Perennial Care
What is a perennial?
A perennial is a plant that, once planted, will come back year after year without the need for reseeding or winter protection. Some perennials grow, bloom and then die back to the ground each year. These are called herbaceous perennials. Others are evergreen, producing new foliage even when they’re not in bloom.
No matter the type, perennials benefit from a little extra care throughout the year to stay healthy and looking their best. Some may even need dividing or transplanting if they start to look crowded. Beyond regular watering and fertilizing, these simple care techniques will help your perennial garden thrive.
3 Basic Care Techniques for Healthy Perennials
1. Deadheading
Remove faded or dead flowers from your plants. After blooming, a plant naturally focuses energy on producing seeds. By cutting off spent flowers, you encourage the plant to put energy into new blooms instead, keeping your garden vibrant and tidy.
2. Cleaning
Trim away dying or damaged parts of the plant. Old growth can:
- Harbor pests or disease
- Shade new growth and prevent it from developing
Keeping plants clean ensures healthy development and reduces garden problems.
3. Propagating with Cuttings
Many perennials can form new roots from healthy shoots. Popular perennials that root easily include:
- Arabis
- Aubrieta
- Bergenia
- Chrysanthemum
- Delphinium
- Dianthus
- Geranium
- Iberis
- Sedum
How to propagate:
- Remove healthy shoots from the parent plant.
- Fill a pot with a moist sand or soil mix.
- Poke a hole in the soil and insert the cutting.
- Firm soil gently around the cutting.
- Once the cutting grows about 2 inches, transplant it to a larger container or directly into your garden.
With just a little extra attention you can enjoy healthy perennials year after year. These simple techniques ensure your garden stays vibrant from spring through fall, while giving your plants the energy to flourish season after season.