When you get new semps do you transplant the whole cell as it comes out of the tray-pot as is or do you remove most of the "ultra water holding soil" before planting.

Guess that depends. Nearly all semps are shipped bare root. I did deal with one company that shipped them in pots, but by the time I got them all the soil mix was out of the pots anyway! I'd probably remove as much of it as I could before planting.

I would make them completely bare root and repot them to my own soil because nobody knows what animals are in the foreign pot.....

when they've been consolidated I plant them out with the whole soil;

both.

I planted a number of semps in May and lost a lot of them. The ones I put in pots in bright shade have fared better ...when is the best time to put them in the ground in this area? They need time to get established by winter, right? Or should I wait until spring to move them?

Fall is a good time Patty, after our hot/dry weather has changed to cooler/moister conditions.

Thanks Lynn! I posted it here first, then realized this was an old forum so after a couple days asked on the other forum (in case you're wondering why I asked twice )

Sorry I missed it when you first posted. I knew that was why you did another post.