Season

• Monkey grass is exceptionally resilient and can be transplanted in most areas just about any time of the year with very minor consequences. That said, some times of the year are still better than others for transplanting. Liriope does the majority of its growing in the late spring and early summer. It is therefore best to transplant liriope just before this growth begins, in late fall or early spring. This way, the plant will better establish itself and be more readily prepared for the winter.
  
  

Time of Day

• The root system of monkey grass is tuberous, which enables the plant to tolerate drought and sunlight as well as shade, and also provides an easy means for propagation. These tuberous roots are very sensitive to sunlight, however, and should be exposed to direct light as minimally as possible during transplanting. It is best to transplant early in the day or in the early evening when the sun is not out in full. If this is not possible, try to keep the liriope's root system from direct exposure to sunlight through other means, such as a paper bag.
  
  

Separating Tubers

• Monkey grass is often separated and transplanted from a parent plant; one liriope plant typically grows large enough to break into two or more plants, or grows too large for the space it was intended to fill. Timing for the separation of liriope plants is the same as actually transplanting the plants. Separation should occur in late fall or early spring, just before new growth begins, and it should be done when and where there is no direct sunlight around.
  
  

Transplanting

• Factors other than timing are involved in transplanting monkey grass which, if not taken into account, can ruin your plants just as easily as improper timing can. Plants should be given sufficient room to grow; plant them 6 to 10 inches apart from one another. Holes need only be as deep as the root system goes (usually about 6 inches). The holes should be about double the width of the root system. It is a good idea to use a pre-emergent herbicide upon planting the monkey grass, but this is not essential. Fertilizers are also generally unnecessary when transplanting monkey grass, or at any point in the plant's growth.