Now is a great time to create a perennial garden, fill voids in planting beds and add some seasonal interest to your landscape. The worst of summer’s heat is over, the soil is warm and air is cool; perfect for planting trees shrubs and perennials.
Always select plants that best fit the space, growing conditions and your landscape design. Check the tag for all these details and more to help with your selection.
Trees
- How to use them in the landscape
- Framework of the landscape
- Seasonal Interest – flowers, fruit and fall color
- Attract birds, shelter for wildlife
- Where to plant them
- Near patio, deck and play areas for shade
- East east and west side of the house to shade windows and the roof for energy savings
- Specimen – focal point in the landscape
- How to Plant
- Locate rootflare – place where roots curve away from trunk
- Rootflare should be at or slightly above soil surface
- Locate rootflare – place where roots curve away from trunk
- Dig hole
- Deep as distance from rootflare to bottom of root ball in center getting shallower as it reaches the edge of the hole
- 2 to 5 times wider than rootball
- Roughen sides of planting hole so roots can explore the surrounding soil
- Set plant in the hole
- Lift by the container or rootball NOT the trunk
- Remove tags and ribbons
- Slide out or cut away pot OR Cut away burlap and wire baskets
- Loosen any girdling roots
- Fill hole with existing soil
- Water thoroughly and mulch
- Cover surrounding soil with 2 to 3 inches of mulch
- Keep mulch off root flare and several inches away from trunk
- Remove only broken or rubbing branches at planting
Shrubs
- How to use shrubs in the landscape
- Screening bad views
- Hedges – define spaces in the landscape
- Seasonal interest in mixed borders
- Specimen plants – focal point
- Where to plant
- Taller shrubs in the back of the mixed border
- Along the lot line to Create Privacy
- Near the house for insulation and energy Savings
- How to Plant
- Locate the crown (place where stems meet the roots)
- Plant so crown is even with the soil surface
- Locate the crown (place where stems meet the roots)
- Dig hole
- Same depth as distance from crown to bottom of rootball
- 2 to 3 times wider than the rootball
- Roughen sides of the hole
- Set shrub in hole
- Remove tags
- Loosen any girdling (circling roots)
- Fill hole with existing soil
- Water and mulch
- Keep mulch a couple of inches away from crown of plant
- Remove only broken and crossing branches
Perennials
- How to Use
- Add seasonal color and fragrance
- Groundcover around trees and shrubs
- Mixed borders
- Food for birds, butterflies and other pollinators
- Where to Plant
- Flower Beds
- Mixed borders
- Groundcovers
- How to Plant
- Prepare the soil in the garden bed
- Add compost to the top 8 to 12 inches of soil
- Improve drainage and increases water holding ability
- Add compost to the top 8 to 12 inches of soil
- Prepare the soil in the garden bed
- Dig hole the same depth but wider than the rootball
- Slide perennial out of the pot and loosen roots
- Set in hole so crown (where roots meet the stems) of the plant are even with the soil surface
- Cover roots with soil
- Water and mulch
- Don’t bury the crown of the plant
Post Planting Care
- Water thoroughly whenever the top few inches of soil are crumbly but slightly moist
- Check new plantings several times a week – but only water as needed
Written by, Melinda Myers. Melinda Myers is a nationally recognized gardening expert with more than 30 years of horticulture experience. She is a wealth of knowledge and we are pleased to share Melinda’s Gardening How-To with you!
