by Connie Oswald Stofko
Gardening season in Western New York is longer than many people think–it doesn’t start and end on Memorial Day weekend.
There’s still time to plant perennials, including ones that are blooming now.
And you can freshen up your garden with summer annuals as well as autumn annuals.
And some of these plants may be on sale!
Planting perennials in late summer
You can safely plant perennials now through mid-September, said Mark Yadon, vice president of Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville.
Some landscapers and other gardening folks may say you can plant perennials well into October, he said, but he doesn’t recommend waiting that long because you want to have enough time for the plant to get well established.
“You want the roots to grow as deep into the soil as possible,” he said.
If the roots aren’t deep enough, the plant could heave out of the soil in the winter and the roots could freeze, Yadon explained.
When you plant your perennial, dig a hole and add good compost or soil mix to give the roots a good start. He also suggested mulching to help protect the roots over the winter.
See more tips on planting perennials to survive the winter here.
Late-summer perennials in bloom
Perennials that may be blooming at this time of the year include upright phlox, agastache, showy tick trefoil, butterfly bush, heuchera or coral bells, coreopsis and foxglove. Read more about these plants:
- What are the most popular categories of perennials?
- There is still time to plant perennials, & they are on sale!
- 5 reasons why you should plant perennials in autumn; there are fall annuals, too
The plants that Mischler’s has available can change from day to day, so if you want to know whether they have a particular plant in stock, contact Mischler’s directly.
Sale at Mischler’s
This is another reason to plant perennials now–you can get some on sale.
Perennials in 3.5-inch pots are buy two, get one free at Mischlers.
Mischler’s is also holding its White Tag Sale. Anything with a white tag is only $5.
Some specialty annuals are on sale, too.
Summer and fall annuals
Not only are mixed pots of summer annuals available, but the staff at Mischler’s is creating new pots of annuals that have an autumn vibe.
Hi Jay, thanks so much for sharing!
Most perennials do very well with fall planting, with exception of some of the ornamental grass varieties. I got many not so easy to find perennials at Mischler’s, very good result.