Spring Planting Plants: A Complete Guide to Getting Your Garden Started Right
A perennial which has been well acclimatized in the garden may be ready to plant out in spring once it has survived the risk of any late frost‚ and once any time after the ground temperature reaches 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius)․ In Tennessee and much of the Southeast the ground temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit by mid to late March for hardy plants and late March to May for frost tender․ Plan early (and choose the right plants!) and the garden can be well established before the summer heat sets in․
You can determine what plants will grow well in your hardiness zone‚ how much water and sunlight they need‚ and what flowers give you the most color for your efforts when they are planted in spring․
Know Your Zone Before You Buy Anything
Tennessee is located in USDA Hardiness Zones 6b to 8a‚ with most of Middle Tennessee‚ including Nashville‚ in USDA Zone 7a‚ where average yearly January minimum temperatures fall between 0 and 5 °F (−18 and −15 °C)․ Zone 6b exists in the mountains of east Tennessee‚ while the western portion of the state in which Memphis resides falls in Zones 7b to 8a․
What does this mean for spring planting? For example‚ a plant rated for Zone 8 will often survive winter in Zone 7‚ but may do poorly and bloom late․ If you bought the plants online‚ check that the plants are appropriate for your planting zone by consulting the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map․
One thing that a lot of planting guides do not tell you: While your hardiness zone map of the region may tell you that your plant should survive the winter‚ it will not tell you when your last frost date is if you want to plant in the spring․ In Middle Tennessee‚ this is about April 10-15․ In the mountains of East Tennessee‚ it can be as late as late April to early May․ Best not to plant annuals and frost-sensitive perennials too soon․
Sunlight: Don't Guess‚ Measure
Full sun( at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun)․ Partial shade is 4-6 hours‚ and is usually morning sun with afternoon shade․ Partial shade does not mean dappled sun through tree leaves․ The afternoon shade is helpful‚ particularly in the humid Tennessee summers when the sun can scorch the foliage of vulnerable plants․ True shade plants can tolerate less than 4 hours of sun daily․
One thing you must do is check out your yard for a day or two before you actually plant it․ Many people grossly overestimate how much sunshine they get․ The trees that shade things often have not even leafed out in the spring․ A sunny spot in March could be shaded by June․
Soil Type Is More Important Than Most Gardeners Think
Soil types vary extremely across the state․ Middle Tennessee has clay soil‚ such as in the Nashville basin‚ while East Tennessee has rocky‚ acidic soil‚ particularly in the mountainous region of the Appalachians․ The loam in West Tennessee is sandier and better drained․
Although clay retains water and nutrients‚ roots will rot if the wrong plants are grown in poorly draining beds․ For heavy clay soils a 2-3 inch layer of compost is recommended before planting any plants․ Raised beds may be helpful for plants that require well-drained soil․
A quick method to estimate the texture is to fill a mason jar to a third of its height‚ shake‚ wait overnight‚ and look for layers of sand‚ silt‚ and clay․ This is not scientific but close enough to use in selecting plants․
Top Tennessee Plants for Spring Gardening
Coneflowers (Echinacea) are nearly indestructible and can survive in Tennessee clay soil and summer drought after becoming established․ They bloom purple‚ pink‚ or white from late spring until fall and attract bees and butterflies․ Goldfinches will glean seed heads for seeds in winter if the plants are permitted to stand all winter․ They do well in full sun locations and do not like to be overwatered‚ as wet soil is not ideal for them․
Black-Eyed Susans bloom roughly at the same time‚ and are another native‚ combining gold and purple as in the classic English cottage garden․ They are tolerant of poor growing conditions‚ and will seed themselves․ When your Black-Eyed Susans come back for the second year‚ they should have a thicker patch of flowers․
Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) have red and yellow blooms resembling tropical flowers․ They are tough‚ drought resistant plants that thrive in many environments․ Plant in well-drained soil‚ though‚ and if you put it into the clay in your garden‚ put some sand or grit in the hole․ Most losses are caused by wet feet․
Pink Primrose: If you like to spend time on your porch in the evening you will love these pink blooms which open in the evening and close in the morning․ Primroses are deer resistant and once established are quite drought tolerant․ They spread by rhizomes and‚ if not given sufficient room‚ should be dug and divided every few years․
For use on the fence or trellis where the goal is rapid fill-in and height‚ trumpet vines won't disappoint: they are aggressive growers․ This may be an advantage or disadvantage‚ depending on your goals․ The plant produces bright orange-red trumpet-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds and spreads rapidly by rooting suckers‚ invading any bed in which it is planted if not restricted․
Maximilian Sunflowers are native perennial fall-blooming sunflowers that are typically planted in spring‚ to be in bloom in fall․ At 6-8 ft (1․8-2․4 m) in height‚ they would best be planted at the back of the flower border or at the line of a fence․ Otherwise‚ they may cast shade on and overshade other plants in front of them․
Some Practical Planting Information
New plantings should be watered thoroughly after planting and roots kept evenly moist (but not soggy) until rooted (usually after about 2 to 3 weeks)․ After this‚ most native or naturalized plants require little or no irrigation․
New plants are mulched with 2-3 inches of shredded bark or leaf mulch‚ to keep roots cool and suppress weeds and retain moisture during the occasional late spring dry spell that sometimes occurs during the growing season in Tennessee․
So for the rest of you ordering your perennials and flowering plants from your favorite online gardening source‚ TN nursery will ship the proper size and age for your early spring planting․ This takes some of the guesswork out of when to plant and how long until the plant gets established‚ which is critical to success or failure in spring gardening․
While spring planting is not rocket science‚ it does take a little planning․ Get the right plants for your zone‚ the right plants for your soil‚ and the right plants for their sun exposure‚ and you can create a garden that gets better every year rather than one that you have to replant every year․
