20 Lazy Perennials You Can Still Plant in November (No Nursery, No Trays, They Come Back Every Year), by Healthy Root on YouTube. 30 min 21 s.
- Video length
- 30 min 21 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Push a trowel into the soil about 10 cm deep. If it slides in easily and the soil is not frozen solid, you can still plant. If the ground is hard or icy, wait for spring.
Aim to plant about 4 to 6 weeks before your ground normally freezes. Check your first-frost date with your county extension office to see if late planting will work where you live.
To get free plants, lift a mature clump with a spade. Cut or pull it into two or three sections, each with roots and shoots, then replant them at the same depth.
If you buy bare-root plants by mail, unpack them on arrival and soak the roots in water for about an hour before planting.
Dig a hole wider than the roots and set the crown level with the soil surface. Spread the roots out, backfill and firm the soil gently around them.
Check drainage before you plant. If water sits in the hole, add compost or pick a raised spot, because wet winter soil rots roots.
Water each new plant well after planting so the soil settles around the roots. Keep watering if the autumn stays dry and the ground is not frozen.
Wait until the ground freezes, then spread 5 to 8 cm of mulch around the plants. Keep the mulch clear of the crowns and stems.
Skip fertilizer and push a label in beside each plant so you can find it again in spring. Expect most new plants to bloom properly in their second year.
Tips and common mistakes
Divide on a cool, cloudy day and replant the divisions straight away so the roots do not dry out.
Do not mulch too early, because warm soil under a thick layer can encourage rot before winter sets in.
Daylilies and true lilies are highly toxic to cats, so keep them out of reach of pets.
If frost lifts plants out of the soil in winter, press them back in once the ground thaws.
Questions
Can I plant perennials in November?
Yes, if your soil is still workable and not frozen. Plant about 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes, which mostly works in milder zones.
How do I get free perennials?
Divide clumps from your own garden or a neighbor's. Lift the plant, split it into sections with roots and shoots, and replant each one.
When should I mulch new perennials?
Wait until the ground freezes, then add 5 to 8 cm of mulch. Keep it away from the crown so the plant does not rot.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
