Annuals in your garden landscape.
An basic definition of an annual is any plant which must be replaced each year and which flowers only once in its life. Annuals generally are grown from seeds. The main advantage of annuals over perennials is their low cost. Hundreds of plants can be grown from a single packet of seeds.
Annuals are also very decorative, and provide a great source of flowers for cutting. Their season of bloom is relatively long, as well. The disadvantage is the late date at which they bloom. If annuals are used alone in a bed or border, a good part of the season will pass with little to show in the way of color.
Annuals can also of used as filler between shrubs. This permits the shrub to grow, yet prevents too stark an appearance. The hardier flowers, such as larkspur, poppies and cornflowers, can be planted in late fall. The ground preparation must be just as careful as for spring planting.
Planting in fall is advantageous since it permits the flowers to get an early start the following spring. Certain other hardy annuals can be planted early in spring as soon as the ground is workable. It is a good idea to start some of the less hardy annuals in seed pots, or in coldframes, as early as March. Otherwise, these plants cannot be set out until all danger of frost is gone. Outdoor planting of annuals in the spring follows thorough soil preparation.
Once the seedbed has been prepared with all lumps removed, it must be carefully pulverized with a rake prior to planting. You can calculate the area of the seedbed with a landscape calculator. The seeds are sown broadcast in the patch selected, and then are just lightly covered with soil. The soil may be gently tamped after the covering is completed. The patch should be identified with a stake and some sort of sign. Flower seeds are best planted near the surface of the soil.
Sow the seeds no more than 1 inch deep. The seeds of larger plants which have a strong growth, such as sunflowers, can be planted in hills spaced from 2 to 4 feet apart. Often, annuals are planted in rows. This method is used when a cutting garden is being grown. To do this, dig a shallow trench not more than 1 inch deep with a trowel, or your fingers, and then place the seed in the trench.
Sow more seed than appears necessary, and then trim out after the plants appear above ground. Thinning is required, in any event, for a good crop of annuals, if only to insure sufficient room for each plant. Transplanting is a considerable shock in the life of a plant, and unless it is carefully done, the plant will die.
All the soil in the frame or pot should be used when transplanting. Transplanting should be done on a cloudy, damp day, if possible. If the soil is dry, it should be watered before transplanting, and then thoroughly after the plants are in the ground. If the day is sunny, some sort of shade should be provided for the newly transferred plants. As soon as the plants are established, these protective coverings can be removed.