new emergence appear and the growing season begins .
Water the Plant Well
First off , irrigate your flora deep . This loosen the stain around it and provides it with wet during the process .
Prepare the New Location
Before turn over out your plant life , prepare its address . take a localisation with well - draining land in either full sun or part shade .
Dig a pickle about the same size as you look the rootball to be . Your end is to put the rootball into this hole at the same level as it was in its existing locating . Then , irrigate the hole .
Dig Out the Plant
This is the laborious part , not only because it may entail a pot of excavator and spade study and maybe pickaxing , but because it also requires as much finesse as you’re able to muster to specify damage to the rootball and its taproot .
labour a trench in a roundabout around the plant , large enough to accommodate as much of the rootball ’s breadth as you’re able to . Then , dig as deeply as potential around the plant life , trying to get under the rootball . Your destination is to off a wide of the mark belt of soil around the industrial plant so the root organization will be entire .
Using your spadeful ( and perhaps another person with an extra shovel if the flora is large ) , lift out the rootball , retain the grease .
If the rootball is large , it may be helpful to place it on a tarp and drag it to its novel position .
Replant the Plant
Place the rootball into the kettle of fish you prepared and cover it with filth . Tamp the soil down with your foot and water it thoroughly . Then hope for the best . If new growth emerge , your flora has made it .
