Planting Annuals in the Garden

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Patricia Freeman

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Annuals bring instant color, texture and beauty to planting beds.

Gardens come alive the moment beautiful weather kicks in. A quick and easy way to start a garden of your own is with nursery-started annual transplants (or “bedding plants”). Bedding plants are sold in most garden centers and nurseries, as well as in many mass merchandise outlets. They’re great for adding a burst of instant color to the landscape, as well as filling any bare spots in the garden.

During the gardening season, local stores receive a good selection of fresh plants every week from growers. If it’s early in the planting season, when you buy your plants, ask a knowledgeable garden center employee if what you picked is ready for transplanting directly into the ground. If the answer is no, your plants will need a short period of hardening off when you bring them home. Prior to planting, simply put your plants in a sheltered, shaded place outside, water them well, and let them acclimate to life outside (bringing them indoors in the event of frost). Prepare your bed before planting, amending the soil by adding compost and starter fertilizer according to package instructions. Then take the easy planting steps shown in the following pictures and described in their captions:

Photo Credit: ©Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Step 1: Gently invert the container and, supporting the plant with your fingers around the stem, carefully slide the container away from the root ball. (Never pull plants out by their stems!)

Tips

Caring for your annuals should include cultivating the surrounding soil whenever it becomes too compacted. Just take a little shovel, trowel or hand rake and gently break up the soil surrounding each annual, being careful not to go too deep or harm the roots. (If you see roots, you’ve gone too deep.)
Use annuals to give your vegetable garden an infusion of color that will anticipate and complement the hues of harvest time. Or use them as filler in your perennial beds before or after your other plants reach peak bloom.

Faqs

Q: Do I have to remove all the mulch in my planting bed before I plant my annuals?
A: No, but you do need to brush the material away from your specific planting area before working the soil and digging the hole. Remember, the root ball needs to be planted in the soil, not in the mulch!

Resources

Not sure of what kinds of annuals to pick for your garden? Check out this short and helpful L2G video on how to choose the right plants for you.

Come to The Garden Party and share your planting accomplishments with the rest of our Learn2Grow community! Post some pictures of your annual garden, create a blog, or ask our experts and other home gardeners for more ideas, tips or help.

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Next Steps

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Amazing Annuals
Annuals are recognized as providing gardeners with new choices and new inspiration to create a unique garden and to make a personal statement. Learn how to invest in annuals for your garden and how to keep them beautiful for a longer growing season.

Articles

Mulching Around Annuals
Mulch isn’t just for trees and shrubs. Use this beneficial material around your annuals, too, to limit weed growth and keep your blooming beds looking their best. Learn three methods for applying mulch around your annuals, and pick which one works best for you and your garden.
Planning a Planting Bed and English Border
When designing an annual bed or border, you need to consider each aspect of your design – color, time of bloom, scale, form and texture and foliage. Learn a few tips on harmonizing your garden plan, as well as the easy steps to creating an English border.
Curing Annual Decline
Many summer gardens start with a colorful bang – then the season’s heat starts to make them fizzle. Don’t write off your garden after that first flush of colorful flowers fade. By practicing three basic gardening fundamentals, you can help keep your garden bloomin’ beautiful throughout the season!

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