Planting perennials: step by step to lush garden splendor

Planting perennials: step by step to lush garden splendor
Planting perennials: step by step to lush garden splendor
Anonim

Perennials are hardy plants that delight with their lush splendor year after year. Whether you want to enhance your garden or your balcony with such beauties: In this article you will find out all the essential details about how to plant perennials correctly.

perennial plants
perennial plants

How do you plant perennials correctly?

In order to plant perennials correctly, you should choose the right location in autumn (September-November) or spring (March-May), prepare the soil, maintain the ideal plant spacing and plant and care for the perennials step by step.

The ideal time to plant perennials

The majority of perennials are best planted in autumn - between September and November. There are two beneficial points at this time of year:

  • The above-ground growth of the plants is complete.
  • The roots still grow in warm soil.

Under such conditions, perennials can prepare for spring. If the temperatures remain mild for as long as possible and there is sufficient rainfall, everything is fine.

The exception(s) to the rule

You should only plant frost-sensitive perennials, such as certain types of lilies, in spring, from March to May. But be careful: spring sometimes brings with it long dry periods. So don't forget to water the planted perennials well (sufficiently).

Note: If you would like to grow your perennials in pots, you have all year round to do so; So you are not limited to a specific season.

The optimal location for planting perennials

A suitable location is important for perennials to bloom beautifully.

  • Do you have a shady garden? Then choose shade perennials.
  • Do you have a location in full sun ready? Then you can also use sun perennials.

In short, you should make your choice of plants dependent on the location options in your garden or on your balcony.

Preparations for planting perennials

Before planting your perennials, you should carefully loosen the soil. The most important thing is to remove all weeds from the perennial bed. The root weeds groundweed and field bindweed are particularly dangerous. Without exception, you have to collect every part of the plant and every piece of root from the soil. Otherwise, the perennial will not be able to thrive as it wants and as you would like. The weeds would constantly compete with the cultivated plants and massively inhibit their development.

Prepare the substrate

Perennials place different demands on soil conditions. Depending on what your chosen variety prefers, use

  • high-quality potting soil or
  • a mixture of potting soil and sand.

Note: The potting soil-sand mixture is primarily recommended for

  • Succulents,
  • Rock garden plants and
  • alpine perennials.

These react sensitively to waterlogging, which can form much less quickly with a sand content.

How the distance between the perennials should be

Depending on the specific type of perennial, the distance between the individual plants should be around ten to 20 centimeters. Solitary plants require spacing of up to 40 centimeters.

A little advice from us: In the first and second year you can fill the gaps between your hardy perennials with annual summer flowers. After that, the large perennials have usually established themselves in the ground and reached their final size, so that intermediate planting is no longer necessary.

Planting perennials – step by step

  1. Dig a planting hole. This should be approximately twice as wide and twice as deep as the pot your perennial is currently in.
  2. If necessary, cut off the above-ground plant parts a hand's width above the pot. This is not a problem for the plant. First of all, it's about rooting - growth and flowering are still secondary at this point.
  3. Add slow-acting fertilizer to the planting hole so that your perennial is supplied with nutrients right from the start.
  4. Moisturize the perennial's root ball. For this purpose, the most efficient way is to place the plant in a bucket filled with water for several minutes. As soon as there are no more air bubbles rising, you can take the perennial out of the bucket and pot it up.
  5. Press the plant with your hands - not too loosely, but not too roughly either. With this measure you will achieve a good connection to the ground. As a result, the perennial takes root quickly.
  6. Water the perennial with two to three liters of water. This promotes the connection between plant and soil.

Recommendation: In order to counteract unwanted weeds straight away, it makes sense to cover the freshly planted perennial with some compost or mulch. Important: You should avoid grass (mould formation)!

  • Mulching reduces evaporation
  • Apply compost before winter

The further procedure after planting the perennial

  • Water as needed in the weeks after planting. Depending on the intensity of sunlight and precipitation, you should give the plant more or less water.
  • Always water in the early morning! Ferns in particular should never be watered in the extreme midday heat. Otherwise the greenery risks burning.
  • Give water directly to the roots. If possible, avoid wetting the above-ground parts. How to prevent fungal diseases.
  • Overall, perennials are among the plants that need more care when it comes to care. They only bloom beautifully when they feel comfortable.