How to Plant a Perennial
First, gather the gear you’ll need, such as gardening gloves and a shovel or trowel. Have a hose or full watering can available, too. Before planting your container-grown perennials, make sure to water them well. Well-hydrated plants tolerate and recover from the transplanting process better.
Step 1. Plan Out Your Design
Set out the plants in their pots where you want them to go before you start digging. It’s much easier to move them around this way until you are happy with their arrangement. Look at the plant tags for mature size, then double-check that your plants will have enough space to reach their mature size without crowding each other.
Step 2. Dig a Hole
Remove any mulch from the soil surface where you want to plant your perennial. Then use a garden trowel or shovel to dig a hole deep enough to hold the plant at the same depth it was growing in the container. Remove any rocks or root clumps you come across while digging.
Step 3. Remove the Pot
Firmly tap the bottom of the pot with a trowel handle and squeeze the sides of the pot to loosen the root ball if necessary. Slide the root ball out of its nursery pot, being careful not to pull on stems or leaves. Gently massage the bottom and sides of the root ball, and tease apart a few roots to encourage them to grow outwards once they’re in the ground.
Step 4. Tuck Your Plant in the Soil
Set the plant in the hole, checking that the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. If not, adjust the height and fill in around the roots with soil. Water; then add more soil if needed to completely fill the hole. Replace or add mulch around your newly planted perennial, making sure it doesn’t touch the stems.
