Perennial bed

When selecting plant species, you should make sure to choose native wild perennials. You can also proceed according to the categories of the so-called “Lebensbereiche” of perennials. These habitats classify perennials according to their optimal growing conditions: under woody plants, at the edge of woody plants, in open spaces, in beds, in rock gardens and by water. Search filters from perennial nurseries also help you to select species that are suitable for your location. What you need:

• Flower pot or box (if required)
• Spade or shovel
• Tiller (if required)
• Spading fork or rake
• Sand or compost (if required)
• Fertilizer (if needed)
• Native wild perennials
• Water hose and sprinkler or watering can
• Planks or boards (if required)

First assess your initial situation. If you have an existing lawn, dig down to spade depth and carefully remove all roots from the soil. For large areas, we recommend removing the topsoil mechanically or digging it up with a tiller. You should repeatedly work through the planting area with a spading fork and rake to remove weed roots and emerging seedlings.

Your soil should have a fine, crumbly structure. Depending on the soil structure, the soil may need to be improved. For heavy, loamy soils, you can work in organic material such as compost and possibly sand. Heavy soils are soils with a high clay and silt content that store water well but are slow to aerate. They tend to compact and are difficult to work. Despite their challenges, they are often rich in nutrients and fertile if well maintained. You can recognize heavy soil by the fact that it feels sticky when wet and sticks to tools or hands. Water only seeps away slowly, often causing waterlogging, and it tends to crack during dry periods. It feels smooth or greasy when rubbed between the fingers.

Depending on the plant species composition, initial fertilization can be beneficial, e.g. for plant species that naturally grow in humus-rich, nutrient-rich soil. However, some plants that would typically grow in a poor meadow can also be planted in pure gravel.

Plant the perennials in dry soil conditions, i.e. the soil must not be so moist that it becomes compacted during cultivation and pressing. Dig the planting hole according to the size of the root ball. One of the most common mistakes when planting is that the hole is dug too shallowly and the root ball then protrudes above ground level. However, it is just as bad to “sink” the plant, i.e. to cover the growing point with soil. Press the plants down lightly after planting and water them.