A Gardening Primer: Essential Techniques for Successful Perennial Borders

(Editor's Note: Originally published March 6, 2007. Comments welcome, though authors of previously published articles may not respond.)

Ground Preparation

Time spent on soil preparation pays off. If annuals grew well without fertilizer, perennials need only a light annual maintenance feed. If adding fertilizer, incorporate it well in advance or mix thoroughly. A light top-dressing several weeks after planting is safe. Gardening is about observing plant response and adjusting—water, fertilizer, sun, temperature. The goal: an established border that thrives with minimal yearly effort.

Planting

Water plants well in their pots the day before planting. Remove from containers by inverting and tapping the pot's edge, or spanking the bottom. For cell packs, pinch the sidewall and poke the underside. Plant slightly below the soil line, firm gently, and leave a ridged ring to hold water. Water the entire bed for 30–40 minutes after planting. If rain follows, no further watering needed until the first dry spell.

Water and Summer Care

First-year plants need water during prolonged dry spells—about one inch weekly. Check penetration with cans or by digging; six inches deep is ideal. Shallow watering creates shallow roots that suffer when skipped. Deep, infrequent watering builds self-sufficient borders.

Control weeds by lightly scratching the soil surface as weeds emerge—this destroys germinating seeds. Once plants mature and shade the ground, weed problems diminish. Most plants are pest- and disease-free; spray only if a major invasion occurs, using a general insecticide like Sevin.

Mulching for Decoration and Weed Suppression

Mulch keeps roots cooler, retains moisture, looks nice, and controls weeds. Downsides: cost, doesn't stop grassy weeds, ties up nitrogen as it decays, can repel water if bone-dry. Apply a shallow 1–2 inch layer about six weeks after planting, after cultivating to kill early weeds. Don't cover plant crowns. Subsequent years may need less mulch as plants fill in.

Fall and Winter Care

Cut the bed to about 6 inches in late fall to remove debris and dead annuals—this simplifies spring cleanup. Most perennials show crown life early spring. A light fertilizer application anytime from late fall to early summer maintains bed health.

Winter mulching is only for extreme northern gardeners without reliable snow cover. Plants are hardy; more are lost to smothering and rot than cold. If mulching, wait until ground freezes hard. Use excelsior, salt hay, evergreen boughs, or straw—never leaves or grass clippings. Remove at first thaw.

Moving and Dividing Plants

Move plants anytime with a good soil clump around roots. In early spring or fall, bare-root division works. During active growth, keep soil on roots. Divided plants that don't wilt are fine; if they wilt, water or shade for a few days until new roots form. Try cracking a piece off the side after ground warms, leaving the main plant undisturbed. Dianthus has a central stem and can't be split; astilbes have hard centers requiring digging. Coreopsis and Shasta daisies self-seed—learn to recognize seedlings.