July 15, 2020

Beautiful perennial garden with a fountain.

Homeowners with flower beds on their property know how much they contribute to their property’s curb appeal. Nothing adds more color to what can be a drab landscape than a few perennial flowers. However, they do require care, especially during the summer season when the heat can affect their health. With that in mind, the following are a few tips to help you keep your perennials healthy throughout the summer:

1. Water Your Perennials Regularly

During these Michigan summers, the heat is going to make it difficult for flowers and the soil that they’re planted in to retain water. As such, you will need to water your flowers on a daily basis to prevent them from withering. How much you water your flowers will depend on the type of flowers that you’ve planted. Uneven watering or excessive watering can also hurt your flowers, after all. Because of how challenging it can be to water your flowers properly (not to mention how time-consuming it can be to do so on a daily basis), you might want to consider installing an irrigation system that can water your landscape automatically.

2. Add Mulch As Needed

Because it’s more difficult for soil to retain moisture during the summer as a result of high temperatures, you should consider adding mulch. Mulching will help to retain soil moisture as well as regulate the temperature of the soil. Additionally, mulch can help prevent weed growth.

3. Fertilize Soil Properly

The health of your flowers will depend significantly on the nutrients available in the soil. Your soil will lose some of its fertility over time, which is why you’ll want to add fertilizer. Doing so ensures that your flowers get the nutrients they need. However, you need to know what kind of fertilizer to get, how much to apply, and when to apply it. Some fertilizers can actually hurt your perennials if you add too much. For example, you could scorch your plants. Generally speaking, the best types of fertilizers are those that are liquid or water-soluble. If you have pets or children, then you may also want to consider fertilizers that are 100 percent organic and natural.

4. Prevent Weed Growth

Weeds can quickly take over your landscape if you don’t actively remove them. Weeds are essentially any plants that grow in areas where you don’t want them to grow. Not only do they hurt the visual appeal that you were going for, but they will take resources away from your perennials (such as by absorbing the water and nutrients that you want your flowers to be getting). Additionally, weeds often harbor pests and diseases that they can spread to your flowers.

5. Prune Whenever Necessary

Some homeowners might be tempted to just let their flowers grow. The more flowers, the better, right? However, pruning is actually very important to the health of your perennials. First of all, controlling their growth helps prevent them from becoming overgrown and unsightly. Secondly, you don’t want your flowers to grow to the point where they are crowding out other plants. Finally, by pruning your flowers properly, you’ll actually help to promote healthy growth.

These tips should help you keep your perennials healthy throughout the summer. Of course, taking care of your flowers using these tips is easier said than done, which is why you should consider hiring a landscape company to maintain your beautiful flowers for you. For information about our landscaping services, contact us at Twin Oaks Landscape in Ann Arbor, MI. today!