2215 Planting Annuals

By: Alisa Amy Kowalski

What is an Annual?

• Plant that completes its life cycle in one season

• Growing from seed in the spring, flowering, and then producing fruit that contains seeds before dying in the fall

• Put on a splendid show from May to September

Culture of Annuals

• Whole purpose to produce seed

• Once it does so, it generally stops flowering

• Flowering period can be extended by removing faded blooms as soon as they finish flowering to promote flowering all summer long

Uses of Annuals

• Alone in a garden• Window boxes• Planting tubs• Temporary Hedges and Screens• Vines• Cut Flowers• Brighten up areas• Best when planted in large expanses or beds

Benefits to Annual Flower Beds

• Continuous source of cut flowers

• Flower borders to act as transition zone

• Inexpensive way to landscape

• Fillers

Planting Methods

• Best if planted in groups of no less than three to five plants

• Grown in large clumps or varicolored drifts of the same plant or a variety of plants of the same color

• Rarely is a single plant effective, as it tends to become lost in the overall landscape

Soil and Location

• Most annuals do best in an open, well-drained, loamy soil, in a sunny location

Fertilizing I

• Apply 2 pounds of a complete fertilizer, such as 5-10-5 per 100 square feet, when the soil is worked in the spring

• If plants are growing poorly in midsummer they may require additional fertilizer

• The three numbers on a fertilizer bag refer to the percentage by weight of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium present

• Phosphorus is in the form of P2O5

• Potassium is in the form of K2O

Fertilizer II

• Soil test in the fall or spring is recommended before application of fertilizer

• Avoid fertilizers with high nitrogen content

• This may cause excessive vegetative growth and few or no flowers

Watering

• Should be watered thoroughly at least once a week during the summer if there is not sufficient rain (less than ½ inch per week)

• Enough water should be added to thoroughly moisten the soil at least 6 inches

• Young plants should be waters after transplanting • High amounts of phosphorus will promote root

development in these plants

Cultivation and Mulching• Weeds can be controlled by either • Mulching may be an easier, more economical way

of suppressing weeks than mulching according to some gardeners

• Materials used for mulch– Corncobs– Peat moss– Buckwheat hulls– Sawdust– Woodchips– Newspapers

Planting Seeds and Transplanting

• Most seeds can be sown outdoors from April 1 to the middle of May in central lower Michigan

• Follow directions on the seed packet• To avoid transplant shock set the plants outside

when there is not a lot if sun• Plants should be set in the ground ½ to 1 inch

deeper than they were initially planted• A started solution should be used to provide

young plants with early nourishment

Buying Annuals

• Select healthy, bushy plants

• Plants that can be purchased flowering– Geraniums, petunias, sweet alyssum, and dwarf

French marigolds

• Plants that should not be in bloom when purchased– Snapdragons, salvia, scabiosa, and zinnias

Starting Annual Seeds Indoors

• If seeds are started indoors they will bloom 6 weeks earlier as opposed to sowing seeds outdoors in late spring

Soil Mixture or Growing Medium

• Use a commercially prepared mix containing perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss for best results

• If you want to mix your own starter soil, use a soil mixture of one part good garden soil and one part peat moss

Sowing Seeds – Large Seeds

• Marigolds and Zinnias

• Make holes in soil 1 inch apart with pencil

• Two seeds should be placed in each hole, and depth should be two or three times the greatest dimension of the seed

• After the seeds are in place, firm the soil gently

Sowing Seeds – Fine Seeds

• Flowering tobacco

• Broadcast over the soil surface, allowing about ¼ inch space between seeds

• Do not firm the soil

• Very thin layer of soil mixture should be sifted over the seeds

Pelleting

• Some fine seeds are pelleted

• Covered with a material to make them bigger

• Makes fine seeds easier to sow

• Reduces the number of seeds used

Flowering Planting Seeds…

• Label with names so they are identifiable • Include variety name – needed for exhibiting• Water carefully – avoid washing seeds out • To avoid problems use capillary action watering

– Place in pan of water to allow soil to pull up water

• Cover with plastic film – retain moisture• Film should be folded under the seed box• Airtight seal is not necessary, but the film should

completely enclose the box

Germination and Culture

• Most seeds germinate best at 750F• Light is not essential for germination• Seedlings should appear within 3-14 days

– Check boxes daily for signs of germination

– When germination has occurred, remove plastic

– Expose to full sunlight & temperature 65-700F

– If the cover is left on too long, spindly growth will result and seedlings will be susceptible to damping-off disease

Damping-off Disease

• Under poor light and stagnant air, may occur even in pasteurized soil

• Stems weakened at the soil line by the invasion of a fungus – seedlings fall over

• Can spread through seed box in 2-3 days• Chemicals available to control the disease• Prevention is the most important and

effective method of control

Fertilization

• Applied after germination will produce sturdy plants

• Any soluble complete fertilizer at half the strength recommended on the container will produce healthy plants

• Two weeks later, and every two weeks thereafter, the same fertilizer should be applies at the rate recommended on the container

Watering

• Careful attention is the key if starting indoors• Never allow to dry to the point of wilting• Severely slows growth of plants for several days

following apparent recovery • When the soil feels dry to the touch – water• Do not water again until needed• Over-watering can be as fatal as not water at all!

– It drives the air out of the soil

Thinning & Transplanting - Large

• After “true” leaves show above the seedling leaves, the plants are ready for spacing

• Annuals were sown two seeds per hole

• The extra plants should be cut off at the soil line with a pair of shears to allow a 1” space

• Prevents injury to the roots of seedlings

Thinning & Transplanting - Fine

• Fine-seeded plants that were sown broadcast should be carefully lifter and pried out and transplanted into additional boxes, by placing a knife or stiff stake under the roots and then lifting the seedling out while gently pulling on the top

• Place seedlings 1 inch apart from each other• Gently firm the soil and water

Conditioning

• On balmy spring days when the wind is calm, young plants may be “hardened” for their final life outdoors by placing them in full sunlight for several hours

• They dry rapidly under these conditions, so watch carefully and water them when necessary

Final Transplanting

• Ready for final placement when the danger of frost has past– Around May 20 in Central Lower Michigan

• A rule of thumb for anywhere in Michigan– It is safe to plant or set out annual flowers when

the first sugar maple leaves are fully expanded– Try to set out plants in the evening or on a

cloudy day if at all possible

Common & Scientific Names

• Since many plants have more than one common name, the common and scientific names of the plant are given here to avoid confusion

• Some plants have over 200 common names• Main advantage – one plant – one name• Single name is used all over the world• Composed of two parts and usually latin• First word is the genus, the second word is the

species