Once plants are dug, roots of each plant are hand wrapped, identified and carefully packed to ensure their safe trip to your doorstep. Depending on the species or the season, plants may be trimmed before shipping. The rest is up to you -

Please open your parcel right away. Soaking the roots in water for at least 15 minutes is suggested. You can pot plants to help build up the root system again and then plant in your garden when the soil and weather conditions allow. A good general multi-purpose compost is fine provided you add at least 10 to 20% aggregate (rocks or sand). This helps the drainage and keeps the container from getting blown over.

A home for your young perennials should be prepared prior to their arrival if you wish to put them directly into the landscape. Establishing a balance between water holding capacity and aeration is the first key to beautiful garden. If your soil is heavy, it should be amended with sand, bark, and / or compost material to improve drainage, and the soil should be mounded above grade to assure proper drainage. Mixing different components often provides the physical properties for optimum growth. Peat moss has excellent water holding characteristics, bark and sand promote aeration and drainage.

Dig hole twice the size of the plant, mound dirt and keep the top of the root ball at or 1" above the ground. As a general rule, most perennials should be planted with their crown (the band of white between the foliage and roots) approximately one inch below the soil surface. Plants sometimes benefit from the root being spread or fanned when transplanting. This will encourage new root growth.

Once roots are planted, water plants thoroughly, this helps eliminates air pockets. Most bare root perennials benefit from being on the dryer side initially, because they can absorb very little moisture at this stage. Once planted, the bare root plant needs to develop feeder roots. By keeping them on the dryer side you are forcing the plant to seek moisture, helping to initiate root growth. It is best to water early giving foliage a chance to dry out before evening hours - to reduce disease possibilities and crown rot.

Deadheading- Pinching and pruning perennials will help keep them attractive and encourage rebloom.

A good mulch of 2 or so inches over the soil will help keep the soil temperature moderated and conserve moisture. Be sure to slightly pull the mulch away from the stem to prevent disease and insect damage, especially in the South. Winter mulching is essential in zones 4 and 5 where the ground freezes. It is helpful in the South during the summer to keep the ground cool. Of course there are different ways of planting different perennials, so use this as a guide and HAPPY GARDENING!

Astilbe
Hardiness Zones 3 to 8          Plants shipped are grown in containers, additional varieties may be available.
Astilbes are long-lived, easy care perennials. A great companion plant for a Hosta Garden.
Plant in consistently moist, slightly acid, rich soil in light-medium shade. Peat and compost is frequently recommended. Dry soil can be fatal to astilbes especially when they are in too much sun. Southern astilbes prefer mid-day shade.

Daylily click on Daylily Notes

Echinacea / Coneflower  
Hardiness Zones 3 to 9        
Well adapted to a wide range of growing conditions, somewhat drought resistant. Optimum flowering results from being planted in well drained loamy soil to which some organic matter, such as compost, peat moss or dried manure has been added. The plants may be slow to get started in cool spring conditions, but will catch up rapidly once hot summer weather takes over. Full sun, or partial shade in the south. Attracts butterflies and is excellent cut flower.

Hemerocallis click on Daylily Notes

Hosta
Hardiness Zones 3-8        Plants shipped are field grown or in various size containers, additional varieties should be available
Most hostas prefer filtered sun to shade, moist but well drained, rich soil. Peat and compost is often recommended. Water hostas during periods of drought. Click on Hosta Basics for more information.

Heuchera            
Hardiness Zone 3 to10   
Full sun in northern gardens to partial shade in areas with hot summers. Coral bells are very tough plants that can tolerate a wide range of soil types as long as good drainage is present. Additional organic matter to the soil is extremely beneficial to growing high quality specimens. Plant anytime from late spring until about a month before a hard, killing frost. Heucheras are attractive when planted by themselves or among shrubbery and hostas. Bell shaped flowers attract bees, butterflies and a lot of hummingbirds.

Knock Out™ Rose      
Hardiness: Zones 4 to10       Plants shipped are grown in one gallon containers, other sizes may be available.
While there are many variations on how to grow and maintain roses, Knock Out™ roses are simple.  Knock Out™ varieties perform with as little as four hours of sun.  The three other basic needs are water, food and good soil.  A moist, well-drained soil is ideal.  Roses need the equivalent of at least one-inch of water each week during the growing season. This equates to roughly one gallon of water. So, if it doesn't rain, or rain enough, supplement their water requirements. Make sure the soil is well-drained to prevent root rot. Recommended fertilizers are a basic granular, organic or natural-based fertilizer with a low balanced nutrient ratio (5-5-5).
Also, bone meal or rock phosphate help promote blooms; fish/kelp liquid fertilizer provides a nitrogen source and kelp adds necessary trace minerals; Alfalfa meal or tea contains triconatol, which promotes plant growth. Alfalfa also conditions the soil. Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) promotes enzyme activity in the soil and more blossoms.

Rudbeckia Goldsturm - Black Eyed Susan
Hardiness Zones 4 to10         
Easily grown in average, dry to medium wet, well drained soil in full sun. Tolerates hot and humid summers and some drought. Tolerates light shade, but best in full sun. Deadhead to prolong bloom. Divide when clumps become overcrowded.

  

Some of our other perennials

                           

How Many Plants Do You Need?

		On Center Spacing of Plants
		8"	10"	12"	15"	18"	24"
Coverage Area in Square Feet	25	57	36	25	16	11	6
	50	114	72	50	32	22	12
	75	171	108	75	48	33	18
	100	228	144	100	64	44	24
	150	342	216	150	96	66	36
	200	456	288	200	128	88	48
	Spacing Multiplier	2.28	1.44	1.0	0.64	0.44	0.25

For other size areas, use the following formula to calculate how many plants you will need:

 (Area in sq. feet) x (Spacing Multiplier) = Number of plants needed

Finding Unknown Spacing Multiplier

For other spacing requirements,  use the following formula to figure your multiplier:

Multiplier = 144/X2 where X = the spacing distance in inches you need 

Example: If you need a spacing of 13.5 inches, your multiplier would be:

 144  =  144  = mulitplier of 0.79
13.52 182.25

Additional gardening information sources: