Plant a nursery pot at the old soil line, or a tuber in fall.
Plant a nursery pot at the old soil line, or a tuber in fall
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Fall for tubers once nights are cool; spring or fall for a nursery pot | Do not leave a dry tuber on a warm shelf all winter |
| Set | Nursery crown at the old soil line; tuber about 3 to 4 inches deep | Do not plant a tuber in a waterlogged hole, or treat 1 inch as the only depth |
| Spacing | Tubers about 4 inches apart; nursery clumps 8 to 12 inches | Do not crowd a tuber against a wet wall |
| Ground | Leafy soil that drains | Do not plant a tuber in a pot that freezes and thaws |
Set a nursery plant at the same depth it grew in the pot. Spring-tuber kinds such as George Baker go in during fall, as soon as they arrive, about 3 to 4 inches deep and 4 inches apart in leafy soil that drains. [1] Blue Panda and lutea take the nursery soil-line set. [2] Confirm the habit on Types of Corydalis before you dig.
- Knock a potted plant from its container and tease circling roots if the ball is tight.
- Dig a hole as deep as the root ball. Backfill with the same soil plus compost. Set the old soil line at the new surface.
- For a tuber, plant in fall once nights are cool. Set it about 3 to 4 inches deep and 4 inches apart. Water once to settle.
- Mark the spot. Spring tubers vanish by early summer, and you will not see them again until next year.
- After planting, shade, water, and when to cut the leaves are on How to Grow Corydalis.
How deep do I plant corydalis?
A nursery pot sits at the old soil line. A spring tuber goes about 3 to 4 inches deep. Do not treat 1 inch as the only depth.
When should I plant corydalis?
Potted plants in spring or fall, not into a soggy freeze. Tubers in fall as soon as they arrive, so they do not dry out.
Divide a woodland clump in fall
When a woodland clump crowds, lift it in fall or late winter and split pieces that each have roots and a shoot. Replant at once at the old soil line. [3] Yellow lutea resents a move and is hard to divide. Let it self-sow, or shift seedlings in early spring. [4]
- Wait until fall, or late winter before new growth hardens, to lift a crowded woodland clump.
- Slide a fork a few inches out from the crown, lift, and tease the rhizome into pieces with roots and a shoot.
- Replant at once at the old soil line, water once, and do not let the pieces dry on the path.
When do I divide corydalis?
Lift a crowded woodland clump in fall or late winter and replant at once. Yellow lutea is hard to divide — move seedlings in early spring instead.
If you planted a tuber too deep in a wet hole, lift it and reset it at about 3 to 4 inches in soil that drains.
FAQ
Can I grow corydalis from seed?
Yellow lutea self-sows. Dried shop seed is fussy. Sow fresh seed in fall, or buy a nursery plant or a fall tuber.
Can I plant a forgotten tuber in spring?
Fall is the window. If you find a firm tuber in spring, plant it as soon as the ground can be worked. You may get foliage this year and a fuller bloom the next.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Van Engelen -
https://www.vanengelen.com/hcorydalis.html - [2] Harvest to Table -
https://harvesttotable.com/how-to-grow-fumewort-corydalis/ - [3] Portland Nursery -
https://portlandnursery.com/plant-library/perennials/corydalis/ - [4] Wisconsin Horticulture -
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/yellow-corydalis-corydalis-lutea/
This note is part of Corydalis Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors