Perennials can be planted anytime from spring through fall.
Prepare the garden by breaking up the existing soil (use a hoe, spade, or power tiller) to a depth of 12-16” (30-40cm). Add organic matter such as manure, peat moss or garden compost until the soil is loose and easy to work. Organic ingredients improve drainage, add nutrients, and encourage earthworms and other organisms that help keep soil healthy. Give plants an extra boost by adding a granulated starter fertilizer or all-purpose feed that encourages blooming (for example fertilizers labeled 5-10-5).
Check the plant label for suggested spacing and the mature height of the plant. Position plants so that taller plants are in the center or background of the landscape design and shorter plants in the foreground. To remove the plant from the container, gently brace the base of the plant, tip it sideways and tap the outside of the pot to loosen. Rotate the container and continue to tap, loosening the soil until the plant pulls smoothly from the pot.
Dig the hole up to two times larger than the root ball and deep enough that the plant will be at the same level in the ground as the soil level in the container. Grasping the plant at the top of the root ball, use your finger to lightly rake the roots apart. This is especially important if the roots are dense and have filled up the container. Set the plant in the hole.
Push the soil gently around the roots filling in empty space around the root ball. Firm the soil down around the plant by hand, tamping with the flat side of a small trowel, or even by pressing down on the soil by foot. The soil covering the planting hole should be even with the surrounding soil, or up to one inch higher than the top of the root ball. New plantings should be watered daily for a couple of weeks to get them well established.
Plan ahead, for plants that get tall and require staking or support cages. It’s best to install cages early in the spring, or at planting time, before the foliage gets bushy. Vining plants require vertical space to grow, so provide a trellis, fence, wall or other structure that allows the plant to grow freely and spread.
Finish up with a 2” (5cm) layer of mulch such as shredded bark or compost to make the garden look tidy, reduce weeds, and retain soil moisture.
I live in 7A – central TN. I bought a Spanish Lavender (Anouk Supreme) about 2 months ago and it was blooming. Now those blooms just look like they are dried up. Shall I cut each off and hope new buds will come out?
Hi CL,
Snip the faded lavender flowers off at the base of the stems. Most lavender plants have a peak blooming period. By removing the old flowers your plant may be encouraged to produce additional blooms, although not as many as the main flush of flowers. Removing the old flowers also allows the plant to focus more energy on plant growth.
I live in north georgia and my lavender is a small tree shape in a pot,
how will it do in the winter months or do I need to take it inside
until spring.
Hi Diane,
Plants in pots are more vulnerable to freezing weather because the roots have less insulation than a plant in the ground. Spanish lavender plants are also more vulnerable to freezing than English lavender. If you want to keep your Spanish lavender plant outdoors, it would be best to put it in a sheltered location, along a wall or fence or in an unheated garage or shed where it gets some protection from winter winds. Your region is probably in USDA growing zone 7 or 8, so with some protection your lavender plant should be fine. It can be difficult to provide optimum conditions indoors for a lavender plant to thrive and, like all perennial plants, there is some benefit to allowing it to go dormant for a period of time.