How to Plant Perennials the Easy Way!

In this video, I show you how to plant perennials the easy way - perfect for beginner gardeners especially, as you don’t need a lot of fancy tools or complicated soil amendments. It’s actually much simpler than that! First I’ll show you the tools I use, then I’ll demonstrate and talk you through every step of planting perennials - both large and small plants. Finally, I’ll chat about when to add compost to your garden beds and if it’s necessary to add into each planting hole. (It’s not!)
🧤 Please hit the like button - and subscribe - if this video was helpful to you! 🧤
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🧤 GARDEN TOOLS USED 🧤
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DeWit Snake Tongue Trowel Garden Tool
amzn.to/3QVV5ii
This is a multi-tool I use regularly when gardening. It can be used as a digger, a bulb planter, a weeder, and to cut through roots and help break up soil, especially clay soil. It's expensive, but worth it and will last a lifetime and beyond!
Bond Mini D Handle Shovel
amzn.to/2Rcylk4
My favorite petite shovel! I use this all the time when planting perennials and shrubs!
CoolJob Gardening Gloves
These are my favorite gardening gloves (and I've tried quite a few) which protect my hands when doing gardening chores. I buy them on Amazon, and they come in a package of 6 pairs, under $15 US.
🌱 Women: amzn.to/3lKNe6S
🌱 Men: amzn.to/3rxtJVs
Bio-tone Organic Starter Fertilizer by Espoma
amzn.to/3uTBp2Y
Helps plant roots get established!
You can see all of my favorite gardening tools, gardening books and gifts on my Amazon page: www.amazon.com/shop/gardensanity
#plantingperennials #plantingflowers #gardensanity

[@loricawley54]

Tyfs all ur tips, Laura! I had to laugh when u got to the gloves and bugs part bc I always wear gloves when I’m gardening or mowing the grass bc I def believe in this tip!! I hate bugs of any kind, and our outdoor cameras regularly catch me running screaming across the yard whenever I encounter a bug. One time, I was mowing the grass, and a grasshopper jumped out from the grass towards me. I ran screaming into the cinder block fence, bounced off, fell down, scrambled back up bc that grasshopper was there SOMEWHERE, and ran screaming in the other direction where there wasn’t a fence. My hubby was weed eating and had to stop bc he laughed so hard he cried lol. I didn’t find it funny right when it happened, but the camera footage was hilarious! 🤣🤣🤣

[@GardenSanity]

You’re welcome Lori, and your grasshopper story had me laughing out loud! 🤣 And only because you can now laugh about it too! 🦗 I can get right in the middle of a bee-covered plant like roses or lavender, but if I’m gardening where lots of tiny ants appear, I freak out! 😂

[@LovesOfJuneBug]

Love the rainbow 🌈 that’s showing up in the background. Thanks for the tips

[@GardenSanity]

You’re welcome! And glad you enjoyed the rainbow! I laughed when I saw it later while editing the video! 😀🌈

[@SnappyR]

I see the rainbow too - nice touch 🙂 Our Sun is amazing sometimes♥

[@GardenSanity]

🌈☀️❤️ Imagine my surprise when I played back what I filmed - I had no idea a rainbow was showing up! 😊

[@truthofthematter9409]

Who doesn't love Laura? You have taught me so much and love your soothing voice! 💚

[@GardenSanity]

I’m so glad I can help and love getting not only your feedback but hearing how your own garden plants are doing too! 😊🌺🧡

[@margaretchiodo-keller4495]

Hello! I'm new to this site, and just signed up today. I am very happy to hear that you are in zone 7, so am I (Lansdale, PA). I enjoyed watching this video, and look forward to a lot more informative and interesting topics.

[@GardenSanity]

Hi Margaret, I grew up in the Poconos and used to live in Philly, so I know where Lansdale is! 👋 Thank you for subscribing, and always feel free to ask questions! 💛

[@IamMsQuitaB]

This was so helpful! Thank You

[@GardenSanity]

My pleasure! 🌿

[@dianamary26]

I have no idea what I’m doing so thank you this was a great place to start

[@kimmicannon5629]

Great information 😊. Thank you.

