Plus, these pleasant little plants offer easy-care appeal and color. Keep as much of the soil ball intact as you remove the plant from the ground. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. These roots anchor the plant and help it get the water and nutrients it … Let the plant root into the soil for several weeks before planting it in the ground. Inspect the roots and remove any that may be dead or rotten. The best time to plant sedum is in the spring—after the threat of frost but before the heat of summer kicks in. No matter which technique you choose, this task is best performed in the early spring, when the plant reaches about 4 inches in height. In winter it will take on shades of orange to red. It is the ease of cuttings which is surprising about this plant. Choose a location in the full sun for planting your sedum. This will reduce weeds while keeping the right temperature and moisture levels in the soil. Plant in groups wherever bright color is needed and before long, a carpet of deep mauve-pink blooms will appear, giving beauty and texture to sloping sites, mass plantings and more! In this case, simply lay the stem along the ground and barely cover the node where the roots are attached. She has a degree in English from the University of Vermont. Water the plant thoroughly. They are ready to go in the ground as soon as the soil can be turned over and isn't too wet. As an adaptive plant, it also easily takes root from cuttings. There are two ways you can start more sedum plants. When you take a stem cutting, you’re removing a portion of stem from the mother plant and forcing it to generate an entirely new root system. Add moistened seed-starting mix to a pot with drainage holes. Prepare the soil by mixing Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Garden Soil with your native soil. Water the soil lightly. They crawl over the soil media layer and have very shallow roots. Keep the potting soil moist until the cutting begins to grow. Upright sedums like Autumn Joy grow 2 feet (0.61 m) tall, have large flowers, and should be planted near other perennials. Dig a hole deep and wide enough to accommodate the bare sedum root. Press the soil down but do not compact it. When to Plant Sedum. Sedum: Bare Root or Potted Plant Perennial. Sedum can also grow through divisions. Water the plant thoroughly. Sedum has a low toxicity if eaten, so avoid ingestion. The plant needs some air circulation so although it will thrive against a wall or fence, avoid planting it in the corner of two walls fences. Push the spade under the soil ball and pry the roots free from the soil. Spread out the roots before covering. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 10,084 times. Gently knock away any soil from the roots of the plant. Soil pH can be tested with a kit found at most gardening stores or online. Place the root portion of the plant in water and let it soak before you plant - several hours for woody plants; 10-20 minutes for perennials, asparagus, strawberries, etc. By using our site, you agree to our. Add mulch, such as wood chips or gravel, around the sedum plant. The plants in this picture were successful in sunny, 12” strips between steps made of railroad ties. Although lovely, sedums are often taken for granted in the garden, partly because they dont bloom until the fall, but also because they require so little care from the gardener. Check for roots by gently tugging on the stem. Plant sedum seeds in early spring in well-drained, average to rich soil. The large Sedum plant is the original plant, to the left is a cutting the following year and the small plants the next year. Excellent drainage is essential for sedum. Press the soil down but do not compact it. Trim off any long roots or rotted areas of your sedum. You can also plant divisions or cuttings instead of seeds. The roots should be a light beige color and firm to the touch. Do not plant your bare-root sedums too deep as the crowns will rot. Add the planting mix into the hole, mix with the existing soil and water thoroughly. Overwatering and overfertilizing can hurt the plants far worse than not watering or fertilizing. We recommend planting them about an inch deep. All Rights Reserved. You can do this any time the plants are actively growing. Dig a hole eight to 10 inches deep and about eight inches wide. Ice-plants. Avoid planting sedum on overly hot summer days. The National Gardening Association recommends forming a cone out of the soil in the hole. Low-growing and vigorous species will tolerate partial shade. The seeds for sedum are very tiny and may be hard to see against the soil. Backfill with soil, adjusting the sedum so that the crown is just below the soil surface, The crown is just above the roots and below where the stems will form. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Most sedums can survive the frosts of winter unprotected when left outside. There are advantages to planting bare-root sedum over sedums in containers, according to the National Gardening Association. Cuttings taken from new growth root more easily than cuttings from older stems. There are advantages to planting bare-root sedum over sedums in containers, according to the National Gardening Association. Leave the top leaves above the soil so the sedum can still get sunlight. We stop by Sedum Chicks to learn more and to see how to plant them. One is to take stem cuttings and the other is to take leaf cuttings. Plant your bare-roots within two days of receiving them. As you are taking your cuttings, store them in a sandwich bag to keep them from drying out, this is best practice when taking … They are ready to go in the ground as soon as the soil can be turned over and isn't too wet. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Plant-Sedum-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Plant-Sedum-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Plant-Sedum-Step-1.jpg\/aid9887527-v4-728px-Plant-Sedum-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"410","licensing":"