For:
By: Daniel E. Mullins
Extension Horticulture Agent
Start With Highest Quality Bedding
Plants
Gardeners are natural nurturers. There exists among us an urge to help ailing plants to recover and flourish. In most cases however, if we start with low quality, sickly plants they never reach their full potential regardless of the amount of care provided. This concept is especially true and can be applied when purchasing bedding plants.
The peak of the spring bedding plant season is upon us. Nurseries and garden centers are offering a wide selection of started plants for transplanting to prepared landscape beds. These plants can be purchased in compartmentalized plastic flats known as cell packs, or in larger containers such as four inch pots.
Bedding plants grown in four inch pots are usually more expensive, but
are larger and will produce more flowers sooner than plants that were grown in cell packs. As a result, beds established with these larger plants are attractive sooner and for a longer period of the growing season. Another advantage of using plants grown in four inch pots is that they will cover the bed sooner and help to control weeds.
Look for young, healthy and pest free plants with dark green foliage. Avoid purchasing plants that are tall and spindly, showing nutrient deficiencies or having fungal leaf spots. Extra large bedding plants that have been held for too long in their containers are certainly not a bargain, as they will never reach their full potential.
Seasonal adaptation should be considered when purchasing bedding plants. Only the warm season species should be planted in the spring. It is too late for planting the cool season flowers such as Dianthus, pansy, petunia and snapdragon. Instead, select those that can tolerate our spring and summer heat. These include Coleus, Celosia, Dusty Miller, Gaillardia, Marigold, Nicotiana, Pentas, Rudbeckia, Salvia and Zinnia.
Sites
where bedding plants are to be established should be spaded or tilled at least
six inches deep well before planting.
Space plants according to the adult size for each species. Extremely close spacing results in wasted plants, crowding and reduced flowering, while spacing too far apart reduces the desired mass effect. Most bedding plants can be spaced twelve to eighteen inches apart.
Once purchased, bedding plants should be planted without delay – within twenty four hours, if possible. When left in the containers for too long, they become stressed, change physiologically and rarely recover completely.
Set out plants at such a depth that the top of each root ball is even with, or slightly above the level of the surrounding soil. Avoid excessively deep planting as this can result in rotted stems and roots.
Once a bed is planted, water thoroughly using a hose with a breaker (diffuser) attached. This initial watering is important to settle and place the soil in good contact with the root systems.
Mulch bed surfaces at a depth of two to three inches using coarse bark or pine needles. Mulching materials should not come in contact with the base of plant stems. The high moisture environment created by mulch piled against plant stems increases the chances of stem rot and death.
Maintaining a stable nutrient level in the soil is one of the keys to season long flowering. This can be accomplished by applying a controlled release fertilizer during bed preparation or by making light monthly applications of complete granular or liquid fertilizers.