Nurturing Perennials for Year-Round Beauty
Perennials are the crown jewels of a garden, coming back year after year with vibrant colors and lush greenery. Growing these dependable plants takes a little effort upfront, but they reward you for years with their beauty. To get started, pick the right spot for planting. Most perennials thrive in well-drained soil, so take the time to loosen the dirt and add compost or organic matter. Good soil sets the foundation for strong roots and healthy growth.
When planting, don't overcrowd. Give those roots some breathing room because they'll spread out over time. Watering is important to moisten the soil during the first year, especially during dry spells. Most perennials are pretty low maintenance after they're established, but a good mulch layer around the bottom helps keep moisture and weeds at bay.
How to Keep Perennials Thriving
Caring for perennials is about giving them a little love in the right season. Each spring, trim back dead foliage to make way for fresh growth. A gentle dose of fertilizer right, as they wake up from their winter nap, will give them a good boost, but not overdoing it too much can make them leggy and weak.
As the blooms fade, deadhead the flowers to encourage more blooms or to keep the plant from using energy on seed production. Some perennials, like daylilies and hostas, may benefit from being divided every few years. This keeps them from getting overcrowded and helps maintain their vigor. Dig them up, separate the roots, and replant them with a little elbow room.
Lastly, don't forget to prep your perennials for the colder months. Once frost sets in, you can cut back most plants but leave a few standing if they add winter interest or provide bird food. A layer of leaves or mulch helps insulate the roots against the cold and ensures they'll come back strong when spring rolls around.
With just a little care and attention, perennials can convert your landscape into a year-round haven of color and texture. Follow these tips, and you'll be rewarded with a landscape that only improves with time.
Tips for Growing Perennials Successfully
Unlike annuals, perennials may bloom just once or twice in a year. That may happen in different seasons; spring, summer, and fall. When they are not yet bloomed, you can still enjoy the foliage of your perennial plants.
Perennials come in different shapes, which may vary slightly as seasons come and go. The most common perennials include:
Mats; which form low carpets ideal for front of the border or ground covers
Mounds; nicely rounded plant with a very delicate look
Spikes; have slim vertical flowering stems
Vase shape; which grows in an inverted triangular figure in bloom, among others
Tips for growing successful perennials, such as Phlox, that thrive
Before you plant perennials in your garden, you must work on the soil properly because that may be your only chance to remove rocks, loosen up the soil, and spice it with some organic matter.
Ensure that you select the appropriate PH for your perennials. Most perennials will do well in a PH of around 6.5, although a few may require acidic or alkaline soils. It is always recommended to check the PH level of your garden’s soil to ensure that it achieves the PH requirements of your plants. Soil PH can be altered if no plant can suit it.
One of the vital things you need to have in mind when designing your perennial garden is how you’ll access your plants when they grow up. At the back of the border, create a walkway to make the bed more accessible during spring and fall. To create access, you can also create stepping stones with rocks within your garden.
If you are growing your perennials from seeds, it is advisable to put your first-year seedling into a nursery first instead of planting them directly into the flower garden. Putting your plants in a nursery will allow you to observe them as they develop. After all, perennials are not expected to bloom until the second year of planting.
Newly planted perennials must be watered appropriately, especially during the first couple weeks. That is necessary to soak the root ball and give the roots a firm grip on the surrounding soil.
Divide your perennials in early spring when the new growth is just some inches high. You must wait until fall if you don’t get the time right in the spring. However, Irises should be transplanted in early summer, immediately after blooming.
When arranging your perennials, put the tallest plants in the back of the border and have the shortest ones in front. Labels can help you determine the average height of a fully grown plant. In poor conditions, plants only manage to grow half of their original size.
If you notice insect damage or disease in your perennials, dress them with organic fertilizer (quick release type). A blend of fish emulsion and seaweed is often recommended. You can also do this if your plants don’t look lively.
However, it would help if you appreciated the fact that; though you care for your perennials. If a plant is not doing well enough even after you’ve taken the necessary measures to rejuvenate it, you may be forced to discard it and concentrate on the rest of the garden.
