June is Perennial Gardening Month. The Perennial Plant Association has recognized June as Perennial Gardening Month, highlighting the abundance of blooming perennials available and the opportunity to add more to your garden.
Perennial flowers are a great investment for any garden. Unlike annuals, which only last for one season, perennials will come back year after year, providing a beautiful, sustainable addition to your garden and June is the perfect month for planting. The Summer Solstice occurred last Friday, June 20, spring's unpredictable weather is over, and warm soil and long days bring optimal conditions for planting flowering perennials.
Once soil temperatures reach 60°F or higher, roots accelerate their expansion and begin absorbing nutrients more efficiently. This means they’ll establish faster, grow and flower quickly.
Two important factors to consider are matching the plant to the right light conditions and taking time to improve the soil. While many perennials come with an information tag, don’t hesitate to ask one of our staff members about planting location and plant care. We’ll be glad to help you.
Once the site is selected, it's time to prepare the soil. We stock locally produced bagged soil amendments such as Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat, and Compost. Bagged amendments are convenient and easy to transport. Rich in trace minerals, organic material and beneficial microbes, Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost improves the soil’s physical and biological health, essential for initial planting as well as sustained growth.
Adding this organic amendment will allow our typical clay soil to drain better and the plant will be able to take up water and nutrients more effectively. Dig a hole twice as large as the container your plant came in and half again as deep. Now mix the Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost at a ratio of one-third to 50:50 with the existing soil. Once the hole is dug and amended, fill it with water and let the water drain. Repeat this step, this time adding three and a half tablespoons of ferti•lome Root Stimulator to a gallon of water.
Slip your new plant out of its container and loosen the root ball. Place the plant in the center of the hole and backfill with the amended soil.
It's important to keep new plantings evenly moist. This is best done by checking each plant daily and hand watering as necessary. It’s a good idea to build a moat around each plant. That way, you can fill the moat and let the water slowly seep in. Don’t rely on automatic irrigation, at this point.
Applying mulch to new planting is an effective way to conserve water and reduce heat stress on your plants, but it’s still important to check them daily and water as appropriate.
When it comes to planting, choose a cloudy day or plant in the evening. This will give the new plant some 8 to 10 hours to begin acclimating to its new location without the stress of direct sun and high temperatures.
There are many varieties of blooming perennials available now, many of these perennials will attract and support pollinators. With good soil preparation and the right amount of water, your new plantings will establish quickly and provide color and interest for many seasons to come.
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