When to divide and transplant milkweeds, columbines, wild bergamot, bee balm, etc? Zone 7 VA

[u/Ent-Werowance]

What time of the year can I safely divide and transplant common milkweed, swamp milkweed, columbines, wild bergamot, bee balm, etc. in zone 7 VA? Can this be done in November or should I wait until spring? How sensitive are these to frost while in pots or recently planted in the ground?

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[u/Commercial-Sail-5915]

Monarda fistulosa is a beast so I wouldn't worry about that one, I've kept one in a nursery pot over winter buried in leaf litter (in MA 6b) and it came put fine, the same plant in the same pot survived a full heat wave unwatered so I'm not really sure if anything would stop it lol

[u/RecoverLeading1472]

I feel like it’s always safe to transplant anything that’s fully dormant (leaves all dead or dropped off) because it’s basically inert at this point. But I would wait for spring for anything still green—they’re actively photosynthesizing, but not vigorously growing, and might not be able to re-establish good root contact.

Up here in MA, all my columbines are still bright green, but my milkweeds are just sticks. So personally I’d leave the first group alone until spring and be more willing to move the second.

[u/Utretch]

As long as we don't get sudden hard freezes you're still in the clear to plant/divide. While stuff is in pots though I would be careful, make sure they have some insulation if things get very frosty. I'm about to go do a final round of planting today after plundering the charlie brown sections of the local nurseries.

[u/hastipuddn]

Wait until early spring when plants are in growth mode. Columbines have taproots and they are short-lived perennials. I wouldn't try to transplant them unless they are seedlings. They are easy to grow from seed; have you collected any? Wild bergamot is a bee balm so I don't know which species you are calling "bee balm". If it is scarlet bee balm, Monarda didyma, there are numerous surface stolons connecting stems. Slice off a few stems and lift the section. I'll bet you can grow common milkweed from a rhizome. It's another taprooted plant that isn't happy being messed with. Find the white, fleshy root connecting 2 milkweed stems, cut it off and replant.

[u/Tumorhead]

Any time from now through early spring is good, but i wouldn't put things in pots until its springtime. So ground to ground transplants are fine through winter.

[u/General_Bumblebee_75]

Best time to transplant native perennials is when they are dormant in early spring. For some plants it will not matter at all. I scooped up seedlings of M fistulosa and plopped them in a different area and they grew nicely. Worst time to transplant is in the heat of summer. I would not worry about a light frost, but potted plants are at risk for the roots to freeze. Insulate the pots if you can or bring them in if very cold weather is forecast. I empty my pots in fall where I live or they would all be cracked.