[@GardenSanity]

You're most welcome Kimmi! 😊

[@desi-likes-unicorns3214]

Omg you are a Godsend! I’m 1000% new at gardening and it seems intimidating to me. This video helps me so much! Thank you!

[@GardenSanity]

So happy to help Desi! I'm so glad you've started on your gardening journey! 👍 Please don't feel intimidated! And if you do, hopefully my videos can help. And feel free to ask questions. There's always lots of helpful comments shared here! ❤️

[@casinobabephilly9317]

Just found your videos. I’m Zone 7 neighbor (in Northeast Philly). Im looking forward to watching all your videos! 😊

[@GardenSanity]

I lived in Philly for a few years before moving here to southern NJ. (My husband was from Philly.) 👋 Glad you found me! 💛

[@MomAsol]

Thanks for sharing this is very helpful

[@BS-j1965]

You plant your plants the same way I do…….bending over!!! I can get down on my knees but it’s painful and I can’t get up without help or my garden bench kneeler😂Anyway we can we do👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤️

[@GardenSanity]

Oh my goodness -- we DO plant the same way! 😂 Sometimes it's just easier to bend over and dig a quick hole or two or five. 😉 And yes -- my garden bench kneeler makes it so much easier to get back up! ❤

[@chrismarchetti-olson6632]

Laura you have a beautiful rainbow surrounding you!!! It must be your aura 😁. Now I’ll keep watching but I had to say something 🌸

[@GardenSanity]

I'm laughing very hard because it's definitely not my aura! 🤣 But thank you, just the same! ☺

[@chrismarchetti-olson6632]

@@GardenSanity awe come on!!! 😂😂😂. I always find a way to get a laugh!! The video was great and super helpful. Thank you for sharing 🌸🌸🌸

[@GardenSanity]

And you did get a laugh, Chris! 😂 Glad you enjoyed the video! 🌺

[@chrismarchetti-olson6632]

@@GardenSanity i always enjoy them. I want more!!!! I have a question….. I must have dementia because I know you already told me this…….. if I don’t prune limelight branches, will they be stronger? Not sure if flowers are smaller but that’s ok. At least they won’t flop.

[@GardenSanity]

Yes, the stronger Limelight stems become, the less they will be weighed down by the heavy wet flowerheads after it rains. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prune them in the Spring. Just don’t cut them too low. How tall do yours grow each year?

[@floratollis6591]

THANK YOU great video❤

[@erinjames377]

Very informative, thank you!

[@GardenSanity]

You’re welcome Erin! 🐝🌸🌱

[@kellydearaujo916]

Stumbled across your video for lavender tips and glad I did. Now I’m watching your others! You’re very informative and to echo some other comments, you have a lovely voice! What time of year is best to plant perennials-specifically the perfecto mundo, I’d like to use it as a ground cover? I live in Nothern NJ, 6b. Thanks!

[@GardenSanity]

Hi Kelly - glad you found me! I know we are getting into the heat of the Summer here in NJ, but you could still plant them now IF you provided a lot of water and made sure they didn't get scorched by the sun. An alternative is to plant them in late Summer/early Fall, which will still allow them to get established in time before the dormant season of Winter. Make sure to use some Bio-tone in the planting holes, to help the roots get established more quickly. (And in the Winter, make sure the ground is well covered with mulch to protect the roots from drying out.) I'm finding that the Perfecto Mundo Pink Carpet is a slow grower so far, but this is only the beginning of its second season in the ground for me, so I need to remember my own advice to be patient! Please keep me posted if you plant these on how they're doing for you. 🌸 🙂

[@rosiesingleton6480]

Good planting tips for beginners 👍🏻

[@GardenSanity]

Thanks so much Rosie! 🌸💚🐝

[@susantodd6963]

Great advice, as usual!😊 My first garden tool was a trowel, given as a gift. I have never used it (don't tell the gifter!). My go-to tools are a hand cultivator and transplanting shovel. The cultivator has tines on one side, a hoe blade on the other. If you get a good quality example, it will do almost anything. And transplanting shovels are great because they are long and narrow. I wish I'd had a channel like yours when I first started gardening, it would have saved me a lot of heartache! And the most interesting thing I've found in a client's garden? A gold wedding ring!

