Garden Q&A: Can camellia go from pot to ground if in bud?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Camellias: There will be little to no root disturbance moving a plant from a pot into the ground. File picture

I have a camellia in a large pot which I want to plant in the ground. It hasn’t flowered this year but has now got lots of buds on it. Is it ok to plant it in the ground whilst it’s in bud?

ANSWER

Yes, there will be little or no root disturbance moving a plant from a pot into the ground. 

It is when we are going the other way and taking a plant out of the ground that we need to be careful. 

Don’t plant it out if the ground is physically frozen or waterlogged — otherwise, this is a good time of year to plant out, as it means that your camellia will have a chance to establish itself in its new home before active growth starts during the spring.

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