Nancy J. Ondra - The perennial care manual: a plant-by-plant guide: what to do & when to do it

THE PERENNIAL CARE MANUAL

A Plant-by-Plant Guide:
What to Do & When to Do It

NANCY J. ONDRA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB CARDILLO

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Carleen Madigan and Gwen Steege
Art direction by Dan O. Williams
Book design by Patrick Barber/McGuire Barber Design and Dan O. Williams

Cover and interior photography by Rob Cardillo, except AGSTOCK/Arlyn Evans
(soldier beetle), 105; AGSTOCK/Jack Clark (lacewing), 105; Wikimedia, 109 top;
cfgphoto.com, 117 bottom; GAP Photos Ltd., 203; Rosemary Kautzky, 112, 113, 114;
Saxon Holt/Photo Botanic, 140.

Indexed by Christine R. Lindemer, Boston Road Communications

2009 by Nancy J. Ondra

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other without written permission from the publisher.

The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information, please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.

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Printed in China by R.R. Donnelley
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ondra, Nancy J.
The perennial care manual / Nancy J. Ondra.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-60342-150-8 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-60342-151-5 (hardcover w/jacket : alk. paper)
1. Perennials. I. Title.
SB434.O53 2009
635.932dc22
2009001531

PART ONE
PERENNIAL CARE BASICS

PART TWO
PLANT-BY-PLANT PERENNIAL GUIDE

PERENNIALS. For so many gardeners, they represent the heart of a garden: hope, regeneration, longevity, and ease of maintenance. From experience, though, we know that nothing is as simple as it appears to be. So, in our insatiable quest to master the art of perennial gardening, we devour a variety of books on the subject, hoping to gain enough knowledge to be able to handle most of the situations that will inevitably occur when planting, growing, and maintaining these stalwarts of the garden.

I can think of no one more capable and well equipped to guide and teach gardeners how to design, plant, and maintain a perennial garden than Nancy Ondra. She is one of the most talented, passionate, experienced, and curious gardeners I have ever known. Nan is a true lover of plants. Nothing thrills her more than experimenting with new specimens and plant combinations, and observing how they grow and thrive in her own garden. Nans garden, her own laboratory and living landscape, transforms itself year to year with a pageantry of annuals and bulbs. But always at the base of the garden, holding the design together, are perennials. Nan has had years of experience tilling her own soil, digging and creating garden beds and planting them with a plethora of wide-ranging plant material. Yet, she is never satisfied. With an insatiable curiosity, Nan is constantly seeking new and better ways of gardening so that she, as well as her readers, can garden in the most efficient manner possible with excellent results.

The Perennial Care Manual, written in a conversational and personal style, invites you into Nans world, where she, step by step, shows readers what to do and how to do it. From the moment you sink into the text of this book, youll know that you are in the hands of an expert. Nan generously shares information, teaches skills, and offers encouragement all with a dose of passion and curiosity to help you move forward in immersing yourself in the world of perennial gardening.

Fran Sorin
Author of Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening

GORGEOUS PERENNIAL GARDENS dont just happen. Behind every bloom-filled border is a grubby, sweaty gardener with muddy knees, chipped fingernails, and sore muscles and a big smile, too. So, whats that goofy gardener smiling about, anyway? For the uninitiated, the reality of what it takes to create and maintain a great-looking garden appears to be an endless string of tiresome tasks and dirty jobs. But true gardeners know that the real fun of gardening is in the process the planning, the planting, the nurturing, and the learning. If we end up with a pretty garden along the way, thats terrific. Chances are, though, that once we get a garden looking just right and everyone tells us how perfect it is, well decide we want to take it apart and try something else or turn our attention to starting a brand new border from scratch. Maybe it doesnt make sense, but it doesnt really need to: Its just what we do.

Its undoubtedly possible to be a successful perennial gardener without ever picking up a gardening book or magazine. After all, learning by doing is an important part of the gardening tradition. But the urge to acquire information in any way possible also seems to be a key trait that all gardeners share. We love reading about new plants to grow, hearing about interesting techniques to try, and picking up great ideas for helping our gardens thrive. Sometimes, we just need a quick rundown of a plants preferred growing conditions so we can figure out where to put it; other times, were seeking more in-depth advice to solve a problem. And if we can find all of that information in one place, so much the better! Well, thats what this book is all about.

Looking for in-depth information on techniques that can help you garden smarter? Turn to Part One: Perennial Care Basics, starting on . Youll find detailed advice on everything from planning an easy-care perennial garden to planting, watering, mulching, and pruning, as well as propagating your favorites and dealing with problems you may encounter along the way.

Need to know the best time to plant, move, divide, or fertilize a particular perennial? Flip to its entry in Part Two: Plant-by-Plant Perennial Guide, starting on . There, youll find a rundown of what needs to be done season by season, along with growing tips to help you select the ideal site, figure out what problems its likely to have, and choose the best way to propagate it. This kind of information is also handy to review