Care & Maintenance of Perennials

Caring for an established perennial garden is pretty routine and simple, and typically only requires a few minutes of tending a week, and several major cleanups a year which make take a few hours. Flowers will wither and die over time. Taking time to perform maintenance properly can help keep your garden looking new and beautiful.

Strategies

Deadheading is a practice that removes faded and withered flowers. Perennials will bloom splendidly for a short period of time, but eventually will stop flowering and set seed. By deadheading, you can interrupt this cycle, as faded flowers which are removed before they set seed will typically send out another flush of blooms in an effort to complete the reproductive cycle. Deadheading improves the overall look of the garden. To deadhead, use pruning shears or scissors to cut the dead flower off. You need to cut the stem below the first flower bud or leaves you come to. Deadheading should prevent seeding while removing faded flowers for aesthetic purposes. Other grooming methods you can use are thinning (reducing the density of a plant by cutting out stems); cutting back (promote new foliage growth and keep plants more compact); and division (revitalized perennials that have been planted for over 3 years).

Key Information

You need to water your perennials on a regular basis until they are well established. You can encourage roots to grow deep into the soil if you water fewer times per week but for longer periods of time. You can pinch or shear perennials to keep them shorter and denser. It is called pinching because you can actually pinch off the stem top using your forefinger and thumb, although it is easier to sheer the stem. Do this a few times early in the season for the best results. Some perennials will sprawl and slouch, stealing sunlight or crushing nearby perennials which may be smaller. You can use bamboo stakes to prop them up. In most cases, you won’t need to fertilize frequently, although if your perennials look stunted you need to fertilize right away. Follow the directions on the label to fertilize correctly. If perennials outgrow their space, or die in the middle, they will need to be divided. In the fall, towards the end of the season, check your perennials. If the foliage looks unsightly or diseased, cut it off and compost the stalks and leaves that look healthy.

Essential Tools

You will need scissors and sheers to effectively deadhead and pinch perennials. Household scissors are acceptable and can be carried around easily. You will also want to have a “weeder” on you to help pry up weeds and crabgrass which could be damaging your perennials. A shovel will also be required. There are many types of shovels to choose from, but using a compact, small shovel with a narrow, long blade that is curved and can dig deep holes is best for working in a garden. You will also need a rake. Like shovels, there are many types of rakes to choose from, each serving a different purpose. A shrub rake will fit into small and tight areas better than a big rake, although larger rakes are better when raking mulch and leaves. Thus, having different rakes available to you is a huge asset. Lastly, make sure to wear a hat. Working in a garden for long periods of time leaves your face and neck exposed to the sun, which could result in a sun burn and potentially more dangerous consequences down the road.