The Connection Newspaper

On a busy day, a staff member at a garden centre can answer hundreds of questions.  At times, your head can spin from trying to picture the space the person is asking about (“I have a porch that faces northeast, with a big overhang, what hanging basket is best?”) or identify the plant the person is requesting (“I saw a green and yellow plant in my neighbour’s garden; it is about this tall…”).

When armed with questions for your local garden centre, try to have as much information as possible to help the staff member answer your queries and meet your needs.  Can you bring a photo or your digital camera with a picture of the space or plant you desire?  Or can you bring a leaf from the neighbour’s plant?  How about doing some research ahead of time and bringing a list of perennials you are interested in along with ones you have tried in the past that you either like or dislike?  Even if you bring a picture of a container planting that you love, that information will guide a savvy staff person to help you make choices that will not only satisfy you, but thrill you.

Below are some of the questions that we, in the garden centre business, hear often.  The answers to one or two might be helpful to you.

Q:  What can I plant that is no maintenance and will survive if I am gone for days at a time?

A:  The honest answer is plastic flowers, but as respected staff in a good garden centre, we rarely come out with that response!  Plants do require maintenance, usually in the form of water and fertilizer, and occasionally deadheading or trimming.  That said, some plants can handle periods of drought and minimal maintenance.  In flower beds, perennials are a good option.  Once a perennial has gotten over transplant shock (usually after a month of consistent watering to help it establish a root base; a root starter fertilizer assists as well), it generally requires only one inch of water a week and that often comes in the form of rain water.  Annuals require more care, either in beds or in containers. A soil rich in compost with mulch on top will retain moisture and be much better than poor soil that is left to bake in the sun.  In containers, plants in BIG pots will be less stressed during periods of dryness.  If away for a few days, hanging baskets can be set down and, if not up high in the air drying out, they will stay moist twice as long.  Wise plant choices will also ensure more success for a gardener who doesn’t want high maintenance plants.  If you don’t plan to fertilize, don’t choose petunias – they love to feed!  Consider a succulent garden or a perennial rock garden or how about a window box of hardy ivy geraniums or trailing portulacca?

Q:  How often should I fertilize?
A:  Container plantings, such as hanging baskets, window boxes or patio pots, should be fertilized at least once every two weeks.  It is best to use a water soluble fertilizer or a liquid fertilizer.  Both are usually found in a concentrated form and are mixed with water.  It is best to fertilize when a plant is not dry to avoid burning the roots.  If your plant is very dry, water it first with clear water to de-stress the plant, and then use the fertilized water.  Plants in flower beds can be fertilized the same way, but planting in an excellent soil that is rich in organic material (compost, triple mix, manure) is a better way of providing nutrient.  By adding to the soil in your flower beds each year, you increase the volume of soil and replace the nutrients that are so important for overall plant health and vigour.

Q:  Why would I want to plant annuals each year when perennials come up year after year?

A:  One of the main differences between annuals and perennials is bloom power!  Most perennials bloom over a period of six to eight weeks, some for a much shorter time (ground phlox, peonies etc).  Once the first bloom is spent, a second, much smaller bloom can occur if you deadhead the old blooms and stems.  After that, the perennial plant is mainly a foliage plant in your garden.  Annuals bloom, usually, from the day you buy them to the day you yank them out of the ground!  An interesting garden usually has a combination of annuals and perennials.  The constant bloom of the annuals keeps the colour in your garden while your perennials wave in and out of bloom.  Annuals with amazing bloom power that look awesome amongst perennials include:  “Victoria Blue” Salvia, Zinnias, “Senorita Rosalita” Cleome, Supertunias, Dragon Wing Begonias, Sunpatiens, Nicotiana, Lavatera, and Portulacca.

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