Summer colour

Singing the praises of summer annuals

This is the time of year when we start to really see our annual plants make some big leaps and bounds in the garden.

Annuals are a wonderful addition to any garden – whether in containers on the patio or tucked into perennial beds for endless colour, they never disappoint. The longer hours of sunlight and extra warmth help bring out their true glory and this is their time to shine.

Sure, perennials are great because you plant them once and they come back year after year. Perennials can also provide some spectacular flowers, but usually only bloom for a short time then become foliage features for the rest of the season.

Annuals, however, provide endless blooms of colour all season long. Some can even last all the way up until the first hard frost.

Deadheading, water frequency, and fertilizing are key areas to focus on to ensure your annuals are top performers during the peak of the season.

Deadheading is the removal of faded or dead flowers to promote regrowth. This allows the plant to focus its energy on creating more blooms rather than seeds. When done regularly, your annuals will look tidier, fuller and bloom more prolifically.

Watering is vital in keeping your potted annuals healthy. Proper drainage in pots is a must and the frequency of watering will depend on the amount of sunlight the plants receive and the daytime temperature.

If they’re in full sun and we hit 25°C or more, you may find yourself watering once or even twice a day. If they’re in full shade and it’s not as warm, you may be able to water just every other day.

Early mornings and evenings are the best times to water your plants. Gauging your plant’s watering needs is a fine art to master but once you get the hang of it, know ing when to hydrate your container dwellers becomes second nature.

With deadheading and watering on point, fertilizing is another important step to keep plants happy and healthy. It is imperative that plants in containers are fertilized.

While it’s still important to provide added nutrients for your annuals planted directly in the ground, they do have access to stored nutrients in the soil’s ecosystem. Your containers and hanging baskets do not, and the soil can become depleted of these vital nutrients with each watering.

Generally, an all-purpose, watersoluble fertilizer works best but needs to be applied weekly or bi-weekly.

Another option is to apply a slowrelease fertilizer at the time of planting your containers or hanging baskets. This will release a small amount of fertilizer each time you water. Slow-release fertilizers usually last for six to eight weeks, so depending on where you’re at in the season when you apply it, you may only need to add it once or twice.

Giving your annuals the proper nourishment, a solid watering regime and a frequent deadheading routine will all promote big, beautiful blossoms that are sure to brighten any space by providing colour all season long. Have a happy summer and get out and grow with Country Grocer.