Perennials are sold either as dormant bare root plants (without soil) or as container grown plants. To know when to plant container grown perennials in the spring garden, follow these guidelines. (For bare root perennials, check Spring Planting: When to Plant Bare Root Perennial Plants.)
Container Grown Perennials
If you have a container grown plant that has been grown outdoors at the nursery, you can plant it as soon as you purchase it, assuming the ground can be worked. This means the soil is no longer frozen and is not too wet/muddy to be dug.
Hardening Off
If you have a plant that has been sheltered in a greenhouse, it needs time to adapt to the outdoor conditions. Condition it or harden it off by setting it in a location with morning-only sun and protection from harsh winds; protect it from frosts if it is already leafed out. Water as needed to keep the soil moist like a wrung out sponge. After a week or so you can plant it in the garden assuming the ground can be worked. Continue to protect it from frosts if it was forced into early growth and is consequently very tender.
Mail Order Plants
If you have a container grown plant that was shipped to you by mail order, you should follow the directions sent with the plant. Generally speaking, most are shipped at approximately the right time for planting in your area. However, these can sometimes benefit from a day or two of conditioning prior to going in the garden, just to give them some time to adjust from being enclosed in the dark shipping box. If they seem to be "ahead" of the season and are very tender, harden them off as above.
I hope this series helps you begin to understand the how's and why's of determining when to plant your flowers in the spring garden.
This is part of a series on when to plant in the spring.
All Flower Gardens Articles So Far
Copyright 2006 Barbara Martin
