Hey y’all! It’s been a minute and I really don’t have any excuses as to why I haven’t been sharing mjonesstyle stuff but I’m here today to talk about my love for perennial plants and share tips on how to create a perennial paradise for years to enjoy!

I’ve always been fascinated with beautiful flowers and landscaping and I’ve been playing around in dirt all my life. I love the smell and feel of the earth between my fingers…that’s right, I don’t use gloves, they take away the joy of gardening to me. It’s amazing what water, sun, seeds and plants will produce. Once they are established in your flowerbeds, they settle in, take root and last forever! Beautiful landscaping starts with good earth, healthy plants and good old fashion water and sun.

blue bonnets

#1. Gather the perennials you’ll be planting. If you’re installing a new bed, try to assemble as many of the plants as you can to make the process smoother. Smaller perennials in 4-inch pots cost less and catch up to larger perennials within one year after planting.

bridal’s wreath

#2.The best time to buy perennials is in fall, when garden centers are trying to reduce inventory before winter.

purple coneflower

#3. Add as much organic matter to your planting area as you can. Use things like compost, old leaves, mushroom compost, shredded bark mulch, or composted manure. Perennials live in the same spot for many years. Adding lots of organic matter creates a base that helps plants thrive.

purple bearded iris

#4. If you’re planting a bed, arrange plants in the beds prior to planting.

big blue liriope

#5. Water the perennials you’ll be planting before you start digging any planting holes.

angel daisies

#6. Dig a planting hole that’s slightly deeper than the pot the plant is in and twice as wide. Toss a handful or two of organic matter into the hole. If the soil in the bed is dry, water the hole prior to planting.

apricot bearded iris

#7. Remove the plant from the pot. If roots are thick and heavily conformed to the pot shape, tease and break up the base of the root ball. This encourages new roots to form. Toss broken roots and soil into the planting hole — it adds organic matter.

giant elephant ears

#8. Set the plant in the hole. Check the planting depth. Aim to position the plant, in the hole, so that it’s at the same depth it was in the pot. Avoid burying the crown, the spot where roots and stems meet.

blue salvia

#9. Mix organic matter like compost into the soil you excavated from the hole. Toss it all together like a salad, and begin to fill the hole. When the hole is halfway filled, water to help settle the soil. Finish filling the hole, gently firming the soil around the plant.
Water the newly planted perennial. Soak soil thoroughly, so that water soaks as deeply as the root ball.

red sage

#10. Cover soil with a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch. Perennials thrive with organic mulch, like compost or triple ground shredded hardwood bark mulch. This type of mulch breaks down over time. Avoid piling mulch against perennial plant stems or covering the crown (this leads to rot).

double knockout rose

Once the perennials settle in and get comfortable in their new home, they will start to produce years of enjoyment. You will soon have enough plants to share with everyone.

blue bonnets

Until next time,

Enjoy!