Now's the time to start thinking of your spring and summer flower beds. Most importantly, make sure you know which plant locations have the most sun or shade. Then, when choosing plants, check your nursery labels. They will tell you how much sunlight the plant needs each day. A lovely hosta on the south side of a brick wall without any form of shade will have a hard time surviving. Look for partial-shade labels, which will give you the most flexibility when planting.
Along with labels, know your USDA hardiness zone. The zone is a system that classifies your geographical area by its seasonal temperatures and estimated first and last frosts, allowing you to choose your plants more appropriately. Higher average temperatures equate to higher planting zone numbers. Example areas include Alaska, zone 1, and tropical regions, zone 13. Here in the Panhandle, we're usually around zone 5.
Before putting your plants in the ground this spring. Sampling your soil is a good idea. You can contact your local extension office, which will provide instructions for collecting 10-12 inches of soil from various spots in your garden. For a nominal fee, the lab will analyze and provide recommendations to help retain moisture, improve drainage, or adjust your pH balance. You can even speak with an agronomist to help interpret the results for improved harvests of garden produce.
Again, labels will provide you with information on whether your plant is an annual, which completes its life cycle in one season, producing continuous blooms before dying, or a perennial, which blooms, then goes dormant and returns each spring from the same root system. Annuals are best for instant, all-season color and best for filling containers, while perennials offer long-term structure and lower maintenance and cost over time. A combination of the two in your flower beds provides the best of both worlds.
When planning your beds, consider that multiple studies show that people who garden experience significant health benefits compared to their couch counterparts. They have lower blood pressure, lower pulse rates, decreased muscle tension, and improved mental health. People breathe more deeply when they are outside, which helps clear the lungs, improving digestion and immune responses. Not to mention, the improved diet when eating fresh produce harvested from your own garden. Go green, get healthy, plant a garden.
