How to plant a pot grown perennial

Potted perennials can be sown any time that the soil is not frozen, waterlogged or suffering from drought but the best time to plant is in autumn and spring.

Step 1
Prepare the area where you intend to plant by digging it over with a garden fork and removing any weeds and all of their roots, this is especially important for perennial weeds. If the soil is poor then dig in some Soil Conditioner to add structure, organic matter and nutrients to the whole area.

Step 2
Water your plant thoroughly and leave it to soak for about an hour. Dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball of your plant. Loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole and around the sides and add some Multi-Purpose Compost or Multi-Purpose Compost with added John Innes. Mix this into the bottom of the planting hole and also with the soil you have dug out. Add some granular fertiliser such as Bone Meal that will help the roots establish quickly or Feed-all Slow Release Granular plant food that will regulate the supply of fertiliser as the plants grow.

Step 3
Take your plant out of its pot and remove the very top layer of compost that may contain weeds, moss and weed seeds. Loosen the roots on the edge of the root ball and tease them out so that they will grow away quickly.

Step 4
Place the plant into the hole on top of the soil and compost mix and make sure that it will be at the correct level when planted. Adjust if necessary by adding or removing more soil and compost. Fill in around the sides of the plant and firm in gently. Water thoroughly to settle the roots in place.