Sure, they’re often called “bedding plants,” but annuals aren’t just for flower beds! Used in pots around your garden, annuals can really brighten up your landscape. And because these beauties are typically single-season bloomers, you can take advantage of a whole palette of colors and foliage textures simply by planning and planting properly from early spring through fall.
Potted annuals add instant (and affordable) color to the garden.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
You only need a few supplies to get started planting your potted annuals: a clean container, potting soil, starter plants and a trowel.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Annuals are also easy on the budget, fast-blooming and simple to manage in containers. To plant a succession of flowering annuals that will last a full season – or even year-round, depending on your climate – use both hardy (“cool-season”) and half-hardy (“warm-season”) varieties. Start with cool-season annuals planted in early spring to bloom within 6 weeks or so. As the days grow longer and the sun beats down in midsummer, replace those cool-season plants with half-hardy annuals. In late summer or fall, plant cool-season annuals once again.
You can keep your annuals blooming longer throughout their season by deadheading them. Once the flowers on a stem begin to wilt and die, just pinch off the seed heads to allow the plant to focus its full energy on new flower production.
It’s important to get your container plantings off to a good start. As with any plant, the eventual size and growth habits of your annuals should dictate the size of their pot. At minimum, your container needs to be 6 inches deep – more so for multiple plants. Those flowers expected to grow a foot or more tall need a container at least 8 inches in diameter. Since annual roots don’t compete with each other, you can typically plant them closer together – usually within 4 inches of each other.
Of course, healthy plants help ensure container garden success. Choose started plants with well-developed roots; robust green stems and leaves; and compact, strong growth. Always start with a clean container and use fresh potting soil. And if you’re new to container gardening, consider an arrangement of smaller, single-plant pots to alleviate possible conflicts with watering, feeding and shade requirements that can arise when planting several varieties in the same pot.
When it comes down to it, planting annuals in containers is easy. Just take the simple steps shown in the following pictures and described in their captions. Then the fun can really begin – creating instant, dramatic garden impact that only gets better throughout the season!
Potting Annuals
Potting Annuals - Step 1
Select and fill your planter with a medium-texture potting soil.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Potting Annuals - Step 2
Gently compact the mix, adding as needed until it reaches 1-2 inches below the container’s rim.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Potting Annuals - Step 3
Carefully ease your starts out of their nursery containers and gently loosen the soil around the roots, breaking up any roots that encircle the root ball.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Potting Annuals - Step 4
With a trowel, dig planting holes large enough for the roots of the starts. Leave a space between plants to allow for root and plant growth.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Potting Annuals - Step 5
Using your hands, firm the potting mix around each root ball, being careful not to compact the soil tightly. Add more potting mix as necessary to cover the roots completely and stabilize the plants. Water immediately after planting.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
