Got Problems with Your Annuals or Perennials?
There is no better way to add a dash of color or visual appeal to your yard throughout the growing season than by planting annuals and perennials around your house. For the most part, all we need to do take care of them is to water them regularly and give them some plant food (fertilizer) every now and then. Occasionally, though, annuals and perennials get overrun with weeds, experience under or over watering, or get attacked by some bug or disease. What should you do if this happens to your annuals and perennials? Based on the questions that our customers have asked us about problems with their annuals and perennials, we’ve come up with various fixes to these sorts of issues. Below we share these questions and answers.
I just can’t seem to keep weeds out of my perennial garden. What do you suggest?
Two things. First, weed your garden by hand, making sure you pull up the roots as well as the top part of the weed. If the soil is compacted, use a garden shovel or knife to loosen the soil, making extraction of the entire root easier. Second, lay down a generous layer of mulch—at least 2-4 inches deep. Mulch will prevent weeds from growing and substantially reduce the amount of time you’ll need to devote to weeding.
My flowers in my annual and perennial beds are constantly wilting. What am I doing wrong?
Most likely you are watering too shallow, which is a common problem when watering by hand using a hose sprayer. Watering any out door plant should involve a slow, deep penetrating watering, which allows water to reach all of the plant’s roots. Mulching will reduce water loss by keeping the soil around the plant moist for longer periods of time, which allows the plant to absorb great amounts of water.