Haven’t we had a glorious spring? Just the right amount of sun and rain, and a few cool days as well. Your spring perennials have all appeared and most have bloomed or are blooming. Your spring blooming bushes have all had their appearance and you have trimmed off all the bloom residues. Right?

Now that the chance of frost has passed, we can get serious about getting new plants in the ground. If you have not gotten all your new plants from seeds in the ground, put them in now. Some of your late-spring perennials… the Iiris, the Siberian Iiris, the Peonies, and the Poppies are finishing their blooms. Do not cut off anything but blooms on any of these plants until the green leaves die back. Make sure you have your weeds pulled and your paths laid out, so that you can see the empty spaces that you have. Also make note of how many hours of sunlight your spaces have and the type of soil. Some of my favorite, easy-to-grow perennials for full sun to partial shade are Black-eyed Susan, Sedum, Daylily, Phlox, Russian Sage, and Purple Coneflower. It can take a season or two for new perennials to begin flowering, so use annuals to fill in your garden for the first season or two. When you are choosing your plants, make sure that you are getting directions for their care. If you want your plants to come back each year, make sure that you choose varieties that survive in your climate and gardens. Zone maps can be found in any plant or garden magazine or calendar. Chillicothe is in Zone 5. Most perennials bloom during specific periods, so pick varieties that flower at different times. The mix will give your garden continuous color. Another way to add interest to your flower beds is to let plants grow up. Trellises, chain-link fences, and arbors or pergolas create more gardening space.

Most perennials can be planted any time of the year. The first few weeks after planting, keep the soil moist, but not soggy to help establish the plants roots. After that, most perennials grow best with one inch of water a week. Adding mulch around them helps retain moisture and stifles weed growth. To encourage repeat blooming deadhead perennials by removing faded flowers. You can also tidy up your garden by cutting back your plants. 

If you have window boxes, make sure you have emptied them and hosed them out. Check to make sure the holes aren’t plugged. There should be a random pattern of holes about 2 to 3 inches apart with at least one near each corner for good drainage. Lay a weed barrier inside to keep soil from draining out the holes. Put tall plants in the back and shorter ones in the front. Some of my favorite plants for window boxes are geranium, verbena, lantana, and impatiens. Draping or trailing plants look nice in window boxes as well. As at anytime you are putting in new plants, water daily unless there is significant rain (see above), until roots of plants are established. 

Hope you are having a great time in your garden!