Perennials Overview
In this section of the Web site I have created pages that disply many of my favorite perennials. These plants are the real workhorses of my garden. They return year after year and grow thicker and healthier as the years pass. I have eliminated most of the invasive plants, and tried to simplify the layout so that only my favorites remain.
Choosing Perennials
- Look for perennials at nurseries from spring through fall, or year-round in mild climates.
- Choose perennials that grow well in your climate.
- Buy perennials in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers.
- Choose healthy-looking plants that have signs of new growth in leaf and flower bud in spring and summer.
Planting Perennials
- Choose a spot for perennials that is well-suited to their needs - 'sun' means 6 hours of sunshine a day; 'light shade' or 'dappled shade' comes from tall trees; 'dark shade' comes from something solid like a house; and 'part shade' means 3 hours of sunshine a day.
- Prepare the planting area by digging a generous hole which will allow the crown of the plant to remain at the level of the bed
- Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting hole.
- Place the plants no deeper than they were growing in the containers
- Set the plants an appropriate distance apart, depending on how wide they grow.
- Mulch the plants - place 1 to 3 inches of organic compost around but not on top of the plants - to help retain water and keep down weeds while the plants are getting established.
- Water new plants well, until soil is completely moist. Do this weekly during their first summer.
Caring for Perennials
- Cut back old stems and flowers in late fall (for spring-flowering perennials) or early spring (for perennials that bloom summer through fall).
- Apply an organic fertilizer to the soil in early spring - except for perennials that do not need yearly fertilizing.
- Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost in early spring (see 'eHow to Mulch Flowers').
- Cut old flower stems off spring-blooming plants to a place on the stem just above where you see new leaves growing. This will encourage the plant to bloom again.
- Water most perennials well until soil is completely moist; do this weekly in summers with no rainfall.
Suggest a Perennial
I am always looking for new plants to try. If you have a favorite perennila you think would do nicely in my garden, please send me a note. My email address is lhemenway@santarosa.edu