Dear Homeowner,
As you purchase and begin planting this season’s batch of annuals, consider these tips for great results:
- Look for stocky seedlings with bright green foliage when shopping for annuals.
- Soak hard-coated annual seeds overnight before planting. Nasturtium and morning glory are two species that benefit from this treatment.
- Keep color in mind when you plan your garden. Plant flowers with complementary colors near each other. For example, blue, white and pink flowers are a good combination in the same border.
- Include annual vines in your garden. Sweet pea, climbing nasturtium, morning glory and moon vine can grow up and over your garden.
- Use annuals to provide fill-in color, if you have an established perennial border.
- Mulch annual flowers to eliminate weeds and maintain soil moisture.
- Pinch back buds with your fingers to encourage stem growth.
- Snip off flowers as they fade to encourage continuous blooming.
- Use a soaker hose or drip irrigation to water your plants.
- Promote new growth on small-flowered plants, such as alyssum, by shearing them back in midsummer.
For more gardening tips, contact Val at (209) 559-5725 or email at valo@valogletree.com