How To Plant Perennial Plants
Perennials have long been used in carefully thought-out flower gardens that provide beauty, fragrance, and flowers for cutting from Spring until late Fall. To get started you must first decide what type of perennial garden you would like to plant.
There are gardens for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds, gardens for shady situations, for cut flowers, and for dry or wet sites.
In addition to grouping perennials together in varius types of theme gardens, many are equally as useful planted as focal points, accents, in masses or small groups, or as a border in landscape beds and islands. Too, many perennials are great performers in container gardens that can be placed on porches, patios, near the swiiming pool and other outdoor living areas.
Wherever you decide to plant perennials in the garden, below are some basic guidlines for properly planting most types of perennials.
Instructions For Planting Perennials In The Garden
- TIP: Before planting perennials in your garden, spend some time in the Perennial Plant Files, or using the Advanced Plant Search, doing a little research on the various types of perennial plants. Make a list of the perennials that you'd like to plant and record basic information as to size, light requirements, soil preference, and hardiness in your zone. After you have a list of plants you like, you might want to draw out a plan on paper.
- If you will grouping various perennial plants together in a garden, outline the shape of your perennial garden with spray paint, flour, or by laying out a garden hose in the shape you want.
- Spray any existing weeds or grass plants inside the outlined area with a solution containing glyphosphate (Roundup or Killzall). Spraying is best performed on a calm day so as to avoid drift of spray on to you, and to desirable plants in the landscape. Allow two hours to dry before planting. When mixing chemicals always follow instructions on product label. When spraying chemicals wear protective clothing and eyewear. To be on the safe side, take a shower after spraying and wash clothes seperately.
- (Optional) - Disperse a 1-2" layer of compost, such as mushroom compost, composted manures, or your own home made compost over the garden area. Till or turn ammendments in to a depth of 6 inches or so. No need to add fertilizer. After tilling rake smooth. You are almost ready to begin planting. Note: It's okay not to till or turn the soil in your perennial garden. You can add ammendments later when planting in the undisturbed soil.
- Now, go to your local independent nursery and garden center with your list and pick out the perennials that are available. Any perennials not available can usually be ordered and received in a relatively short period of time. If you can't find a particular perennial locally, check out some of the online mail order nurseries. Their prices are usually higher, and the plants may be smaller, but when you really want a particular type of plant this might be the only route to go.
TIP: If while searching for a perennial you decide to switch to another "cultivar" within a "species", make sure that the substitute cultivar is a hardy one for your USDA Zone. For example: "Sedum: is a species, but within the Sedum species there are many culitvars/varieties. Some varieties of Sedum may prefer shade, while others may prefer sun. Some may grow fine in USDA Zone 8, while others may not.
- Set all of the perennials out in your garden, making sure to space properly to allow for future growth, and allowing space for perennials you couldn't find right away. Use marker paint to draw circles in the garden that indicate the width of missing perennials that will be planted later. Most all perennials are sold with a plant tag that shows height, width and various other information.
- After setting all your perennial plants out where they will be planted in the garden, you can begin planting. Dig hole 2 to 3 times the width and a few inches deeper than the root ball. If you did not till or turn in a soil ammendment, mix compost at a 50/50 ratio with soil dug from the hole. Set plant in hole and backfill around root ball, making sure that the top edge of the rootball is at ground level or slightly above to allow for settling. Make sure to tamp lightly as you back fill to remove any air pockets.
- Water each plant thorougly after planting, and on an as-needed basis until established. Do not overwater. Many perennials, as with many other plants, do not like saturated soil - unless, of course, they are bog garden perennials!
- If you do not plan on planting flower seeds, or bulbs, in your perennial garden at any time in the future, Broadcast Treflan Weed Preventer Granules to control weeds for up to 1 year.
- Mulch garden with a 1 to 2" layer of aged wood mulch, pine straw, or compost.
SEE ALSO:
Fertilizing Perennial Plants.
Planting Perennials In Containers.
Pruning & Deadheading Perennial Plants
Disease Control For Perennial Plants
Container Gardening Tips
To find planting instructions for various plants, trees and lawns go to: Planting Instructions