Garden Medley

I love annuals. They look great, and they die back when the weather gets cold. However, by that point they have dropped seeds, and you might get them to grow again next season.

Annuals need good soil. OK, so all plants like good soil. Does it really hurt to state the obvious?

To be more specific, annuals like soil with good drainage. If you do composting at home, use some of the compost in the beds in which you plant the annuals. This is especially helpful in dry soil or soil that has a lot of clay. If you don’t compost, get some from your local garden store.

The amount of sunlight needed will vary by variety, but pretty much all annuals do like to have at least a few hours of sun each day. Ageratum, browallia, coleus, fuschia, dianthus, pansy, and impatiens do well in partial shade, to name a few.

When shopping for annuals, don’t go buying the ones that are fully bloomed. They just won’t thrive as well, even if they do look prettier at the moment. Instead, you want annuals that have deep green leaves and look healthy. Treat them right and they’ll bloom for you later.

When it comes time to plant your annuals, I hope it is obvious to you that you shouldn’t plant them if you expect to have any more frost that season. Frost kills annuals. The hardiest ones can be planted when nights are cool but frost free, but otherwise wait until things warm up at least a little.

As when planting anything, you will want to make the hole a bit bigger than the root ball. This makes it easier for the roots to establish themselves in their new home. Give them a bit more water than you would normally as they establish themselves.

If the bed is well kept, your annuals will help your gardening efforts by coming back year after year. You’ll have a lovely, natural looking flower garden enhancing the outside of your home.

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