Perennial beds are very popular mainly because they require relatively little work. Since the perennials sprout anew every year, you save yourself the annual bed preparation, planting, etc. Nevertheless, a perennial bed also needs care. You can find out below which care measures are due at which time of the year.

Perennial beds should not be watered at midday in summer

Maintain the perennial bed in spring

The most important time for care is early spring, before the perennials sprout, i.e. early/mid-March. This is where the soil is cleaned up and the soil prepared so that the perennials can enter the growth phase happily and strengthened. Therefore, in the spring you should:

  • Remove leftovers, dead leaves and other things from the bed
  • Cut off dead plant parts
  • remove any frozen perennials
  • Fertilize perennials with a one to two centimeter thick layer of compost
  • Dig up and divide old perennials

Maintain the perennial bed in summer

Summer is the time of flowers and bees. So that the perennials bloom particularly richly, it is important to ensure that there is sufficient water supply.

  • Water your perennial bed daily on dry summer days, preferably in the morning or evening when it is not yet or no longer so hot.
  • Protect the perennial bed from drying out with a layer of mulch. It is best to apply this to the perennial bed in early summer.

Most perennials need few nutrients to thrive. Nevertheless, there are a few special cases that belong to the heavy feeders, such as delphiniums, sunflowers or lilies. These need an extra portion of fertilizer in the summer. You can find out which perennials you should fertilize and which fertilizer is suitable in this article.

Maintain the perennial bed in autumn and winter

Before the first frost, the perennial bed must be winterized. Although most garden perennials are hardy, winter protection is still a good idea to keep the perennials safe even in severe frosts.

  • Prune your perennials in the fall not back. The dying foliage naturally protects the roots from frost.
  • Also cover sensitive perennials with brushwood, leaves or garden fleece.
  • Don't forget to water your perennials even in winter. Perennials are more likely to dry up in winter than freeze to death.

tips

In general, perennials do not need to be cut back, as the above-ground parts of the plant die off in autumn and the perennials sprout again in spring.

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Garden design