Hardy perennials require little work for the hobby gardener. But when is the right time to plant these diverse beauties? In our article you will find the answer to this question.
When should you plant hardy perennials?
The ideal time to plant hardy perennials is early fall, especially between late September and mid-October. During this time, the plants can develop their roots well and prepare optimally for winter.
Preliminary remarks
Most perennials are hardy and easy to overwinter - so the information in our article applies to the majority of plants in this genus.
The ideal time to plant hardy perennials
If you are dealing with hardy perennials, it is generally best to plant them in (early) autumn - more precisely between the end of September and mid-October. The following reasons speak for this:
- The above-ground growth of the hardy perennials has already been completed.
- The roots of the plants have the opportunity to continue growing in the warm soil.
If the temperatures remain nice and mild for a long time before winter comes and there is enough rainfall, the perennials will be perfectly happy. You will then find optimal conditions to stabilize your root system and prepare for spring.
Our advice: Plant your hardy perennials by mid-October if possible. Planting later – i.e. late October or even early November – is not recommended. This is because the plants may no longer have enough time to strengthen their roots enough to survive the winter unscathed. That's why you shouldn't take any risks and don't wait too long before planting. Once the perfect moment has passed, it's better to wait until spring before planting.
Concluding remarks
Basically, you can or should plant (almost) all perennials in autumn - with one exception: Frost-sensitive species prefer to start life in spring.
And: Transplanting perennials also makes sense in spring - from the end of March to the beginning of May.
Planting perennials yourself is relatively easy. However, there are a few points you should keep in mind, such as these:
- Give each species the location it prefers (sun, partial shade, shade).
- Consider the required planting distances in the bed.
- When planting or transplanting, leave your perennials without soil for as long as possible.
- Make sure to fertilize the plants adequately.