[@GardenSanity]

Hi Susan -- thank you! 😊 I'm laughing at your first garden tool gift. I have a trowel in my garage that has a floral pattern on it and came with matching floral gloves. Very pretty gift set but I felt badly because it wasn't going to be useful to me. I have a hand cultivator which I love to use for cleaning up under shrubs or mixing in fertilizer quickly into soil...but I like the idea of a hoe on the other side. And the transplant shovel sounds handy like my small petite shovel...only I like the narrow aspect of the transplant shovel as it seems like it would get in between other plants easier than my one little guy. 👍 As for that wedding ring -- was it the client's ring? What did you do with it? 😯 Do tell!

[@susantodd6963]

It belonged to my client's late father. My client was wearing it in the garden, and it slipped off. This happened several years before I started working there, and he had been looking all that time, even hiring a person with a metal detector. I found it while clearing out a bed, buried in the dirt! He was thrilled. A happy ending!😊

[@GardenSanity]

@@susantodd6963 Oh my that's such a fantastic story Susan! That's the keen eye of a gardener at work! I'm smiling at this wonderful outcome! 😃❤

[@lynbuerkett8537]

Thanks! Great information.

[@GardenSanity]

Glad to help, Lyn! 🦋🌼🌿

[@christinadzindzio3632]

Wonderful info. I love the 🌈

[@GardenSanity]

Thanks Christina! 😀 Glad you liked the rainbow! 🧡💙

[@serenitynowgarden3618]

Great tips, thanks! I must say, you have an amazing voice too.😊

[@GardenSanity]

Why thank you Jeanie! I appreciate it and hope your gardening weather in Minnesota is cooler than ours is right now! 😊🐝☀️

[@juanisgarden5356]

Great video! Great tips! Thank you ❤

[@GardenSanity]

You’re welcome! And thank you, too! 🪴🌱🙂

[@juanisgarden5356]

😍

[@sammysworld5485]

Hi Laura. Most ppl don’t realize that gardening can be an expensive hobby. The different tools I had to invest over the past two years are just ridiculous. Don’t get me started on just the gloves… anyways great comprehensive tutorial on planting. It really isn’t that complicated. ❤

[@GardenSanity]

Totally agree Sammy: gardening is an expensive hobby, which is why I shared the tools that are working well for me -- as I don't plan on replacing any of these garden tools anytime soon, which is great! (I like my gloves by the way, they are really inexpensive!) Between the garden tools, sunscreen, animal and bug repellents and the cost of plants of all shapes and sizes, it can add up pretty quickly. Plus the amount of time needed. I think there are many new gardeners that hope to plant things and just forget about them once planted. But at least there are ways to always make things easier...although making things cheaper would be nice too! 😃

[@taradulin211]

Thank you for the wonderful tips! I’m planting a perennial garden today!

[@Carl-iw9sy]

Good advice, thank you. In my case planting on clay soil might require to be amended. I had expensive plants die on me due to root rot caused by drain issues.

[@GardenSanity]

You're welcome Carl! Yes, we've had to amend our clay soil in several areas where it just wouldn't drain at all. In fact, I've got a video in the works about a "wet area" we have that just never drained, and what we did to build up the soil. In short, we dug it all up, dug it down a few feet and mixed in composted manure and Gypsum (soil amendment) to get the soil into a better form. We also mixed in slow release fertilizer for the plants we already knew we were putting into this area. Since it was (and is) so wet, we planted Buttonbush, Summersweet and Sweetspire shrubs. Clay soil isn't fun, but I keep reminding myself that it is filled with more nutrients than a sandy soil would be, so that's a slight bright side of things! 😀

[@Carl-iw9sy]

@@GardenSanity Sounds like a lot of work but definitely worth it. I too am happy to have clay soil instead of sandy.

