subject: Planting Annuals [print this page] With the unseasonably warm temperatures this winter and spring for most of the country, your perennials may already be starting to bloom. Its just been wonderful seeing spring color as early as March this year! Traditionally, by Mothers Day has been designated a safe time to plant annuals and new perennials. Usually the threat of freezing overnight temperatures has faded by the second Sunday in May. However, many of you may have already visited your local garden store and started buying plants since the temperatures have been so mild for the most part with a few exceptions and late snow storms and freezing weather.
At the garden store, annuals make a great first impression since they are usually in full bloom and bursting with life. Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle in one season and there are advantages and disadvantages to using annuals in the landscape.
Here are two of the more common annuals:
Marigolds
These annuals bloom during the summer and continue into the fall. They grow well in the hot sun, and as long as the soil remains well-draining, these are very easy to take care of. Marigolds come in a variety of different colors and can grow between one and four feet tall. If grown as a common annual, marigolds are hardy in all UDSA zones.
Petunias
These annuals bloom from the spring through late summer and grown in full sun to partial shade. They grow in almost any type of soil and can tolerate a moderate drought. Petunias reach between eight to ten inches high. They are susceptible to bugs, so you may need to use insecticides. These flowers are hardy in all UDSA zones.
The biggest advantage is that they provide lots of color all season long. They can be used in the ground in flower beds as well as in containers and hanging baskets. Other advantages include the fact that you dont have to spend a lot of time designing the flower garden; if you dont like it, you can change next season. Its also fairly easy to design a colorful flower bed that has lots of impact.
The disadvantages are the time, effort and cost involved in planting them every year. Some feel that the maintenance that annuals require is a disadvantage, but it really is rather minimal for the amount of impact they provide.
If you do decide to plant annuals, dont plant them in the garden until the ground dries. Working in wet soil compacts the air spaces out of the soil and will cause root growth problems all summer. You end up with dirt clods rather than good soil. If there is a night when temperatures are expected to drop, simply cover your plants with a tarp or blanket.
