Outdoor Annuals
Planting annuals is just like planting perennials except annuals love sun were most perennials love shade, both need care to the bedding before being planted and little care after becoming established.
Annual planting outdoors requires bedding or soil preparation. No matter how well you plan your garden or how good your plants are, you will never succeed if the base or bedding is not well prepared ahead of time.
Before planting the soil must be readied before your plants will feel at home. You must remove all grass and weeds from your bedding prior to tilling the soil, here again as with perennial planting, you can use herbicide glyhosate to clear the area, it will kill off all existing vegetation. After everything is dead in two or three weeks the soil can be tilled.
Now is the time to add organic matter to the soil to improve texture, aeration and drainage. You can use compost you have prepared or use peat moss, leaves, grass clipping and manure just be sure you till it into the soil well. Add a small amount of sand to help the drainage.
After tilling is done rake the bed level and then planting can start. Always make sure soil is moist but not wet when planting.
Planting Annuals outdoors also known as bedding plants, they are sold in cell packs or flats and some in individual pots, or you may wish to start your own from seeds, this will save money and can be done before spring in the house. But don't rush to replant outdoors because annuals prefer the warm soil and stable temperatures to grow well.
When ready for planting annuals outdoors squeeze the sides and tap the bottom of the container to remove the plants. If the roots extremely compacted loosen the roots slightly by breaking up the root ball or cutting the sides of the root ball with a knife. This will help encourage better rooting in your garden bed when planting annuals. If annuals can not be planted right away be sure to keep them moist.
When planting annuals outdoors, plants should be set in the garden at the same level or just slightly lower than they were grown in the container. Planting annuals outdoors Carefully firmly press the soil around the annual and water well to get water around the root and eliminate air pockets. Starter fertilizer may be beneficial at this time.
Water plants as needed to maintain moisture also use mulch to retard weeds and keep moisture in.
Planting Annuals outdoors require little additional care to keep them attractive and blooming. Some flowers will fall off clean others will need to be pinched off before they start to seed, This will make the plants flower more to produce more seeds, and flowering longer.
Remember annual planting outdoors will give your garden and yard color all summer long if cared for prior to planting annuals.
When planting annuals outdoors keep in mind most of them are sun loving plants and need at least, one half to three quarters of a day in the sun.
