How far apart you should be planting perennials. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
If you’ve never thought about it, you should take the time to learn how far apart to plant perennials. For a modest investment up front, perennial plants will bring years of color and interest to your garden or landscape. A little time and effort spent in proper planting will pay off in the future.
If you are planting nursery-grown plants, refer to the label. The preferred spacing is usually a range, such as 18-24 inches. Planting closer will give you a fuller garden more quickly, but you will probably need to divide the perennials sooner. Plants with closer spacing are more susceptible to fungal diseases caused by poor air circulation.
Most perennials benefit from division after 3-5 years. If you can’t find information about a specific plant, a general rule is to space small perennials 6-12 inches apart, 2-3-foot-tall perennials 12-18 inches apart, and taller perennials 18-36 inches apart.
It’s also a good idea to consult a good book on perennials before planting.
Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.