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Planting from nursery stock means less work for busy novices.


Yasmin Concepcion has a passion for plants. She is an apt student.


Perennials to sow from seeds Perennials are plants that live more


than two years and often as long as 80 or more years (peonies, clematis). They generally take longer to mature than annuals so if you plant them from seed you need to be patient. Perennials may not bloom until the following spring and some take even longer than that, depending on the plant. Others can be coaxed into bloom the first year if started indoors.


Transplants moved to six packs.


plants actually like boggy conditions (elephant ears, some types of iris, ligularia), while others like it moist but well drained and some, such as lilies, prefer quite dry conditions.


for three reasons: to keep moisture in the soil in drought conditions, to keep weeds down and, if using organic mulch, to con- dition the soil as the mulch breaks down. River stone can also be used to deter weeds and retain moisture, but it doesn’t improve the soil. When using organic mulch, apply it only about two inches thick to avoid at- tracting voles. Keep mulch away from the stems of your plants to avoid stem rot or suffocation of the plant. Organic mulch can be leaves, grass clippings, straw, bark, wood chips, even shredded newspaper. Apply mulch after the plants have emerged from the soil, not before, as you could suppress them along with the weeds.


What about mulch? Mulch is useful


nials can get along very well without fertil- izer in our rich Canadian soils. Potted an- nuals are a different matter. Because they are


www.localgardener.net What about fertilizer? Most peren-


usually grown in a confined space, they have access to a limited number of nutrients and therefore require more help. Use a slow re- lease fertilizer in the soil when you plant (this is the pelleted type – follow the directions on the package) and then, later in the summer, add a water soluble fertilizer about once ev- ery two or three weeks. If you feel the need to fertilize weekly with your watering, use a much diluted solution. Don’t over fertilize and never fertilize a dry pot as this could burn your plant. Water first, then add the fertilizer once the pot has been moistened.


This is Canada. It is generally safe, almost from coast to coast, to plant out tender annuals and vegetables after the May long weekend. Some folks wait until the first week in June just to be sure. While it is true that you can often get away with hanging out a basket in early May, you may pay for these extra couple of weeks with spindly or weak growth all summer. Wait until the nights get warm to put containers outside, unless you want to bring your plants in ev- ery evening. `


When is it safe to plant outside?


• Anise hyssop • Black-eyes Susan • Calendula (perennial types) • Columbine • Catmint • Echinacea • Cerastium • Cranesbill geranium • Delphinium • Dianthus


• False sunflower • Gaillardia • Hosta


• Joe-Pye weed • Lupines • Monarda (bee-balm) • Salvia nemerosa • Shasta daisy • Rose campion • Yarrow


Biennials These short-lived plants take two years


to complete their life cycle, blooming in the second year. Many of them are sold as annuals. Stagger the planting of bien- nials so that, with self-sowing, they will appear to act like perennials. • Foxglove (biennial type) • Hollyhock


• Lunaria (moneyplant) • Pansy (grown as an annual) • Parsley • Salvia argentea • Stock • Sweet William


Spring 2012 • 21


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