This time of year, I am eager to get to the local garden center to peruse the beautiful seasonal plant material! I plan to purchase a slew of plants to turn our winter landscape into a colorful spring haven. I purchased gorgeous Zinnias, Verbena, Begonias, Peonies, Daylilies, Hydrangeas, and Phlox and take the plants home, put them in the pots and pop them into planting beds. Easy enough, right!?!?
Shortly after, I noticed the Zinnias wilting, the Phlox stopped blooming, and the Hydrangeas did nothing. I conclude that most of the plants I recently purchased have bitten the dust, so in the trash they go. Beating myself up over the money I just wasted, I decide that I’m useless when it comes to gardening, and I will NOT do this again—until I go to the garden center and see their beautiful new seasonal plants and the cycle starts all over again.
This situation happens to many people. Instead of vowing to never buy plants again, follow these 3 simple steps to create an environment that promotes healthy and gorgeous color all season.
Read and Follow the Plant Tag
Understanding the plant tag that comes with the plant is important. For example, the plant tag that comes with a Sweet Alyssum gives you information for the plant to grow and thrive. The Sweet Alyssum tag includes information like
• Prefers full sun to partial shade
• Regular watering using a well-drained soil
• Blooms from Spring to Fall
• Used as garden borders, ground cover, butterfly gardens
Reading and following the plant tag instructions is just like reading and following a cooking recipe. The more you follow the recipe directions, the more likely the cook will be successful. Plant tags are there for a reason, read them and take notes!
Prepare Plant Beds and/or Planter
Preparation is needed BEFORE you plant to allow newly purchased plant material the environment needed for optimal growth and development. Clean the plant bed or planter. Remove debris, leaves, roots, etc. and incorporate nutrient rich, well-draining soil. Include a granular fertilizer, like Osmocote 14-14-14, and a granular fungicide, like Heritage G, to the soil. Lastly, turn the soil, fertilizer, and fungicide to move the nutrients throughout the planting area. Now you are ready to install plant material like Angelonia, Petunias, Superbells, and lantana which will add color to your landscape oasis.
Deadhead, Deadhead, and Deadhead
Maintenance for most annuals and perennials is important for the health of the plant. Keeping plants, planting beds, and container pots free of spent blooms and dead leaves allows them to look beautiful all season and minimize the chances of disease. Plants that do not drop off their spent blooms naturally or “self-clean” require you to deadhead spent blooms so the plant will continue to push out colorful flowers and grow fuller. Some “self-cleaning” plants that will continually bloom while dropping off spent blooms naturally, with no need for deadheading, include Supertunia Petunia, Sedum and Angelonia. Maintaining your plants takes time but the health and beauty of the plant will be evident.
Using these simple steps will allow you more success in ensuring a full season of beautiful blooms and you can pledge to be the first in line when the garden center rolls out their next batch of new plants!
~ Happy Planting!
