Buying Perennials: What to Consider

March 15, 2024, 4:24 am | Read time: 3 minutes

A beautiful, colorful garden is the reward for many hobby gardeners’ hard work in the past. But to achieve this, you need to put in some effort and be especially mindful when purchasing plants.

Perennial gardens are popular. They are colorful, ideally lush, and offer a lot of freedom in plant selection. However, when buying perennials, you should pay attention to a few characteristics to ensure a vibrant flower bed. myHOMEBOOK reveals what to look for when purchasing perennials.

Key Characteristics to Consider When Buying Perennials

If you want to buy flowering plants for your garden, you should take a closer look at the roots of the perennials. This is advised by the Federal Association of German Allotment Gardens (BKD). Brown, heavily matted, or even slimy roots are not a good sign–the plant may have been exposed to waterlogging. If the roots are white and protrude slightly from the bottom of the pot, you can assume the plant is healthy, they say.

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Additionally, you should examine the leaves closely. Deformed or curled leaves can indicate pests. Such plants should not be taken home, especially if pests are visible on them. It’s best to buy perennials that are robust and compact, avoiding those with long, thin, unstable shoots.

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What to Consider When Planting Perennials

In perennials, stems and branches remain soft and herbaceous and do not become woody like trees or shrubs. To ensure the plants root well, they should not be planted in the garden too early. It’s best to wait until the soil is frost-free and warm enough. The advice: Plant them after the Ice Saints–this year, starting May 15.

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The BKD experts advise: Once a suitable location is found and the planting hole is dug, immerse the root ball in a bucket of water until no air bubbles rise. Only then should you place the perennial in the hole and fill the edges with garden soil. Press everything down gently and finally water the perennial thoroughly.

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Why Perennials Are Beneficial in the Garden

Most perennials are perennial, so you save money on the annual purchase of new plants. Additionally, perennials require relatively little care compared to other plants. Another advantage of having perennials in the garden is that these plants are hardy. A light root protection is mostly sufficient.

With material from dpa

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@myhomebook.de.