Spring-blooming perennials, especially in the bare root form, are best planted early in the fall. Planting in the fall while the soil is still warm will give the roots enough time establish properly. This allows the plants to emerge from well established roots, with a stronger start, the following spring. 4.
Planting. Most perennials should be planted in the fall or early spring. Fall planting gives the plant more time to become established before the start of active growth in the spring. Fall-planted perennials are usually well-established before hot weather.
Although each plant's needs may vary and some will be more winter-hardy than others, in general about a month before the last fall frost is sufficient in giving the plant enough time to establish itself and take root.
Place plant in hole and backfill the hole with a good quality garden soil. Water immediately. Cover the planting area with a natural mulch of bark or straw. Mulch keeps soil moist and protects new roots from freezing.
Fall planting of cold-hardy perennials, shrubs and trees, has many advantages. Chief among them being that these fall transplants will be larger and display more flowers than the same size plant transplanted in the spring. Fall is a time for active root growth when weather temperatures are more moderate.
"Fall is an excellent time to plant almost any perennial, with the exception of many ornamental grasses, which are better planted in spring," says Erin Schanen, Troy-Bilt's gardening partner, a master gardener volunteer and creator of The Impatient Gardener blog and YouTube channel.
As a general rule of thumb, you will usually fertilize perennial plants at least twice a year: in the early spring when new growth begins to emerge, and again in early fall.
When you're ready to trim, remember the rule of thumb for how far to cut back perennials. At a slight angle, trim the plant nearly all the way down to the ground, leaving about a 1-to 2-inch stub above ground. Spray your pruners with alcohol or Lysol in between cuts to sterilize them.
It's common to think that everything should be chopped down to the ground in the fall, but some perennials actually need their foliage to protect new shoots through the winter. Other varieties offer up important habitat for local wildlife and some perennials provide height and interest through the winter months.
Violas and Pansies
These hardy little flowers not only have gorgeous blooms but can survive almost anything winter has to dish out. Violas and pansies grow best in partial shade but need a minimum of four hours of sunlight a day.
Perennials can be planted any time of year.
By planting them in the fall, plants will have a long time to establish a strong root system before the hot, dry summer months. In fact, the roots are likely to continue to grow as long as the soil temperature is over 50 degrees Farenheit.
Water and Feed Your Perennials
Young perennial plants may be hardy, but they still need plenty of water and nutrients to get established in the soil. You can easily water and feed at the same time with Miracle-Gro® Liquafeed®.
Some perennial flowers will thrive in areas with low sunlight and come back every year. Astilbes are some of the easiest perennials to grow and will open their plume-like flowers in partial shade. They'll even grow in full shade, although you won't get as many flowers. Hostas are also a good choice for shady spots.
No matter which fall gardening project you choose, be sure to make plant roots super-happy by using Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix (for containers) or Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Vegetables & Herbs (for in-ground).
Perennials that require no fertilizer: Included are ornamental grasses, false indigo, ground covers, butterfly weed, bee balm, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, sea holly, dianthus, asters and veronica. summer: Use a quick release food in summer, instead of a slow release food.
To support plants through this season of transition, make sure they get adequate water until the ground freezes. This is especially important if the summer season has been hot and dry, and for newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials. In fall, plants do not need as much water as they may have needed in summer.
It does not need much fertilizer; however, if your soil is not in good shape or the plant is not thriving you may need to feed the plant. Rich soil and a lot of water is just as important for hosta health as is fertilizer. New hostas planted in the spring will need a good starter fertilizer to help establish the roots.
Fall is a great time to plant another crop of spring greens such as spinach, leaf lettuce, arugula, mustard greens, and mâche because they require cooler soil for seed germination and they mature quickly.
Plants like chrysanthemums, nasturtiums and asters are wonderful choices for seasonal planting arrangements. While perennials that will survive the winter are great choices, autumn is also a great time to explore new ideas will short-season annuals too.
The newly emerged growth of most perennials can tolerate temperatures in the low 30s and upper 20s Fahrenheit. Freeze damage may occur if temperatures drop into the lower 20s or teens. Most well-established perennials that have been damaged by freezing temperatures should survive.
Perennials are slow growers at first: They take the first one to three years to establish deep roots and dense foliage. However, once established, they thrive with little maintenance to give your yard beautiful new growth year after year.
Although cyclamen is usually grown as a houseplant, this extra-hardy variety (also called Persian violet or winter cyclamen) thrives outdoors and is at its peak during the winter months, when cold weather coaxes the foliage and flowers from summer dormancy.