Growing Annuals

When lots of quick color or flowers cut by the armful and blooming all summer is desired, a gardener’s best bet are annuals.  Annuals can grow anywhere in any kind of soil.  The brightest flowers are attained when plants get direct sunlight for about half a day. Skimping on plant food and water can only produce poor results.

Seeds should be sowed indoors for the earliest possible bloom.  They can be transplanted in the month of May.  Plenty of flowers will bloom if the danger of frost is past especially if the seeds are of the quick-growing variety.  There is nothing better than growing one’s own flowers from seeds.

Gardeners should choose a spot that gets sun for at least five hours a day.  The soil is then forked or spaded for about 8 inches deep then pulverized and smoothened. It is much easier to identify seeds in rows than those sown broadcast thus it would be wise to mark off rows according to the sizes of the seeds.  The rows are watered before planting and then shaded with folded newspapers, burlap or a veil of grass clippings.  Burlap or paper will be removed when the first green seedlings start humping up into the light.

Seedlings should be spaced to allow enough room to develop.  Thinning can be done by transplanting.  The soil should be kept about the roots when shifting plants.  It can be settled in place with a cup of water containing a good plant food dissolved in it.  The rate of mixture is about 2 tablespoons to each gallon of water.