It’s confession time. How many of you didn’t listen to me when I said not to plant annuals until after the 15th? How many of you had yards that looked like a ghost convention at Halloween with all the sheets and blankets draped over things?
That’s OK. I have four teenagers. I am used to no one listening. And even if you had listened to me, Mother Nature didn’t. Lots of things were blooming already. I’m crossing my fingers that this last little blast of Dogwood Winter was the final one we’ll have. Of course, there can always be Blackberry Winter… By the time you get this it should be safe to plant, so this month I am going to talk a little about annuals. Some people don’t like annuals because they die in the winter, but come on. What else can you buy for a couple of bucks that will give you 6 months of enjoyment? You pay more for a latte at Starbucks that is gone in 20 minutes. Perennials are great, but annuals are like adding a little makeup. They just make things look better. Annuals for the Sun
Zinnia – Profusion series. This is not the tall, puffy, powdery mildew covered plant that you grew as a kid. These are short little guys that bloom in bright shades all summer long.
Purple Heart. This is a ground cover that is bright purple with a little pink bloom. It is sold as an annual here, but ours has come back for the last 3 years. It looks great with Lantana.
Wave Petunias. These are terrific because they bloom profusely and are self cleaning. My one word of caution is that they are heavy feeders (they like to be fertilized a lot) and they can get scruffy mid-summer. I cut mine back around the middle of July, and that helps. I will lump the Calibrachoa in with these because they look like mini petunias. They like acidic soil.
Lantana. This is my favorite because it is so easy. It is heat and drought tolerant and a profuse bloomer. It will sometimes come back and can take on the aspect of a small shrub.
Vinca. This little guy looks like an impatien, but is a full sun lover. As a matter of fact,they won’t come up until the soil is nice and warm. They should be alternated with other annuals every year. Never plant them in the same bed for more than 3 years in a row because of a fungus that they are prone to. Think of it as crop rotation.
Tropical Hibiscus, Mandevilla, Bouganvilla, Diplidenia, etc. Yes, I know these are tropical, but that makes them annual here, right? I can sit beside one and play Jimmy Buffet music and pretend I am at the beach.
Annuals for the Shade
Begonias. The ones with green leaves prefer the shade. Dragon-wings are my favorite. They can get huge, so leave them room to grow. I love the tuberous begonias too for their blooms, but they are a little picky.
Impatiens. They are everywhere, but there is a reason for that. What else can give you that great shot of color in the shade? Don’t forget about trailing varieties, double varieties, and the New Guinea Impatiens.
Torenia. Another name for this is Wishbone flower. I really like the dark blue one planted with pink impatiens. It will trail over the side of a pot and looks great in a basket too. Bees do love this, so if you are bee-phobic, you need to be aware of that.
Caladium. I really like these in the ground and in containers. They are tall enough to make a show above low growers, and come in a great variety of colors.
There are lots and lots of other annuals I could write about, but I hope that you will come out and take a look at what we have instead of just reading about it. If you have questions about something I haven’t covered, just give me a call at 986-7229.
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It’s confession time. How many of you didn’t listen to me when I said not to plant annuals until after the 15th? How many of you had yards that looked like a ghost convention at Halloween with all the sheets and blankets draped over things?
