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Annuals Flower Gardening Flower Gardens look great with Annuals
What are Annuals:
Annual flowers go from seed, to flower, to seed within one growing season. The leaves, roots, and stems of the flower die each year (annually), thus the term annuals. The only way for an annual to make a return visit the following year is for the dormant seed to germinate and grow. To better understand your overall flower gardening project, it is good to know about the different types of flowers and how they grow, die and reemerge again into flowers. You have basically 4 categories of garden flowers:
We have defined annuals above, below is a definition of the other 3 types of garden flowers…
Perennials:
Many people growing flowers want to plant what are known as perennials because they come back year after year as the same flower. The top part of the plant will die each winter but re-grows the following spring from the same root system.
Biennials:
Some flowers require 2 years to complete their life cycle. In the 1st season you will get growth of small leaves near the soil surface. It’s during the 2nd season that you will see your flowers grow. After this, biennials act like annuals in that they completely die after the second year survived only by their seed.
Annual / Perennial:
This is really a neat part of nature. Depending on which part of the country you live in will dictate whether a particular flower will act as an annual or perennial. This is because of the local climate and growing conditions. For example, a Black-Eyed Susan would behave as an annual if grown in certain parts of the South, whereas if growing in the North it could behave as a perennial. To see the variances in growing areas see the growth zone maps. For a truly unique flower garden, you can mix annuals, perennials & biennials together. Combine that with several varieties of flowers that bloom at different times of the season, and you will have an interesting and beautiful mix all season. Free Newsletter Please sign up and enjoy our Gardening Advisor Newsletter. In this you will read both fun and serious gardening information covering a wide range of topics.
We will gaurd your Email with great care and NEVER send spam or sell your information. More Information on ANNUALS
In the world of annuals you have Hardy and Half Hardy Annuals:
* Half Hardy Annuals – thrive outdoors in the summer but die by the first autumn frost or by low winter temperatures. These are for starting indoors or purchasing.
Examples of Half Hardy Annuals can include: Blue Star, Blue Bells, Mirage Rose, Lavender Monarch, Bellflower, Aster and others. * Hardy Annuals – just as the name implies… they are not normally killed by frost. These are for sowing in the garden.
Examples of Hardy Annuals can include: Blue Angel, Dwarf Morning Glory, Cornflower, Sunflower, English Marigold, and others.
PLANTING ANNUALS
Soil Preparation:
To have the very best flower garden possible you’ll need to properly prepare the soil ahead of time. This gives your flowers a good foundation for their roots.
Start – by removing grass and weeds prior to tilling the soil. You might also apply a chemical herbicide to the area to kill off vegetation. Once the vegetation is dead, your soil can be tilled.
Applying organic matter is a great idea to help your flower garden. These consist of materials such as peat, manure, grass clippings, leaves and more. Applying organic matter will help with:
The organic matter should be worked into the top 6-8 inches of your soil. To give extra insurance for great flower growth results, you should use a general all-purpose fertilizer with the ratios of:
PH levels might be another factor to consider. Most annual flowers do very well with pH levels between 6.5-7.5. Most people ask… what the heck are pH levels. It is usually not a concern because most soils fall within the proper range. If pH levels are a concern, or you want to know exactly what to add to your soil, testing can be done by sending a sample to your local county extension agent or other certified testing lab.
Note: Fertilizer should be spread out at a rate of about 2 lbs per 100 sq. ft. of your flower garden bed. _________________________________ AFTER SOIL PREP – YOU ARE READY TO PLANT:
Annual flowers are sold in different types of planting packs including pots, cell packs (usually plastic), and in flats. When you get your annual flowers home plant them as soon as possible. If you need to wait, make sure your flowers are kept in light shade and watered.
