ESTABLISHING AND CARING FOR PERMANENT FLOWER FLOWERS
Perennial flowerbeds are set up similarly to seasonal ones. When using perennials to create flower beds, you should take into account that they remain in the same place for several years and the different requirements of perennials more than seasonal plants.. Therefore, the preparation of the soil at the planting site should meet the requirements of the plants for several years.
A very important step in soil preparation is the careful removal of persistent weeds, like for example. perzu, ground elder, thistles, etc., the removal of which after planting perennials is almost impossible.
The soil should be tilled deep enough to maintain a lumpy structure and proper porosity. Loosening the soil to a greater depth is no longer possible after planting most perennials. Only slight superficial loosening is possible. During cultivation, ingredients appropriate to the requirements of perennials should be added, because not all genera and species have the same needs. A certain group of perennials, like for example. peonies, delphiniums and lilies, it will require a large dose of natural and mineral fertilizer as well as a dose of lime. Another group, like for example. marcinkom, irysom, floksom, tawułkom or chrysanthemums, a small dose of manure or peat and a small amount of mineral fertilizer are enough. However, this must be borne in mind, that many perennials are able to develop under very unfavorable conditions, however, it doesn't, that such conditions suit them. Most perennials react very favorably to good soil conditions and good fertilization. Perennials grow much better under good conditions, they are much healthier and they bloom almost always longer and more profusely.
Perennials should never be planted in close proximity to competing plants, e.g. trees or shrubs with a shallow root system. Also, perennials should not be planted in small groups on the lawn, which is a serious competitor. In such conditions, perennials grow badly due to the lack of water and nutrients.
Perennials can be planted and divided at different times of the year. However, most perennials are best planted in the spring. Planting should begin with the plants that begin their vegetation as quickly as possible (e.g. omieg, primrose, geese). At the beginning of summer, the latest flowering marcin plants can still be planted. It is possible to plant and transplant perennials over the course of the summer, but that is not true of many species. These perennials tolerate such transplanting quite well, which have a strongly developed root system. Of course, these plants should be transplanted with a large lump of soil.
At the end of summer, you can divide and plant these perennials, which have already finished flowering, e.g. irises or primroses. In early fall, you can divide and plant almost all spring and summer flowering perennials. It should not be planted in late fall, because not all perennials can take root sufficiently during this time, to survive the winter. Young plants that are poorly rooted can dry up very easily in the winter. Therefore, young plants should be watered abundantly when frost occurs, and lightly cover for the winter, preferably with conifers or a thin layer of straw.
Bulb perennials should be planted in terms appropriate for each species - from July to November.
The planting technique is similar to that of many other plants. Remember to carefully level the ground, which makes it very easy to plant plants to the right depth. Perennials with large lumps or abundant roots should be planted a little deeper, because, due to subsidence, such plants tend to "go up" above ground level. The land between perennials, especially in the first year after planting, it is good to cover it with composted peat, which greatly facilitates the maintenance of water in the soil.
Taking care of perennial flowerbeds consists primarily in the careful destruction of weeds. Cut the weeds only with the stapes, so as not to undercut neighboring plants. Weeds growing among densely planted or carpeted plants should be removed by hand, without the use of tools. Weeds that are difficult to remove can be trimmed with a knife.
Watering perennial flower beds is especially necessary in the period of early summer after spring planting. Watering with a dispersed stream during the period of full growth and flowering may cause lodging of plants due to the weight of the water. Very eg. the flowers of the phlox are destroyed by raindrops. Therefore, it should be watered like this, so as not to get the plants wet, and direct the stream of water to the surface of the earth.
Perennials that remain in the same place for many years generally require a supply of fertilizers. You can use mineral fertilizers for this purpose in the spring. The sown fertilizer should be slightly mixed with the soil by shallow hoeing or "scratching" with norkros, Some fertilizers, e.g. saletry, can be dissolved in water, which increases the speed of their operation.
It can also be fed by covering soil between plants with well-rotted manure or compost.
Staking plants is a care treatment that is often used. This applies primarily to perennials with tall and little branched shoots. Tilting or breaking the shoots most often occurs during heavy rains and winds. Banding plants with a large number of shoots can be done without the use of a stake. Ligation should be done this way, so that it does not distort the entire plant. Do not squeeze the shoots excessively. Plants tied too late are generally very distorted and cannot even regain their proper shape.
You can prevent plants from hatching by appropriate cuts. Its purpose is to increase the spreading of plants. It should be carried out in the period, when the shoots reach a third of their height. This cut may be repeated, when the shoots are two-thirds in height. Very good results are obtained when pruning tall varieties of big trees and asters. Such pruning causes a slight delay in flowering.
Pruning to delay flowering can be specially performed in the same group on parts of the plants. As a result, it is possible to extend the flowering effect.
Many perennials after flowering have ugly, drying flowers, which should be cut as quickly as possible. Leaving the flowers for a longer period of time causes the plant to "strain" to set seeds.
Some perennials can be left dry for the winter, because they are an interesting garden decoration, especially when light snow falls or when they are frosted. Shoots of plants infected with various diseases should be cut and burned, so as not to spread them. Leaving perennial shoots in flower beds helps to keep more snow, which is the best cover for the winter period.