June 8, 2019

Using Perennials to Give Shady Spots Life

all you need to know about

shade gardening

Contrary to popular belief, shade gardening is not difficult. You just need to look for low light-level plants in a variety of foliage colors and textures that can establish themselves despite the nearby tree roots and amidst heavy deer browsing. YES, it can be done in one shopping trip! And YES, you can yield beautiful results!

selecting the plants

that love the shade

First, select shade lovers such as Autumn Ferns, spiky Liriope, some Heuchera (the fuzziest, thickest leaf variety you can find), fool-proof Lenten Roses, and a shrubby evergreen to anchor the area such as Pieris Japonica or Andromeda Mt. Fire. All of these plants love the shade! Plus, they have good deer resistance, and they possess fantastic foliage color and texture when out of bloom.

Plan the positioning of your plants by select one Andromeda and placing it as you like. Place three to five of the other plants around it to fill in, keeping odd numbers and groupings to complement the anchor.

we recommend

PREPARING THE SOIL

Once planned, before any actual planting occurs, and as we always recommend…prepare the soil! If tree surface roots are showing, try your best to cut and dig them out. This will not harm the tree, as there are plenty below the surface that provide more than adequate support for the tree.

Add Petitti Planting Mix to build up the area, providing a raised mount in the spots where you’ll plant living material. Avoid increasing soil around the base of any nearby trees, ideally keeping the flare of the tree trunk exposed. Then, set out your plants and begin planting pot by pot.

planting for success

take the time to do it right

Proper planting for the best chance of long-term success always includes digging your holes twice as wide as the pot and just as deep as the pot. As you go along, amend the small piles of soil you’re removing from each hole with Petitti Planting Mix at a rate of 50-50 (half original soil, half fresh planting mix). Apply Espoma® Bio-tone® into each of the planting holes, which works as a superior root stimulator and starter fertilizer to support new plant establishment.

Separate the plant roots, and place each plant in its hole slightly above soil level (because planting too deeply suffocates!). Backfill with the 50-50 amended soil. Repeat the same procedure for all plants in the area.

Finally, apply a dose of Espoma® Plant-tone® around each plant on the surface of the bed, scratching it into the first inch or so of soil.

the final touches

FINISHING UP

Be sure to water deeply and thoroughly. Finish by applying 1-2 inches of Petitti Mulch for a clean look that brings a shady area back to life – for the long haul!

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