Gardeners love perennials. If you want to avoid regular annual planting, they’re the best. Growing perennials is easy too, since you don’t have to replant them every year, cutting costs and time. However, many also make numerous mistakes when planting perennials.
Whether it’s the lack of a plan or ignoring maintenance or growing zone, here are the common perennial gardening mistakes we all make.
Ignoring Growing Zones
Perennials have set growing zones that have been fully researched. You can easily determine the best plant for your climate, yet many people ignore the growing zones. Plant perennials that suit your growing zone or you’ll see them fail every time.
Not Making a Plan
Gardening, especially when it comes to perennials, is key to a lush growth and beautiful garden. Pay attention to stuff like the kind of light your plants prefer, the moisture needs, and give them plenty of room to grow. And no, not all perennials are alike. Some like sand, others like loam mix. Keep that in mind before you plant the first one in your garden.
No Mulching
Mulching has its pros and cons. When done right, it’s highly beneficial. If you do it wrong, it can destroy your garden. The good news is that it can effectively improve the quality of your garden, so don’t over do it. Stick to the guidelines and mulch will keep pests at bay while feeding your plants just what they need.
Lack of Maintenance
Perennials need proper care, but they are easier to maintain than other plants. Still, people ignore their needs thinking they can do well on their own, which is not the case. Watering and mulching are important for perennials too, so don’t think they are low-maintenance plants.
Crowding Plants Together
Crowding is a common mistake all gardeners make, and not just for perennials. Just because they need less care than other plants and thrive in most conditions doesn’t mean you should crowd them all in one spot. They still need some room to breathe, so make sure to give them some space.
Planting Too Deep or Too Shallow
Every plant should be planted specifically when it comes to depth. It’s the key to growing it properly. Perennials need a hole that’s three times wider than the container. In terms of depth, they need to be planted at ground level. Put an inch more if you plant to mulch and you don’t want pesky weeds growing alongside your perennials.
Flower Fever
Sure, flowers are great, but gardens that overly rely on them die as soon as the last bloom dies. If you want it to look great, you need perennials and interesting plants with colorful leaves to add some texture and break up the flower fever.
Soil Quality Matters
Soil is the foundation of our gardens, so of course it matters a lot. Without good, quality soil, no plant can thrive. The same goes for perennials. If the quality of your soil is not good, they will most likely die young. Pay close attention to the soil every plant needs and consult experts if you need to improve the pH. Too alkaline or too acidic soil will destroy your plants, perennials or not.