[@GardenSanity]

@@Carl-iw9sy It was indeed a ton of work -- and not fun work either, especially for my husband! 😅 Here's to clay soil...once one knows how to deal with it!

[@mynameisgeiger]

I just planted without watching your amazing video. However I didn't remove the roots at the bottom. Will that cause them to die?

[@uzmaali9746]

What is the best time plant the perennials. Fall or Spring

[@GardenSanity]

Hi Uzma! Either Fall or Spring is great for planting perennials. More and more garden nurseries -- and even the big box garden centers like Home Depot -- are selling perennials all through the gardening season. For example, in mid-Summer, these places will have mid-Summer-blooming perennials featured for sale. And in August, you'll see some of the late-Summer and early-Fall blooming perennials. Summer is not a good time to plant if you live where the weather is hot and humid. With some perennials, they will benefit from having the entire Summer season to get established into your garden to better handle the Winter season if you live where it is snowy and cold. In warmer zones, planting in Fall works well since the Winters are mild. I hope this helps! 🙂

[@uzmaali9746]

@@GardenSanity Thank you so so much.

[@andreaking2358]

How is there a rainbow in the background?!! 😮

[@GardenSanity]

🤣 Well Andrea, my best guess is that the angle of the sun plus the humidity in the air caused a rainbow while I was filming! I didn't even know it until I was editing the video afterward! 🌈 😃

[@willaerley7140]

Planting at my house is quite different. Shovel goes in a half inch and clank there’s a 50 lb boulder. 🤬 After an hour of swinging the pick axe, it’s out, But wait. What’s this? A 4 inch root right underneath. 🤬 Oh, and what’s this coming up with the soil? The builder had some leftover asphalt and decided to bury it right next to my house. 🤬

[@GardenSanity]

🤣😂 OK Will, apologies for laughing out loud, but this is hilarious! 😅 And partly because I can relate. When we first moved here, this soil was horrible clay and rocks aaaaaaaannnndddd whatever the builders decided to leave in said soil. The very first time we were digging to make a garden bed, we dug up a complete men’s shirt, among other things. We started to laugh yet wonder if we were going to uncover a person. 🤣😧🫣 Our pick axe enabled us to eventually plant all of our arborvitaes in the backyard. It wasn’t a pretty process. 🫢🤬🙃 This bed in the video is a partially raised bed we made so it has built up layers of workable soil over time on top of the builders soil. 💡 There should be a museum dedicated to what gardeners find in builder soil! 💡

[@truthofthematter9409]

Oh no! I cannot imagine trying to plant with boulders in the ground! I find myself lucky. I do however, run into my dogwoods and maple roots often! I have found old china and buttons though! I'm surprised I've not found more though.... this home is about 160 years old!

[@willaerley7140]

@@truthofthematter9409 I have the remnants of an old fireworks factory behind my house. I had to borrow an industrial cutter to remove the barbed wire fence. I find all kinds of bricks and debris, but never anything good. The factory had a few explosions that blew out windows of the houses in the center of town, some 70/80 years ago. It got shut down and cleaned up (mostly) shortly thereafter.

[@GardenSanity]

@Truth of the matter @Will Aerley I’m impressed you each have unique back stories to your homes - broken china and a fireworks factory is really neat. Except for the boulders and bricks!

[@loricawley54]

Will, ur soil sounds like our soil here in the desert of west Tx, lol! We have caliche and often run into big rocks larger than my head and have encountered leftover building materials as well. My hubby usually has to dig my holes for me, and then I get to spend lots of time picking out all the rocks from the dirt he put in the wheelbarrow. It’s a JOB so I feel for anyone who has to go thru that! ❤️

[@carlaradke4066]

Laura -- I sent you an email regarding my dappled willow. It might have gone to your spam. Carla

[@GardenSanity]

Hi Carla - thanks for the heads up! I’ll reply tomorrow to you! 🙂🌿👍

[@stevenpfingsten4384]

What if your soil is chunky clay soil?😬

[@brysonw1815]

Water tf out of it 🤣