Perennial help

What is perennial in my garden?
i have
lupine(which never made it fron seedling form No blooms just star like leafs about and inch wide and less than 2" tall)
coreopsis, gaiardia, purple coneflowers, baby's breath, blue fax(I don't think i have any of these but they are listed in my seed mix) papover orietale...

I have bad soil almost like clay. I was wondering if I was to mix in a better top soil for next year how could I do this without hurting the perennials that are already growing there?

here are a few pic of what I have growing...I could use help labling them as well.

I have no idea if this is a spent plant or new buds on ths one

another

I think all of your plants should be perennial in Ohio. BUT, of course, you never really know for sure what will live from one year to the next. It's not unusual that your luplines aren't blooming yet, it sounds like they're young. They'll appreciate some partial sun, by the way. To amend your soil, just kind of gently work in compost with your hands into the top couple of inches, being careful not to get too close to the plants' roots. It's just going to take time, you'll have to do this for at least a couple of years to really change the makeup of your soil, and then do it every year from now on. The weather and the friendly critters will work it closer to the roots.

last one

Very pretty! It's a little hard to tell from the pictures, but I think the purple on on the left is phlox, and the others look like types of poppy. The phlox is probably slowing down. They all look very healthy to me! The thing with perennials is that they tend to look really awful after they're done blooming, so don't let the fact that their leaves fade scare you, it is what it is.

Drumlin thanks I was worried that I had killed the poor things, So they all will die back to the ground and grow again next year...Maybe I will do better by them next season I am learning alot.

If you put down a layer of compost it will help with the soil. Then next spring add another layer of compost and some mulch (not cedar) in time your soil will improve. Perennials only get better with time.

I keep meaning to put the bagger on the lawn mower and start saving the clippings for compost, along with chopped leaves. By all means, start a compost pile. Don't over analyse it, just start thowing all organic (meaning plant material and things like eggs shells and coffee grounds, NO MEAT) into a pile in your yard. You'll be amazed at how the worms break everything down into lovely rich compost, cheap labor!

My husband is always in my beds digging for worms (fly fishing). I get my mulch from a dairy farm that mixes in manure it is amazing stuff.

Even coffee grounds just around the plants will help. Starbucks saves them just for gardeners.

thanks bookreader451.

bookreader I just read what you said about no cedar mulch, I think that may be what I used...why is that? I don't want to hurt my plants!

Cedar will not hurt plants but it takes a long time to break down and form soil.

Also I hear that if you mix too much of the wood mulch into the soil it will take out the nitrogen as it breaks down. Leaving it on top, while the bottom 1/4 inch breaks down isn't so bad. It's just difficult not to mix it up while you dig a hole for a new plant. I don't understand the science of it completely. Of course, if you use something else you have to put it on completely again every year. I use cedar around my big landscaping plants that aren't going anywhere.

By the way, I meant grass and leave clippings for MULCH, although they make great compost too.

coffee grounds are a great source of nitrogen.

thank you, I do throw coffee grounds around, because I heard that mulch ties up nitrogen

Hey, butterfly, did you ever get confirmation of what you have in your garden?

good article about coffee grounds: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080707171641.htm

thanks trackinsand, that's an intrersting article!

you listed lupine in your list but I don't really see any of them...they are spring flowers in ohio (may)...the leaves are easy to identify (so you don't accidentally "weed" them) with their fanned out ghost green leaves. they are perennial here in oh and if they get too big you can cut them back safely after they're done blooming

I've been told that lupines give nitrogen for the soil.

here's a shot of lupine.