Popular with new and more experienced gardeners alike, annuals are
some of the most beautiful, lively, and interesting of all flowers. The
massive diversity of annuals, their wide range of colors and styles,
and their ease of care make annuals an in-demand choice for gardens
everywhere.
Do you know what makes and annual plant truly an
annual? For an annual to really be an annual, the plant must finish its
entire life phase in one planting season. The seeds germinate, the
flowers bloom for the spring and summer months, the plant lays its seed
and the plant then dies, all in one planting cycle.
There are
some plants that are treated as annuals but are not truly annuals. Some
sensitive perennial plants are used as annuals and replanted each year,
especially in colder northern regions. While these plants could
regenerate in warmer planting zones, in colder zone they are can’t
re-germinate and are planted as annuals instead.
Conversely,
some annuals are used as perennials. Some varieties of annuals drop
such a large amount of seed in the fall that the seeds are able to
germinate and bloom the next year. The plants are not perennials, but
their seeds simply germinated and took root, and proceeded to bloom the
following year. Some of the more common perennial impersonators include
snapdragons and petunias.
There are several ways in which you
can start annuals in your garden, either by planting them as seed,
buying seedlings (or smaller plants), or buying more established
plants. Many annuals can be bought as cell packs, which are a sort of
multi-pack. Whenever buy plants to transplant, make sure that you plant
them as soon as possible. If you can’t plant them immediately, then
make sure to keep the plants in a shaded area and water them regularly.
Remember to also water the planting area so that you can moisten the
soil well before you put your new annuals in the ground.
When
using annuals in your garden it is important not to plant them too
early in the season. The soil should be warm and the air temperatures
should be stable before planting any annuals. To get the annual plant
out of its packaging, lift the seedlings gently out of their packs by
pushing on the bottom of the container. Try to make sure that the plant
and its soil comes out intact.
If the roots of the plant are
compressed, loosen them by tenderly breaking up the root ball or cut
the sides using a small knife. Doing this will promote deeper rooting
and longer plant life after the plants have been put into the ground.
Make
sure that you plant your annuals in the ground at the same depth in
which they came in the packs. After placing the plants in the ground,
gently pack the soil down around the annual and water the area
thoroughly. You should then apply a good fertilizer that is
phosphorus-rich. Apply the fertilizer at a strength of two tablespoons
of fertilizer per gallon of water.
Following these steps will
help get your annual garden off to an excellent start. In no time you
will have a garden filled with vibrant annual flowers.