When you do get around to planting your annuals, follow these annual flower gardening tips for success: • Make sure both the flower beds as well as the flowers are watered and moist. * Annuals prefer stable temperatures and warm soils to grow well. If the weather is still questionable be patient. * When taking the flowers out of their packs, break the ball apart a little bit to encourage better rooting results. * Your flowers should be set in the garden bed at about the same level that they were in their growing container. * Once in the ground, pat the soil around your flowers. * Next, water them to wash soil around the root ball and eliminate any air pockets. * Next, apply a liquid fertilizer with a high phosphorus content. This may be called a starter fertilizer and may have a ratio of 10-52-17 which can be found on the fertilizer bag. With fertilizers, follow the instructions for application techniques. * Watering – Water plants as needed to maintain soil moisture around the roots. * Mulching – The use of organic mulches will help save soil moisture and help to retard weed growth. _____________________________________ Maintenance for your Annual Flower Garden
You’ve done the hard part!!! Now just maintain your annuals for continued beautiful growth all summer long. Regular steps to keep your flowers healthy and looking good include:
Have fun because growing annual flowers is a very rewarding endeavor. You’ll love all the varieties and colors available for your flower garden. Free Newsletter Please sign up and enjoy our Gardening Advisor Newsletter. In this you will read both fun and serious gardening information covering a wide range of topics.
We will gaurd your Email with great care and NEVER send spam or sell your information. More Information on ANNUALS
In the world of annuals you have Hardy and Half Hardy Annuals:
* Half Hardy Annuals – thrive outdoors in the summer but die by the first autumn frost or by low winter temperatures. These are for starting indoors or purchasing.
Examples of Half Hardy Annuals can include: Blue Star, Blue Bells, Mirage Rose, Lavender Monarch, Bellflower, Aster and others. * Hardy Annuals – just as the name implies… they are not normally killed by frost. These are for sowing in the garden.
Examples of Hardy Annuals can include: Blue Angel, Dwarf Morning Glory, Cornflower, Sunflower, English Marigold, and others.
PLANTING ANNUALS
Soil Preparation:
To have the very best flower garden possible you’ll need to properly prepare the soil ahead of time. This gives your flowers a good foundation for their roots.
Start – by removing grass and weeds prior to tilling the soil. You might also apply a chemical herbicide to the area to kill off vegetation. Once the vegetation is dead, your soil can be tilled.
Applying organic matter is a great idea to help your flower garden. These consist of materials such as peat, manure, grass clippings, leaves and more. Applying organic matter will help with:
The organic matter should be worked into the top 6-8 inches of your soil. To give extra insurance for great flower growth results, you should use a general all-purpose fertilizer with the ratios of:
PH levels might be another factor to consider. Most annual flowers do very well with pH levels between 6.5-7.5. Most people ask… what the heck are pH levels. It is usually not a concern because most soils fall within the proper range. If pH levels are a concern, or you want to know exactly what to add to your soil, testing can be done by sending a sample to your local county extension agent or other certified testing lab.
Note: Fertilizer should be spread out at a rate of about 2 lbs per 100 sq. ft. of your flower garden bed. _________________________________ AFTER SOIL PREP – YOU ARE READY TO PLANT:
Annual flowers are sold in different types of planting packs including pots, cell packs (usually plastic), and in flats. When you get your annual flowers home plant them as soon as possible. If you need to wait, make sure your flowers are kept in light shade and watered.
When you do get around to planting your annuals, follow these annual flower gardening tips for success: * Make sure both the flower beds as well as the flowers are watered and moist. * Annuals prefer stable temperatures and warm soils to grow well. If the weather is still questionable be patient. * When taking the flowers out of their packs, break the ball apart a little bit to encourage better rooting results. * Your flowers should be set in the garden bed at about the same level that they were in their growing container. * Once in the ground, pat the soil around your flowers. * Next, water them to wash soil around the root ball and eliminate any air pockets. * Next, apply a liquid fertilizer with a high phosphorus content. This may be called a starter fertilizer and may have a ratio of 10-52-17 which can be found on the fertilizer bag. With fertilizers, follow the instructions for application techniques. * Watering – Water plants as needed to maintain soil moisture around the roots. * Mulching – The use of organic mulches will help save soil moisture and help to retard weed growth. Maintenance for your Annual Flower Garden
You’ve done the hard part!!! Now just maintain your annuals for continued beautiful growth all summer long. Regular steps to keep your flowers healthy and looking good include:
Have fun because growing annual flowers is a very rewarding endeavor. You’ll love all the varieties and colors available for your flower garden. Have fun because growing annual flowers is a very rewarding endeavor. You’ll love all the varieties and colors available for your flower garden. |