Gardening Tips for Perennial Plants
Perennial plants grow for a number of years, providing color and texture to a garden without the need to replant. They can be grown together in a large flowerbed or can be interspersed among annuals. There are many different varieties of perennial plants, including those suitable for cut flowers and a large range of perennial shrubs. Does this Spark an idea?
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Plan Your Garden Layout
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Spend time planning your garden. When you first buy plants they will all be small so take time to find out how big each will grow. Perennials are best planted in three layers, with small plants at the front of a garden bed, followed by medium-sized plants, with the large ones at the back. Also plan your colors, perhaps picking areas of the gardens for reds, oranges and yellows, and another for pinks, purples and blues.
Choose Suitable Plants for the Environment
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Select plants that are recommended for your soil type and climate. There is little point selecting tropical rain forest plants if you live in a desert region, or frost-susceptible plants if you live in Alaska. Plants are also classified as sun-loving or suitable for shade so make sure you get what will grow best in your intended site. This will save you the heartache of watching a plant die and having to waste money on replacing plants.
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Save Costs by Dividing Plants and Growing From Seeds
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Most perennial plants will need dividing every three to five years. You can use divided plants in other parts of the garden or trade them with friends and neighbors for something different. Many perennial plants will grow from seeds, which are inexpensive to buy. Keep seeds from your best plants to plant in other areas, or again trade with other people to add something new to your garden.
Maintain Your Plants
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Get the most out of your perennial plants by watering, fertilizing and mulching. Most local newspapers have a gardening column which will tell you what jobs you should be doing in the garden throughout the year. Snip spent flower heads off with a pair of secateurs. This will stop plants from expending energy to produce seeds and encourage them to put out more blooms. Plants like roses use a lot of energy in producing rose hips if you do not cut off the deadheads.
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