Call Us Now! 800-335-4769

make life beautiful

How to Succeed with Perennials

Plant Selection

Select the right plant for the location to improve growth and reduce maintenance. Perennials for sun need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day.

Soil Preparation

Preparing the soil properly before planting will reduce maintenance down the road. The planting bed should be weed free with all roots removed by hand or by spraying with a non-selective herbicide like Ortho’s Roundup. Organic mater like soil conditioner, finely ground bark or compost should be mixed into the soil to hold moisture and aerate the soil. Ideally, the bed should be prepared to a depth of 24 inches, allowing for maximum root development.

Prior to planting, fertilizer should be mixed into the soil, according to soil test results.

Planting Perennials

Container-grown perennials should be planted at the same level they are growing in the pot. Be sure to loosen up the root ball and tease the roots, so they’ll grow outward rather than the established circular pattern. Direct seeding of perennials into the soil is not generally advised, since it takes two or more years for perennials to bloom when grown from seed.

Water plants thoroughly. A deep soaking will help send roots downward to search for water. During the first year after planting, beds should be watered whenever dry to the touch about 1 to 1 ½ inches deep. In succeeding years, established perennials can be watered as needed, usually only during drought.

Mulch

After planting, apply a one to two inch layer of organic mulch like bark, cocoa hulls or cedar chips. Take care not to smother crowns or the shallow rhizomes of plants like iris. Mulch will help suppress weed growth, hold moisture and keep roots cool.

A little weeding may be necessary in perennial beds for the first few seasons. Weeds may be removed by hand or prevented with a pre-emergent herbicide like Preen. Some perennials, which multiply by reseeding may be inhibited if Preen is used. Hoeing or cultivating is not recommended, it stirs up weed seeds in the soil, encouraging weed growth and may damage shallow roots.

A winter mulch is recommended, especially for young plantings. Snow is the ideal winter mulch but is not reliable. A layer of light, fluffy, insulating material, such as straw or evergreen boughs, applied after the ground freezes, will prevent heaving. Apply in November or December and remove before growth starts in March or April.

Maintenance

During the growing season, remove spent flowers and developing seed pods, a process called deadheading. This will help prolong the bloom season of many plants. Seed pods may be hand picked or in some cases the whole plant may be sheared, (i.e. Campanula and Coreopsis.) Deadheading may also prolong the blooming period of heavily flowering plants like Gaillardia and Coreopsis grandiflora. Some seed pods are ornamental and may be left to persist over winter. Examples include; Siberian Iris, Rudbeckia, Sedum, and ornamental grasses.

Certain plants, like chrysanthemums, benefit from pinching during the growing season. The tips of the plant are removed, resulting in a bushier, shorter plant. Unpinched mums will get tall and leggy and will bear only a few flowers per stem. Pinch 2 to 3 times, starting when the plant has reached six to 12 inches, the last pinch should be no later than July 15, or flowering may be affected.

Winterizing & Dividing Perennials

Perennial beds can be cleaned in the fall or spring – the choice is yours. In the fall, clean up plants after frost kills the tops of perennial plants. Cut tops back to the soil line or leave a few inches above ground so plants can be identified in spring. The cleanup may be postponed until spring as the dead tops help to trap snow and leaves as mulch.

As the garden grows, plants expand and may begin to crowd one another. Dividing plants will help thin overcrowding, rejuvenate aged clumps and propagate choice varieties. This is best done in spring before growth is six inches or more, or in late August through mid October. Fall-divided plants will need their foliage cut back to four to six inches. Lift plants from the soil, shake or hose off excess soil and separate the crown with a knife, spade, axe or saw. Cut into sections with three to five eyes or buds for the best size blooming plants. Replant immediately and water well.

Dividing perennials is best performed in late afternoon or early evening out of direct sunlight. This will eliminate additional stress from the hot sun.

For additional information, consult the experts at English Gardens.

Share this good advice with others

Facebook
LinkedIn

More Good Advice

Good Advice

March Gardening Check List

Spring is so close we can smell it. Time to get in the garden and start prepping for the season (once all the snow melts, of course). Forsythia blooms, Robin

Read More »
Good Advice

Landscape Design Basics

Creating an inviting and beautiful landscape can seem like a daunting task. While you may need to put in some sweat equity, it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process.

Read More »
Garden Tips by Month

February Gardening Tips

Spring is right around the corner. What better way to spend these dreary winter days, than planning for a beautiful start to Spring? 

Read More »
Menu

English Garden Nurseries & Garden Centers Serve the Greater Clinton Twp., Dearborn Heights, Royal Oak, West Bloomfield, Eastpointe, and Plymouth Ann Arbor Michigan Areas

Providing garden centers complete with full service landscaping, seasonal holiday stores including their enchanting Christmas Stores, and most locations even offer a full service in house florist

English Gardens Detroit MI area nurseries & garden centers are not only the areas largest garden nurseries, but they offer the largest selection of products and services found anywhere in the Clinton Twp., Dearborn Heights, Royal Oak, West Bloomfield, Eastpointe, and Plymouth Ann Arbor Michigan regions providing full service garden centers, full service landscaping and landscape design, seasonal holiday stores including their enchanting Christmas Stores, the largest selection of Patio Furniture in Michigan, and most locations even offer a full service in house florist for flower arrangements for every day as well as those special occasions such as wedding flowers, event flowers, sympathy and funeral flower arrangements, prom flowers, and more!

