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New Year, New Garden: Let the Planning Begin!

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planning your 2017 garden The new seed and plant catalogs start arriving in my mailbox in January. They make for good reading material when the temperature is in the single digits and there is a foot of snow on the ground. If you are like me, dreaming/planning  my garden helps to chase away the winter blues.

Refer to the Hardiness Chart

There are so many beautiful plants and flowers to choose from, but it is important that you make sure the plants you pick will grow in your area. Looking at a Plant Hardiness map is the best way to learn this information. hardiness chart Generally, the higher the number, the warmer the climate. Since I am located in northern Illinois, I want to choose plants that will grow in zones 2 through 5.

Abide the zones

If you are growing annuals, the Hardiness Chart is not as critical, but for perennial plants, it is crucial to follow the zones. Conversely, if you live in the south, there may be plants that grow better in the cooler climates and may not survive the summer heat.

Shade Placement

Be sure to look at the amount of sunlight or shade that the plant needs to properly grow. Most catalogs use a pictogram of the sun that indicates the amount of sun or shade the plant requires.  Planting a flowering shrub that requires all day sun in a shady location usually results in a leggy plant with few flowers. The shade-loving plant that seems to be the most abused are Hostas. Placing these in a sunny location, especially mid-day sun, will often result in leaves that show signs of sunburn, turning white and shriveling up.

Plan Total Surface Area

You also want to look at the eventual size of the plant. Knowing this information is especially important when purchasing trees and shrubs, but also when considering smaller perennial plants and even many annuals. A group of plants that have gained in popularity in the last 10 years are ornamental grasses. Some of these can reach heights of 6 to 8 feet, which could be awesome as a background plant, but probably not at the front of a landscape bed.

Account for roots

Another thing to consider with these grasses is the type of root system they have. This is important to know how big of an area they will require. Many have a bunch-type growth habit and expand slowly. Other ones send out above or below ground root systems that will quickly take over a landscape bed if not maintained properly. This information is usually not part of the plant description, so you may have to do an Internet search to discover the type of root system. Enjoy perusing the catalogs when they arrive. You can also find this information online, but I personally enjoy paging through a catalog. If you are not currently receiving any of these catalogs, search for seed catalogs and request one be sent to your home. These companies are always looking for new customers.