this time of year.. many of us are simply collecting pots.. in full bright shade.. and holding them over for fall planting ....

tip them out of the pot.. and find out what the roots look like ...

if they look OK ... plant them on a rainy day ...

if the roots are overly mature.. and circling.. and you will need to do some serious root interference .... imo.. wait until fall ...

ken

this time of year.. many of us are simply collecting pots.. in full bright shade.. and holding them over for fall planting ....

You are much more patient than I young Ken. (If I collected say...6 potted plants to put in the ground when the weather is tip top perfect than by that time 3 or more would have gone to plant heaven).

I have successfully planted perennials in every month from May to maybe even into December (at least late November). Of course as one would easily surmise, consistent water (some artificial shade if you can swing it) will be the elixir of life for new plantings during the hot times.

I'm not even remotely an expert, I can just offer my experience. Six years ago, in similar conditions, our entire landscape was installed. The plants looked awful for 10-14 days due to transplant shock, but ended up coming through OK. Watered extensively daily.

I just bought a potted grapevine. I plan to plant it mid-August, which will still give it plenty of time to get rooted. I am waiting in large part because I will be out of town for about 10 days between now and then. Were I not going out of town, I probably would chance it once 100 degrees seems very unlikely.

I am in a suburb of Denver myself. f I do plant plants in the landscape right now, I will usually shade them for several days up to a week after planting. I use old umbrellas or laundry baskets or shade fabric hung over a tomato cage or something that gives them shade but lets in some light. Give them water every day.

Also, keep in mind some perennials are stronger than others. So your mileage may vary.

Thanks all!

I decided to temporarily leave the plants in their pots/saucers and placed them around some shrubs where they received about 4 hours of direct sun and then were shaded the rest of the afternoon. They're Yellow Yarrow, Crocosmia Lucifer, and Pin cushion.

Today being my day off I gardened from 9:30 to 12:00, by noon I was baked and I was in/out of the shade. I swear I had a mini heat stroke, sometimes I just don't know when to stop.

Yarrow is a tough plant (meaning good and strong). I see Crocosmia sitting out in full sun on black-top parking lots at the big box store so it's probably fine. Pin cushion is probably a bit more delicate.

If I have anything that I'm not ready to plant, I put the pot in a couple of inches of water (I use dish washing tubs) and put it in the shade. The hot/dry climate combined with the very intense sun her can be a really killer.

Hey if you're in this area, be sure to check this forum for the Fall plant swap. Lots of other like-minded people getting together to trade plants. And bringing plants to trade is not a necessity. You will not leave empty-handed!

What Rouge said. I neither gave the time or space to create much of a holding place. I plant and move plants mercilessly. Tough love. I may have lost some blooming in the season due to my recklessness, but whatever. Got much on the go...

I usually just go ahead and plant them and just make sure that they are kept watered. They generally struggle for a bit but come out of it okay and stronger for the experience.

I do what Margaret does as I find it requires more work to keep plants in containers and shade until Fall. It typically takes a week for plants to get used to the heat. I would water them more often. Keeping them potted and shade control may be a better way but I just want to get them planted so I don't worry about them.

I also plant in the summer -- a lot of good stuff on sale! I think keeping plants in small nursery pots in sweltering heat is worse for the plants and more time-consuming for the gardener. Keeping them shaded for the first couple of weeks is critical.

As a follow-up here, I planted the Himrod grape vine I was holding in a pot in mid-July. Even with the heat, it is doing great - lots of new growth and leaves.

It's certainly possible, while not ideal, to plant now. I'm waiting till I see cooler weather though. I can plant pretty much year round, so no rush.

And it's just more convenient to water one place than all around the yard/garden for now.

by noon I was baked and I was in/out of the shade. I swear I had a mini heat stroke, sometimes I just don't know when to stop.

==>>> sounds like a good indicator.. as to when its NOT time to plant ... lol ... imagine how a plant with disturbed roots would take it all ....

we have all done it both ways ... and as seasoned gardeners.. can get past many difficulties a newb might not ...

all i meant to suggest ... is that there are easier times... for peeps with less experience .. to do these things ... if they want to jump straight to the hard way ... all the power to them ... and they might find out.. its not all that hard a way .. if you are out there checking them every day ... and can supply the water they need to get over the shock ...

ken

Oh, and I agree Ken...that's why my plants are sitting in their pots.