Our nurseries and garden centers have the areas largest selection of plants, flowers, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and patio furniture. Garden supplies are in abundance, with everything from garden tools and accessories, to garden and potting soil, mulches, bagged garden stone, pots and so much more. We have everything you need for your outdoor gardening needs.

Landscaping? Count on the professional landscape contractors and designers at English Gardens to Make Your Property Beautiful! We offer both DIY landscaping assistance and full service landscape design and construction with our in house landscaping company.

Our floral designers can create perfect floral arrangements for weddings, events, funerals, proms and the like. Make the moment beautiful.

Our Christmas Stores in addition to being one of the areas best holiday experiences, are filled with live and life-like artificial Christmas trees, including flocked artificial Christmas trees, and those sometimes hard to come by 9 foot flocked artificial Christmas trees, as well as a large, ready to take home inventory, of 3 foot artificial Christmas trees, 4 foot artificial Christmas trees, 5 foot artificial Christmas trees, 7.5 foot artificial Christmas trees, 9 foot artificial Christmas trees and 12 foot artificial Christmas trees, and all of the other holiday items you need like Christmas lights, decorations, Christmas wreaths & garland of all types, and unique gifts. Make the Holiday beautiful!

English Gardens store by store offerings in the Clinton Twp., Dearborn Heights, Royal Oak, West Bloomfield, Eastpointe, and Plymouth Ann Arbor Michigan areas;

Clinton Twp. Garden Centers:

Dearborn Heights Garden Center:

Royal Oak Garden Center:

West Bloomfield Garden Center:

Eastpointe Garden Center:

Plymouth Ann Arbor Garden Center:

Be sure to visit any one of our Garden Centers for the largest selection of products and services the area has to offer. If you have any questions please call one of our stores directly in Clinton Twp., Dearborn Heights, Royal Oak, West Bloomfield, Eastpointe, and Plymouth Ann Arbor Michigan for friendly, prompt help.

Clinton Township, MI

Address
44850 Garfield Rd. at Hall Rd.
Clinton Twp., Michigan 48038

Phone Numbers
Phone: (586) 286-6100
Fax: (586) 286-0033

Dearborn Heights, MI

Address
22650 Ford Rd. at Outer Dr.
Dearborn Heights, Michigan 48127

Phone Numbers
Nursery: (313) 278-4433
Florist: (313) 565-8133
Fax: (313) 278-0459

Eastpointe, MI

Address
22501 Kelly Rd. at Nine Mile Rd.
Eastpointe, Michigan

Phone Numbers
Phone: (586) 771-4200
Fax: (586) 771-4894

Plymouth/Ann Arbor, MI

Address
9900 Ann Arbor Road W.
Plymouth, Michigan

Phone Numbers
Phone: (734) 453-5500

Royal Oak, MI

Address
4901 Coolidge Hwy,
Royal Oak, Michigan

Phone Numbers
Phone: (248) 280-9500
Fax: (248) 280-2688

West Bloomfield, MI

Address
6370 Orchard Lake Rd. at Maple
West Bloomfield Township, Michigan

Phone Numbers
Phone: (248) 851-7506
Fax: (248) 539-4738

Patio Furniture from English Gardens of Michigan

Patio Lounge Chairs
Patio Furniture Showrooms
Bistro Sets
Outdoor Dining Sets
Outdoor Sectionals

Make Life Beautiful! Come to English Gardens Today!

Don’t forget to come visit our enchanted Christmas Stores! We have by far the areas largest display of pre-lit and unlit Christmas trees, both Live and Artificial Life-Like Christmas trees in all sizes and varieties, the areas largest selection of Christmas lights in a variety of lengths, sizes, bulb types including energy efficient, and long lasting ,state of the art, LED Christmas lights, Christmas Garland, Christmas wreaths, Christmas decorations, and that perfect gift for that special someone!

Make Christmas Beautiful! Come to English Gardens This Christmas, It’s Fun For The Whole Family!

When it comes to the holidays other than Christmas, you won’t be disappointed, From July 4th, to Labor Day, Columbus Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Mothers and Fathers Day and more, you guessed it, you can count on English Gardens to Make the Holiday Beautiful!

Make the Holidays Beautiful! Come to English Gardens!

At the end of the day, we all enjoy putting a smile on our, and other’s faces, come to English Gardens at any one of our convenient locations and Make Today Beautiful!

Make Today Beautiful! Come to English Gardens!

Christmas at English Gardens

Where to Buy Frosted Christmas Trees in Michigan

The best artificial Christmas Trees in Michigan

Christmas Tree Sale

Where to Buy Mini Lit Christmas Trees in Michigan

Choose the right pencil Christmas tree this holiday season

Pre Lit Artificial Christmas Trees

Pre Lit Christmas Trees

White Lit Christmas Trees

Slim Flocked Christmas Trees

Slim Christmas Trees

Skinny Pre Lit Christmas Tree

Outdoor Lit Christmas Trees

Fake Christmas Trees