Tips To Extend The Life Of Your Perennials

Working with the perennials in your garden can be a very rewarding experience. The simple beauty of these plants and flowers is enough to make any person take a step back and admire the wonders of nature. This provides a nice change of pace from the frantic lives we tend to lead on a regular basis.

However, a perennial garden can also be a bit of a challenge at times. It requires dilligent maintenance and replanting. As a result, many people shy away from the concept, fearing the work that is involved. There are a few ways, though, to extend the life of your perennials with your regular garden upkeep, taking the replanting off of today's to-do list.

Pruning

One thing you can do if you want to extend the life of your perennials is careful yearly pruning. While cutting a plant may not seem like the best way to extend its life, it will in fact make your garden look exceptional and keep the upkeep to a minimum for you. When you think of pruning, you may think of the trimming you do to your trees each fall and spring. Don't get out those giant clippers just yet, though. Pruning in a perennial garden is done a little differently.

There are several ways to prune your garden. One of the first ways to prune is by deadheading on a regular basis. Deadheading is the process of getting rid of old blooms by pinching them off of the plant. Sometimes this may be a bit more involved than others. For example, in a number of cases, deadheading may include removing an entire flower stalk. Just be sure that when you begin to engage in deadheading, you remove down to the new bud, otherwise you may be taking too little or too much off of the plant.

Cutting back is another way to prune your flowers. Cutting back should be done any time deadheading isn't appropriate. For example, you may choose to cut back an entire section of a perennial, even the stalks and new blooms, if the plant isn't growing properly. This can help to encourage new growth.

Pinching

Pinching is another way to prune your perennials. Pinching involves getting rid of the tips and new leaves to keep a plant from getting too big. Thinning is yet another way to prune your plants. Thinning involves getting rid of particular stems to maintain a plant's size or shape. You may also need to disbud during the pruning process. This will help you to control the flower growth. You may decide where you want the flowers to occur on a particular plant to enhance the look of your garden, and disbudding can help you to control this. Dead leafing is also an important form of pruning. Getting rid of old dry leaves can help to encourage new growth.

Besides pruning, there are several other ways to extend the life of your perennials. One way is by checking the soil pH on a regular basis. This procedure is typically done in the fall, and it will help to ensure that you have the right kind of soil to continue growing the kinds of plants you like. If you find that your soil pH is off a bit, you may want to add certain types of fertilizers to change the balance back to your favor. Consulting a local lawn and garden company may also be helpful in this particular matter.

Be sure, as you add new plants to your garden, to stagger the times they bloom. When perennials bloom, they take up extra energy from the soil. As a result, you can extent the life span of your perennials by making sure you don't have too many things blooming in your garden at any one given time.

Controlling Insects

One final step in keeping your perennials lifespan where it should be is insect control. Several kinds of rather nasty insects can prey on your garden, and ensuring that you have a good insect control method in place will help to extend the life of all of the plants in your garden.

Gardens can be a beautiful place for rest and relaxation if you aren't constantly adding new plants. Consider these methods, and the life of your plants will be greatly increased.