The Best Winning Fall Perennial Planting Action Plan
Fall is actually the perfect time to plant these beauties in Albuquerque if you follow a few simple steps.
Let me walk you through the when, what, and how so you can have the garden of your dreams next year.
Get ready to dig in!
Pick the Prime Planting Time
You’ll want to plant your perennials about 4-6 weeks before the first expected frost.
This gives the roots enough time to establish themselves. If you have to plant closer to frost cause life got busy, no worries! Just bury them a little deeper than normal. This helps protect them from any ground heaves during freezing.
Pay attention to that frost date and mark your calendar. Having the right planting timing sets your perennials up for success.
Choose the Early Bloomers
When choosing perennials, go for ones that bloom early – in the spring and summer. These babies grow their roots faster than fall bloomers. Just imagine how gorgeous your garden will look next year when they burst into bloom!
Leave the fall bloomers for another season. The spring and summer blooming perennials will give you a bang for your buck by settling in quickly and pumping out flowers.
Prep the Plants
Before planting fall bloomers, snip off any flowers or buds you see. I know, it feels wrong, but it redirects the plant’s energy into the roots rather than making seeds.
If you’re transplanting spring or early summer perennials, divide them up now. Perennials actually prefer being divided and transplanted in the off season when they aren’t blooming.
Feed the Soil
After planting, sprinkle some mulch around the new perennials. This keeps the soil moist and happy. Once the ground freezes, add another thick layer of mulch. This insulates the soil from temperature swings and prevents your hard work from literally being pushed out of the ground.
If Mother Nature doesn’t provide enough rain, grab the hose and water your newbies about an inch per week. Deep watering like this encourages deep roots.
Wrap Up
Follow this timeline and advice, and your perennials will thrive through winter and take off next spring.
To recap:
- Plant before frost
- Choose spring/summer bloomers
- Prep fall bloomers properly
- Transplant spring bloomers now
- Mulch lightly, then thickly
- Water deeply if dry
Get those perennials in the ground on time and take good care of them, and you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeous garden next year.