I live on the top of the Cumberland Plateau in Cumberland County, Tennessee. That is located just a little west of the eastern time zone; so we are considered being on central time. I started cukes from seed in a plastic container. I dug up my four-o'clocks today to weed where I wanted the cukes. I transplanted the young cuke stalks into that rich, black soil. Is it alright to replant the four-o'clock bulbs around the wide area where I planted my young cucumbers? Now that the cukes are in the soil (front yard with Tennessee stone laid around the garden), how can I be reassured they will not get too cold, and how can I try keeping them warm for chilly nights like we had last night?
As long as you leave enough space for the cukes to grow, it should not be a problem to replant your four o'clocks. Also, adding a layer of straw mulch around your plants should help insulate the ground and hold in heat when needed.
Here is an article that you may find helpful if frost is expected: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/frost-how-to-protect-your-plants.htm
My four o'clocks are not blooming. They are big and beautiful but not blooming. Can you tell me why?
Four o'clocks are often mid-summer bloomers. since I don't know where you are, it may be that it is not quite time for blooms there. You mention the foliage looks good, if this is the result of lots of nitrogen fertilizer, the plant may be directing energy into foliage instead of flowers. If so, stop fertilizing, keep them watered and blooms may soon appear.
Mine stopped flowering and I read online that they will bloom June-Sept. I'm wondering if I should have been deadheading all along.
Yes, it helps to deadhead these plants, especially if you don't want them popping up everywhere else in the garden, as they are self-seeding in many places.
Today I began cutting down and then digging up the roots of my four o'clock plants. After looking at the root itself, I wondered if I should should be removing at all. Can I, or should I, remove the entire root? I will plant the four o'clocks in the same area. Am I wasting my time? Your site suggests root divisions. Not sure exactly what that means.
You do not need to dig up these roots if you are concerned with winter damage. They should naturally die back over winter but will regrow once spring returns. In fact, some of the dropped seeds may even sprout new plants in various areas of the garden.
As for root division, you should wait for spring to divide these plants and that's if they are outgrowing their boundaries and becoming crowded. You would simply dig up the clump and use a spade shovel (or whatever) to split the clump into as many sections as you require, each having their own root system. Then replant elsewhere.
It comes up in spring from a corm, I believe. The plant is a single stem, about 24 inches tall, with about 8 to 12 flowers that raise up in the evening and drop down in the day time. I had about 5 plants some time ago but have accidentally dug them out. Color was light purple to blue.
The plant is possibly "Four O'Clocks" or Marabilis Jalapa. This article should help: http://www.gardensablaze.com/Perennials/Perennials4oclock.htm
I have four o'clocks on my newly purchased property, but I don't know what they look like when coming up in the spring. Can you send me a photo of them when they first emerge?
Thank you
This blog post has a picture of the seedlings:
http://xploreandxpress.blogspot.com/2012/01/organic-gardening-four-o-clock-flowers.html
Can I pull up and thin out some of the four o'clocks and plant them elsewhere?
Absolutely, thin them. I'm not sure how well they will transplant in hot weather, but you could collect some mature seed and let them germinate where you want them.