Perennial planting tips

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Perennial planting tips

Yes, there is a pun in the title…

Sometimes we forget that not everyone knows how to do things we’ve done for years.  In that spirit, today is about perennial planting tips.

When planting containers:

• Right Plant, Right Place (I know we talked about this but always a good thing to reinforce)
• In container planting, mix perlite with your potting soil to lighten it and allow better drainage
• plant your purchase at the level it was growing in (most of the time)
• remember to allow enough room to water your plant, don’t plant it at the top of the container – allow about 1 to 2 inches from the top
• place your plants and tamp down, if you need more soil, add it and tamp again being sure not to bury the plant
• In hot weather you’ll need to water those plants twice a day

When planting perennials:

• dig your hole at least twice as wide as the plant’s temporary pot (some experts are now saying to dig the hole square not round) – the reason being to allow the roots an easier time growing into the soil.  IF you’ve already prepared the planting bed (adding compost) then the soil should be fluffy enough that you don’t have to dig a hole that big, just enough for the plant to fit in!
• plant your transplant at the root flare, which COULD be covered with soil if it’s in a container
• be sure to loosen the plant gently out of it’s container – place it on it’s side, tap the sides, make sure any roots coming out the bottom aren’t going to “catch” and pull the plant out
• make sure you water that dry plant before filling the hole with soil
• tamp down the soil with your hand or a tool, gently.  This takes out air pockets that may make your plant sink too deep
• if the roots of the plant are wound around itself, then unwind them and loosen them up.  This will allow the roots to spread more easily.  You don’t want them growing around rather than out, this will girdle the plant and potentially kill it
• When placing your perennials, keep in mind their mature size and space accordingly
• And be sure to keep a close eye on your new plantings for the first month in particular
• bareroot plants should be soaked 24 hours before planting

The video below is one I made last Summer….