How to Start a Perennial Garden
- 1). Site the perennial bed in an area that receives the amount of sun and supplies the type of soil necessary for the specific perennial varieties you are planting. Many perennials require at least six to eight hours of sun and well-drained soils.
- 2). Dig up and dispose of any weeds or grass in the garden site. Remove rocks and other debris from the bed.
- 3). Spread a 1- to 3-inch layer of compost over the bed and till it into the top 12 inches of soil. Compost adds nutrients and improves drainage. If the site has minor drainage problems, add 1 to 2 inches more of compost to help improve drainage.
- 4). Sow the plants into the bed at the same depth they were at in their nursery pots. Space them at the distance recommended on the plant label. Most perennials should be planted after all spring frost danger is past.
- 5). Water the plants with a starter fertilizer solution formulated for either foliage or flowering plants, depending on the perennials you chose. A 5-10-5 analysis fertilizer works well for most perennial plants.
- 6). Spread a 2-inch layer of organic mulch, such as shredded bark, over the bed. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and inhibits weed growth. The mulch also adds organic matter to the soil as it breaks down.
