Perennial Garden Care: Seasonal Maintenance for Year-Round Beauty

Spring

• Cut back dead stalks from winter.
• Assess gaps; add annuals for continuous color.
• Apply slow-release fertilizer.
• Work compost into beds.

Summer

• Deadhead spent blooms regularly to encourage rebloom.
• Stake tall plants (delphiniums, peonies) before they flop.
• Cultivate soil to deter weeds and improve water penetration.

Fall

• Cut back foliage for tidiness (optional; some seed heads add winter interest).
• Divide overcrowded clumps: dig, split with a sharp spade, replant with compost.
• Mulch crowns in cold zones.

Planning for Success

Choose perennials suited to your light, soil, and moisture conditions. Have a plant list before visiting the nursery. Once established, perennials reward you with years of low-maintenance beauty.