Annual Bedding Plants
What are Annuals?
Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle in one year.
The plant starts from seed, grows, blooms, sets seed, and dies in one season.
Both vegetable plants and flower plants can be classified as annuals.
Uses of Annuals
Professional landscapers are making more use of annuals in residential, public, and commercial landscapes.
Marketing for annuals occurs at roadside markets, department stores, garden centers, and grocery stores.
What to Look For
When purchasing annuals, it is important to look for the labels. These tell you:
The Price Required Light Exposure Planting Instructions Care Instructions
Flowering Annuals
Easy to grow and lend color to landscapes.
Usually started from seeds indoors early in the spring and transplanted to the garden.
Flowering Annuals The Most popular flowering annuals
include: Marigolds
Petunias
Flowering Annuals
Zinnias
Ageratums
Flowering Annuals
Celosias
Coleus
Flowering Annuals Portulaca
Pansies
Flowering Annuals Snapdragons
Uses of Flowering Annuals Provide a mass of color
around a house foundation in flower beds in front of evergreens
Uses of Flowering Annuals Fill spaces between shrub plantings or
other perennials and give color when these plants are not blooming.
Uses of Flowering Annuals Provide color in bulb beds after the
bulbs have bloomed
Uses of Flowering Annuals Supply Cut Flowers
Uses of Flowering Annuals Plant along fences or walks
Uses of Flowering Annuals Cover bare spots between or in front of
larger shrubs
Uses of Flowering Annuals Create seasonal color.
Selecting Flowering Annuals You need to consider the following:
Where are you planting the annuals? How tall are the plants going to get?
Shorter plants need to go in front! What colors will blend well together? Do you want some annuals in hanging baskets or
are you planting them all in the ground?
Hanging Baskets Hanging baskets come in various sizes
and shapes All baskets used must have proper
drainage.
Hanging Baskets Rule of thumb for planting baskets: use
one less flower than the size of the pot. If an 8 in. basket, plant 7 flowers.
Use a good source of medium (potting soil).
Hanging Baskets Proper care includes:
Watering Fertilizing Deadheading (removal of dead and faded
flowers)
Planning & Designing Flower Beds
Flower beds range in size and design according to individual needs and preferences.
If planting along a wall, fence, or house, the shortest plants are in the front, then medium, and the tallest ones are in back.
Planning & Designing Flower Beds
If planting out in the open, the shortest plants are on the outside of the bed, with medium height in the next, and tallest in the middle of the bed.
Flower Bed Set Up and Care Prepare the soil
Till or spade to loosen it. Add amendments if needed.
Peat moss Pine shavings
Fertilize the soil
Flower Bed Set Up and Care Mulch the flower bed
Aesthetics Helps to Control Weeds Conserves Moisture Promotes Even Ground Temperatures
Mulches Hardwood Bark, Pine Bark, Cocoa Bean
Hulls, Buckwheat Hulls, Pine Needles, Well-rotted Sawdust, and Leafmold.
Flower Bed Set Up and Care Seeding:
Most annuals are seeded indoors and set outside as plants.
Plant after the danger of frost has past. Space plants according to their
requirements. Remember that placing plants according
to expected height is very important!
