Spring Annuals

Flowering annuals bring bright colors to gardens and hanging baskets starting with the first blooms of spring through the summer and into autumn. However, many annual flowering plants need a little help to look their best and benefit from deadheading.

The petunia -- with its long blooming period and low maintenance requirements -- remains one of the most popular flowering plants among gardeners, according to Clemson University Cooperative Extension.

Petunias tend to attract deer.Petunias (Petunia spp.), a popular garden annual, are occasionally or frequently browsed by deer. Plants can grow as trailing ground cover or as hedges.

The four cockscomb groups are Plumosa, Spicata, Cristata and Childsii. Cockscombs rarely suffer from serious pests or diseases.Cockscombs with crowded roots often grow and flower poorly.

An overcast, drizzly day is a good time for this.I have experimented too. , the first thing most people I know do is grab the handyto fill in the empty spaces. The secret is in the garden all along, waiting.

As they all spread to about 1 or 1 1/2 feet, a good rule of thumb for spacing is to set one zinnia in a 6-inch pot, three plants in a 10-inch pot and up to five zinnias in a 14-inch pot.Plant zinnias in any commercial potting mix, or make your own.

For example, green complements red because it's made of blue and yellow while red is not. From this point of view, iris, morning glories, lavender, baptisia and clematis or any vine are excellent choices.

Use clean, sharp garden shears to trim back large stems.As blooms fade on zinnia plants, cut these off just ahead of the first set of leaves on the flower stem. Dilute the fertilizer to 1/4 strength, or 1/4 teaspoon per 4 gallons of water, following all...

Easy to grow and long-blooming, these reliable plants start flowering in early summer and continue until frost if their old blooms are snipped. Few annuals are as dependably cheerful as marigolds (Tagetes patula).

Leave them on the plant until the stalks have turned beige and the slits at the top of the poppy pod have opened to release the seeds. Annual bread-seed or lettuce-leaf poppies (Papaver somniferum) produce flat, tissue-papery blooms in shades of pink,...

Provide enough water to moisten the top 6 inches of soil at each watering, which is about equal to 1 inch of rainfall. A fertilizer that provides equal amounts of these nutrients, such as a 10-10-10 or 13-13-13 analysis, works well in most gardens.

Marigolds are related to asters and grow easily from seed or transplanted bedding plants. Your marigolds may look ragged for a week or two after this shearing, but the plant benefits from the mid-season boost.Cut back French marigolds in autumn to fight...

To deadhead, pinch off wilted blooms along with the stem down to the next branch or leaf. Use a liquid fertilizer with a ratio such as 12-4-8, mixed at a rate of 1 teaspoon per gallon of water every two to three weeks.

Some bees are always flying around, and I have seen butterflies and hundreds of tiny wasps gathering pollen or sipping nectar from the blossoms.A walk into the garden on a cool, sunny day will reveal the sweet, honey-like scent that emanates from a bed...

The best time to plant gourd seeds outdoors is in spring after the average last frost date. Soaking the seeds in room-temperature water for 24 hours completes the preparation process.Gourds grow best when the average of the day and nighttime temperatures...

You can also trim back dead or damaged stems to a leaf or bud. This annual flower grows readily from seed broadcast directly in the garden bed, or you can plant it from transplants in spring after frost danger has passed.

Plants that have experienced a gradual cooling in fall can survive freezing better than those just planted in spring, which lack such "hardening." Still, you should cover annuals you wish to save whenever frost is forecast, as the meteorologist isn't...

Marigolds always bloom in oranges, yellows and reds.Petunias and marigolds are annuals growing and blooming from spring to fall with the right care. Petunias grow in grandiflora, multiflora, miliflora and groundcover varieties with compact to vining growth,...

Petunias act like annuals in frosty areas, dying back with the first cold snap. These brightly colored flowers grow quickly and flower abundantly, making them ideal for adding color to window boxes, flowerbeds and planters.

Plant larkspur in broad drifts behind hollyhocks, daisies and yarrow. They also work well as carpeting around other spring and summer flowering bulbs. Together, these vibrant colors attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators to the garden.

All cultivars, however, have similar growing requirements.genus. If you plan to harvest the edible seeds, though, watering the plants at the first sign of wilting encourages good seed development.

Consistent growing conditions allow for consistent production of young plants. Mats measure 9.5” x 19.5”. Mat is 3/16” (5mm) thick and great for microgreens and wheatgrass. Sprinkle seeds to the desired density, then mist.

I take my time, admiring each seedling and imagining the plant it will become. A soil test can tell you if you need to add anything else to your soil. I like to dig up my garden a couple of weeks before planting out.

I chose these white ones with dark leaves. Impatiens wilt readily when they need water, but recover quickly too.Full sun, hot well drained sites. However, I seriously questioned the commercial growers' ability to have anything I would still "need" this...

Aside from having a distinctive flavor in the kitchen, basil is also used for medicinal purposes. People have a lot of fun spitting out the seeds too. Multiple products are made from corn including corn syrup, corn starch and ethanol.

Flower forms can vary from dense, pincushion blooms to single, airy blossoms that resemble daisies. Zinnias transplant well, so you can also start seeds indoors in peat pots or trays in cool weather and move seedlings outdoors when temperatures rise.Flowers...

The plot is assessed, mental notes are made and the preparations begin.Now, before I continue, I would like to think there is an omnipresent being - let's call him or her the owner of the box store or nursery you have just visited - letting out a rather...