Tips for Choosing the Best Annuals for the Garden

By B. E. Conrad

There are many wonderful plants and flowers for the garden, but annuals are always among the most popular for both new and experienced gardeners alike. A well designed annual garden can bloom all season long, providing the gardener with a season full of great color.

While there are a wide variety of annuals available, all true annuals share one common thing. They sprout from seed, bloom, set seed and die, all within a single growing season. In some parts of the country, plants that are actually perennials are used as annuals, but all true annuals share this one distinction.

In addition to their beauty and value as flowering plants, many annuals are perfect as bedding plants as well, and they are able to provide color in large areas of the garden, including in front of the home, around flagpoles and along driveways, as well as the more traditional garden patches.

It is important, of course, to prepare the soil properly before the first annuals go into the ground. An annual bed is prepared in much the same way as a bed of perennials. For soils that are rich in clay, compost and sand can be added in order make the soil lighter and improve its drainage. Sandy soils can be improved by adding compost and other organic materials.

No matter what type of soil you use, it is important to water the annuals properly. Deep watering methods such as soak hoses work better than traditional hoses and watering cans, since overhead watering can leave spots on the leaves and flowers, and those spots could cause the plants to burn and leave them open to disease infestation.

It is important to know the blooming season of each variety of annual you choose to plant, and to stagger the planting to ensure a season full of rich and vibrant blooms. Annuals are among the most beautiful, and the most varied, of all plants, so finding the right mix should not be difficult.

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