Until recently, growing annual flowers, either outdoors or
with a hydroponics system, meant having just a few choices--among them geraniums,
impatiens, marigolds and red salvia.
Today that's changed as a number of other options are
available to spice up a garden that would otherwise be perennial in nature.
Technically speaking, an annual is one that has its entire
growing (from seed, flowers and production of seed) in a single growing season.
But an even wider range of plants are treated as annuals, including impatiens,
heliotrope and tuberous begonias that are really "half-hardy" perennials that can't
survive even a light frost.
Some annuals, pansies and ornamental cabbage included, can better
withstand freezing temperatures.
Annuals have diversity and versatility and allow the hydroponics
or traditional gardener to create exciting combinations of color, form and
texture, the colors ranging from the bright midsummer zinnias and Mexican
sunflowers, to the subtler pastel shades of stock or lavatera.
Choices can be made on characteristics other than flower
color.
Height is one consideration (there are tall, medium, short
or climbing varieties) and the sensitivity to light is another (some prefer
either full sun or partial shade).
Fragrance (stock, mignonette, nicotiana come to mind) or
attractive foliage (caladium, coleus, dusty miller) are other factors to
consider.
To some extent, determining whether a plant is an annual or
perennial is a matter of whether the plant will survive the winter in the
gardener's area.
Many gardeners simply treat tender perennials plants as
annuals, enjoying them for the one season before they die of the cold. Others
move them indoors and treat them as houseplants, taking cuttings and starting
new plants or digging up and storing roots or bulblike structures indoors for
replanting the following year.
Perennials commonly grown as annuals include the more tender
flowering sages. Geraniums and scented geraniums. Petunias, coleus, and
sweet-alyssum can be overwintered in pots and replanted the following year.
Gardeners who have a sunspace or attached greenhouse with plenty
of winter sunlight might try growing some of the interesting
"annuals" that are actually perennial shrubs and trees. As an
example, given year-round protection, fuschias grow rapidly, reach anywhere
from 18 inches to 12 feet or more, and produce their beautiful pendulous
blossoms in shades of red, purple, and white nearly all winter long.
Some people begin their plants from seed, either
hydroponically or otherwise, a big savings over buying annuals in flats from a
nursery or garden center.
Another reason is that garden centers don't always carry the
full selection of worthy garden annuals. It might be difficult to find
old-fashioned annuals, such as love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus), four
o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa), or lavatera (Lavatera trimestris).
Economics may be one reason, there not being enough demand
for the variety of species.
That, coupled with the way of growing and buying is also a
factor. Garden centers typically sell six-packs of plants that are already in
bloom and some annuals won't start blooming in nursery six-packs, either
because they are too tall, don't like to be transplanted, or won't flower until
they have been in the ground for a couple of weeks. Experimenting with the
whole palette of annuals will ultimately involve growing some of your own
plants from seed.
While many annuals are easy to seed directly into garden soil,
others are best started indoors under lights in late winter or early spring. And
some annuals are so good at flowering and setting seeds that they will self-sow
readily under the right conditions and produce brand-new plants the following
year.
Hardy annuals, which include bachelor's-buttons, calendula,
spider flower (Cleome hasslerana), pinks (Dianthus spp.), larkspur, linaria,
Shirley poppies (Papaver rhoeas), nigella (love-in-a-mist), scabiosa
(pincushion flower), snapdragons, lavatera, annual baby's-breath (Gypsophila
elegans), heliotrope, stocks and sweet peas, can be sometimes direct-sown in
the garden as early in the spring as the soil can be worked.
Half-hardy annuals, including statice, nicotiana,
painted-tongue (Salpiglossis sinuata), China aster (Callistephus chinensis),
and various types of salvias and chrysanthemums, can be direct-sown outdoors
after the threat of hard frost (temperatures below 25°F) is past.
Tender annuals, including marigolds, morning glories,
zinnias, sunflowers and tithonia (Mexican sunflower), cosmos, amaranth,
ageratum, celosia and gomphrena (globe amaranth), can be sown directly in the
garden only after all danger of frost is past. For an earlier start, sow seed
indoors four to six weeks before the last spring frost date for your area.
When taking cuttings from annuals, the idea being to pot
them up for winter bloom indoors or hold them over to the following spring, the
following steps will help ensure success.
1. Clip off any flowers or flower buds on the plant in order
to focus the plant’s energy into developing new roots on the stem cutting.
2. Select healthy stem cuttings (preferably healthy growing
tips or side shoots) that are 2 to 6 inches long, stripping off any bottom
leaves where the stem will be inserted in the rooting medium (either potting
soil or water). Dip the cut end of the stem into a rooting hormone powder to
encourage rapid root growth.
3. Insert the cutting in potting soil (not a soilless
seedstarting mix) and water the container. Cover the flat or pot with a clear
plastic bag to create a moist, humid atmosphere. Don’t let the plant leaves
touch the side of the bag because this will cause rot.
4. New roots should develop in one to three weeks. To test,
gently tug on the cutting. Pot up the new plants in 4- to 6-inch containers and
keep out of direct sunlight for three days. After this time, place the plants
in a sunny location.
5. Rooting plants such as begonias, coleus or geraniums can
be done by placing the stem cuttings in a glass of water to develop roots,
changing the water every few days until plants develop roots, and adding a
little soil to the jar after new roots appear. Plant rooted cuttings in 4- to
6-inch containers filled with potting soil.
6. Once the new plant is well established, pinch off the
stem tip to encourage fuller growth and more abundant flowers.
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