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 ello fellow Earthlings, and welcome to the perennial
border. This time, our discussion will focus on keeping your
precious perennial gardens blooming and growing well into the
summer.
 Perennials
are known for their amazing shows of spring and summer color
year after year. They are also sometimes known for getting a
little finicky and unpredictable when the weather gets really
warm. Heat stress is a major cause of plant stress and loss during
the summer months. It is the intent of this column to give you
a few hints that will keep your perennials actively growing all
summer long, even under the hottest sun.
Many perennial
plants love the sunshine but don't enjoy the sun beating down
on the soil that they are growing in. So you all know what I'm
about to say - Yes, MULCH! You got it right. A three to four
inch thick layer of an organic mulch or compost is by far the
best way to keep your perennials happy and growing. The best
time to apply mulch to your perennial garden is in the fall,
but anytime you have the itch to apply mulch is a good time.
Mulch will keep the soil and your plant's roots cool and comfortable
while it suppresses weeds and feeds all of the beneficial microorganisms
that inhabit your soil. Earthworms also love the rich, organic
environment and quickly assist you in turning your mulch into
plant food. Mulch and compost are the best ways to allow your
perennials to enjoy the sun while their roots remain cool enough
to continue to support growth and not just work to extract moisture
from the soil. It is good to remember that a layer of mulch also
helps you to save water by heavily reducing the amount of irrigation
water lost to runoff and evaporation.
If I could
tell you about a plant food that you only had to apply once during
the entire growing season, would that be of value to you? Well,
I have a perennial recipe that will provide your perennials with
balanced, natural nutrition for six months. The ingredients are
pretty easy to find at your local farm or garden supply store,
and mixing this material is a piece of cake. But before we get
to the recipe, we should talk a bit about calcium, sulfur and
soil pH. Most garden soils have enough calcium in them, but the
mineral is blocked from plant absorption by a number of chemical
activities. Soil pH is a measurement of acidity and alkalinity
with is tied to the presence of hydrogen ions in the soil. If
your soil is acidic, your pH is below 7.0 and if your soil is
alkaline, your pH is above 7.0. You've probably guessed that
pH 7.0 is neutral. Calcium in different forms is often used to
adjust soil pH in acidic soils and sulfur is often used to adjust
pH in alkaline soils. Plants cannot grow without these two minerals
and pH is a very important indicator of how your plants will
behave. Liming and the addition of sulfur can be put down under
your mulch layer so that it can be incorporated into the soil
by the microorganisms that will be working for you. The plant
food recipe is as follows:
1 part soft rock phosphate or 2 parts bone
meal
1 part Sul-Po-Mag (Sulfate of Potash Magnesia)
2 parts cottonseed meal
1 part hoof and horn meal or feather meal
1 part fish meal or shrimp/ crab shell meal
Apply
this mixture to your perennial bed at a rate of 5 to 7 pounds
per 100 square feet of garden space. This plant food will last
in your garden for a minimum of six months. For those of you
with nematode troubles, try to locate the shrimp/ crab shell
meal. The bacteria that digest the material that the shells are
made of (chitin) will also suppress harmful nematode populations
in your soil.
Remember to
never feed a dry garden, and it is always a good idea to water
the garden after you apply any fertilizers. After applying this
mixture, you can add your compost and be comforted in knowing
that your plants will be receiving a balanced diet for the entire
growing season.
So pick flowers
and enjoy those lovely perennials without bothering to feed them
again this year. Next time we will be discussing your fruit trees
and how to ensure a great crop next year by giving them a little
attention after this year's harvest. See you in the garden! 
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mill.net. Don Trotter's Natural Gardening columns appear nationally in environmentally sensitive publications. Look for Don's books Natural Gardening A-Z on sale now,
and his new release The Complete Natural Gardener, both
from Hay House Publishing, www.HayHouse.com.