Periwinkle (Vinca minor or Vinca major) is a widely popular groundcover, valued for its glossy, evergreen foliage and charming lavender-blue flowers that appear in the spring. Its vigorous, trailing growth habit allows it to form dense, attractive mats, making it an excellent choice for stabilizing slopes or filling in shaded areas. Successfully moving this plant requires understanding its specific needs to ensure its rapid establishment. The process hinges on proper timing, careful handling of the shallow root system, and diligent follow-up care to minimize transplant stress.
Optimal Timing and Site Preparation
The window for successfully transplanting periwinkle is during periods of cool weather, typically in early spring or early fall. This allows the plant to focus its energy on root development rather than supporting extensive new top growth. Moving the plants when temperatures are moderate, rather than during the peak heat of summer, significantly reduces the risk of moisture loss and subsequent shock. In regions with harsh winters, a spring transplant is often safer, giving the new roots the entire growing season to establish before the ground freezes.
Preparing the receiving site well in advance is equally important. Periwinkle thrives best in partial shade, though it can tolerate full sun if the soil remains consistently moist. The new location should feature well-draining soil, as this plant is highly susceptible to root rot in waterlogged conditions. Incorporate organic matter, such as compost or peat moss, into the new planting bed to improve soil structure and fertility.
Digging, Dividing, and Replanting
Before digging, lightly prune the existing periwinkle patch to reduce the amount of foliage the roots must support. Use clean, sharp shears to cut back any exceptionally long, unrooted runners, which helps the plant conserve energy. Since periwinkle roots where its stems touch the soil, many of the runners are already individual plants that can be separated.
To lift the plants, use a garden trowel or shovel to dig around the clump, ensuring you capture a generous root ball, typically extending a few inches out from the visible stems. Periwinkle roots are generally shallow, so this process is relatively easy, but care must be taken to minimize disruption. Immediately place the removed sections into a container to protect the roots from drying out.
Established clumps can be easily divided by hand or with a sharp tool into smaller sections, each containing healthy stems and an intact root system. This division technique allows one mature patch to yield multiple new plants for the new area. Each new division should be planted promptly in the prepared holes, which should be just wide enough to accommodate the roots without crowding. Ensure the plant is set at the same soil depth as it was in its original location to prevent stem rot. After backfilling the hole with soil, gently firm the mixture around the base of the plant to eliminate any air pockets.
Post-Transplant Care for Establishment
The most important step immediately following replanting is a thorough initial watering to settle the soil and hydrate the roots. Apply water deeply until the entire root zone is saturated, which helps to further eliminate any remaining air pockets. This deep watering mitigates initial transplant shock.
For the first four to six weeks, maintain a consistent watering schedule, keeping the soil continuously moist but carefully avoiding saturation. Periwinkle requires this steady moisture until its root system has fully anchored itself. Monitoring the plants for signs of wilting is important, as this is a common indicator of transplant stress or insufficient moisture.
Applying a thin, two-to-three-inch layer of organic mulch around the transplanted sections provides a protective barrier. Mulch helps to retain soil moisture, regulating the soil temperature, and reducing competition from weeds. Avoid burying the stems themselves, as direct contact with mulch can promote fungal issues.