7 Common Perennial Garden Mistakes to Avoid

moderate for these common missteps if your recurrent garden is n’t as lush and colourful as you hoped .

Perennials are the come - back stars of the garden . In line to annual , which die off at the first Robert Lee Frost and need to be replanted every twelvemonth , perennials return each springiness after going inactive in wintertime . good for you , happy perennial , like long - bloomingconeflowerand specter - lovinghosta , will smartly get and multiply , creating a vibrant garden pullulate with life . As easy fear as a perennial garden can be , knowing when to plant perennial — andwhen not to plant them — is essential . When your plants are n’t producing as many flowers or growth is stagnant , one of these 7 common recurrent garden misunderstanding is potential at period of play — but there are way to fix each affliction to nurture a luxuriant , colorful landscape .

1. Ignoring Your Zone

Every perennial has ahardiness zonerange ground on the lowest fair temperatures in each region . The spectrum runs from Zone 1 , which have the cold average temperatures , to Zone 13 , which experiences the hot . If you live in Iowa , which falls in Zones 4 - 5 , a tropical plant that prefers conditions in Zones 8 or gamey is unlikely to be compatible with your landscape . pick out industrial plant that thrive in your zone to maximise the achiever of your recurrent garden .

Knowledge about your zonal climate also helps you to plan when to plant perennials in your area . Fall planting is an bucked up recitation but you should do it when to anticipate freezing temperature so that new planting have adequate clip to develop strong root systems in procession of cold weather condition . It helps , too , to know when land temperatures will warm in spring . Perennials that are bare in your zone will appreciate being planted when the soil has warm around your last average hoar day of the month .

2. Putting Perennials in the Wrong Spot

Peter Krumhardt

The older garden adage “ correct works , right place ” come to to match a plant ’s swooning requirements and soil predilection to a office in your garden that assemble its needs . get it on the preferred acquire conditions of your perennial garden plants is as simple as check out the information shred at the glasshouse or confer with a plant life cyclopedia . Consider the type oflight your yard getsbefore plant shopping so you bonk which perennials will thrive in your garden , andprovide soil amendmentsas needed .

3. Not Planting for Color Through the Seasons

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

If you strategically choose plants when planning your perennial garden , your landscape painting willbloom from spring through fall . Most perennial plants bloom for about three weeks . To stumble blooming in your landscape , choose perennials that flower at various times of the year . Early - blooming species likehelleboreandtrilliumwill show during spring , and late - season perennial such asaster , bootleg - eyed Susan , andRussian sagewill take over in summer through capitulation .

Pair flowering perennial with perennials prize for their foliage , such as hosta andsedum . Their leafy colour and texture add dimension to the garden while complementing works with more glossy peak .

stone stack wall around raised flower bed

Credit: Clint Farlinger

4. Planting Too Close

Matthew Benson

A untested perennial in a 4 - inch pot can easy expand to deal several pes over a few age , so when adding unexampled plant to your perennial garden , account for the width and height they ’re expected to reach once full grow . pick out website based on the industrial plant ’s mature sizing , considering nearby plants , anatomical structure , and pathways . This helps prevent unwellness in your plants , as crowded perennial createconditions that encourage disease . Perennials grow slow in the first year , but in the second year , you ’ll notice a rapid increase in growth , and by the third twelvemonth , they unremarkably reach their full size .

5. Mulching Too Much or Too Little

A 3 - in stratum oforganic mulch , such as shredded bark , will help verify weeds and retain wet in the dirt of your perennial garden . However , debar mulch 2 - 3 inches from the crownwork of each industrial plant . Mulching too faithful to or over the crown can slowly suffocate the industrial plant or allow diseases to take hold . Mulch breaks down over time , so diffuse a fresh layer every year .

A thick 6- to 8 - inch layer of mulch helps insulate fall - planted perennials from harsh winter shape . If you hold a mulch blanket to newly planted perennials in previous pin , remove it in early spring so the grime can rapidly warm up as air temperatures climb .

6. Not Staking Tall Stems

Some perennials need a little help to stand tall . Delphinium , peony , andasterare just a few plants with long or thin flower stems that tend to flop onto the priming coat when they flower . Prevent this by staking the stems before the plant life ’s flowers bloom . you may utilize exclusive stakes or a grow - through grid , depending on what works best for the flora you require to support . If staking is a job you would rather avoid , appear for more summary varieties of your favorite perennial that wo n’t require supporting .

7. Neglecting Maintenance

Katie Burdett / BHG

While perennial plant life are generally scurvy - maintenance , they front even better when you give them a little extra TLC.Regular deadheadingencourages plants to transfer uncommitted energy into developing a tidy beginning system and , in some case , another flush of flowers subsequently in the season . divide the plants also helps reinvigoratemany perennials ; aim to separate the plants in your recurrent garden every three year or so .

Garden bench and pergola