Annuals provide gardeners with an inexpensive way to add variety and long lasting color to the landscape. Though they will bloom all season long, annuals sprout from seed, flower, set seed and die within one growing season and need to be replanted each year, at least here in New England. What can be considered and annual here in Massachusetts may actually be a perennial in Florida so the term annual is somewhat relative.

Most annuals cannot tolerate freezing temperatures so they should be planted after the last spring frost; here in Massachusetts its usually safe to plant in early may. Be aware of your local conditions before you plant as well of the needs of the plant. Few annuals will thrive in the shade. Most prefer between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day, there are a few annuals, however, such as impatiens and begonias, which will tolerate some light shade. When choosing your site, avoid areas which remain water logged after summer showers.

With their impressive displays of color, annuals are able stand on their own as bedding plants. They can also add color to the herb garden or fill in thin spots and gaps in the perennial bed where they can be used to compliment other flowers.

Proper site preparation is essential. To prepare the ground for planting turn over the soil to the depth of about 1′ and add compost and peat moss. Basically, you’ll want to prepare the planting area the same way you would a perennial bed. Add compost and other organic matter to increase water retention in sandy soils. For clay soils, add compost and sand to improve drainage. To promote deep root growth water thoroughly. Let the soil dry out before watering again. Soaker hoses work well in annual beds since they slowly soak the soil while keeping the flowers and leaves dry. Nutrient rich soil will help annuals get established quickly which is critical in areas with short growing seasons. When planting, add to the soil a slow release fertilizer so the plants are fed through the entire season.

Once the annuals begin to flower deadheading becomes very important. This the process in which the past blooms are pruned or pinched off of the plant. Deadheading prevents annuals from putting all of its energy into producing seed heads; rather, the energy put forth will go into producing more flowers. Along with deadheading, be sure to cultivate the garden soil throughout the season, this will loosen compacted soil and allow moisture and nutrients to reach the plants deepest roots.

Light mulch, such as buckwheat hulls, will help reduce the growth of weeds in the garden and help the soil retain its moisture. Be sure to remove any weeds that do appear as annuals do not like competition for water and nutrients. Annuals can also be in competition with other garden plants. If the flowers are to be grown along the edges of the lawn, make sure that you edge the garden bed often with a garden spade. This will help keep the grass roots from growing beneath the garden and robbing the annuals of nutrients and moisture. If your planting beds are cut into the lawn, they should be at least 3 ft. wide; this will give the plants enough room to flourish.

When spring arrives, head out to the greenhouse, pick out some annuals and plant them as soon as the weather permits. Annuals tend to be a bit more labor intensive than perennials but the payoff, non stop colorful blooms from spring through autumn, makes it worth it.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm

Annuals provide gardeners with an inexpensive way to add variety and long lasting color to the landscape. Though they will bloom all season long, annuals sprout from seed, flower, set seed and die within one growing season and need to be replanted each year, at least here in New England. What can be considered and annual here in Massachusetts may actually be a perennial in Florida so the term annual is somewhat relative.

Most annuals cannot tolerate freezing temperatures so they should be planted after the last spring frost; here in Massachusetts its usually safe to plant in early may. Be aware of your local conditions before you plant as well of the needs of the plant. Few annuals will thrive in the shade. Most prefer between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day, there are a few annuals, however, such as impatiens and begonias, which will tolerate some light shade. When choosing your site, avoid areas which remain water logged after summer showers.

With their impressive displays of color, annuals are able stand on their own as bedding plants. They can also add color to the herb garden or fill in thin spots and gaps in the perennial bed where they can be used to compliment other flowers.

Proper site preparation is essential. To prepare the ground for planting turn over the soil to the depth of about 1′ and add compost and peat moss. Basically, you’ll want to prepare the planting area the same way you would a perennial bed. Add compost and other organic matter to increase water retention in sandy soils. For clay soils, add compost and sand to improve drainage. To promote deep root growth water thoroughly. Let the soil dry out before watering again. Soaker hoses work well in annual beds since they slowly soak the soil while keeping the flowers and leaves dry. Nutrient rich soil will help annuals get established quickly which is critical in areas with short growing seasons. When planting, add to the soil a slow release fertilizer so the plants are fed through the entire season.

Once the annuals begin to flower deadheading becomes very important. This the process in which the past blooms are pruned or pinched off of the plant. Deadheading prevents annuals from putting all of its energy into producing seed heads; rather, the energy put forth will go into producing more flowers. Along with deadheading, be sure to cultivate the garden soil throughout the season, this will loosen compacted soil and allow moisture and nutrients to reach the plants deepest roots.

Light mulch, such as buckwheat hulls, will help reduce the growth of weeds in the garden and help the soil retain its moisture. Be sure to remove any weeds that do appear as annuals do not like competition for water and nutrients. Annuals can also be in competition with other garden plants. If the flowers are to be grown along the edges of the lawn, make sure that you edge the garden bed often with a garden spade. This will help keep the grass roots from growing beneath the garden and robbing the annuals of nutrients and moisture. If your planting beds are cut into the lawn, they should be at least 3 ft. wide; this will give the plants enough room to flourish.

When spring arrives, head out to the greenhouse, pick out some annuals and plant them as soon as the weather permits. Annuals tend to be a bit more labor intensive than perennials but the payoff, non stop colorful blooms from spring through autumn, makes it worth it.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm

A common complaint among gardener is that late in the summer, before the fall foliage, there seems to be lull in garden color. There is, however, no shortage of shrubs which bloom in later in the season. Hydrangeas are one the most versatile. In fact, they are indispensable in the garden for summer color and foliage texture. No shrub border is complete without them.

Hydrangeas prefer part shade and rich organic soil. They prefer morning sun with afternoon shade; this will protect them from the hottest part of the day. If they get shade in the morning and sun in the afternoon they may look stressed due to the sudden rise in temperature. Hydrangeas need lots of water especially young plants since they tend to dry out quickly during the hot weather. After planting be sure to mulch well, this will help the soil retain moisture as well as help prevent weeds from encroaching on your garden. Fertilize the shrubs in the spring and then again in late summer. Adding compost to the soil around the base of the hydrangea each spring will keep the soil rich.

Lacecap and nikko blue hydrangeas are both cultivars of (Hydrangea macrophyllla). Lacecaps are recognized by its ring of flowers surrounding a center of florets and nikko blue by it large pom-pom like flowers. You can change the color of the blossoms of these varieties by changing the acidity of the soil. Add aluminum sulfate to make the soil acid. A pH level somewhere between 5 and 5.5 will result in blue flowers. Alternately, for pink flowers, make raise the pH level to 6.0 by adding lime, making the soil alkaline. You will need to repeat the this 2 or 3 times over the growing season and continue the process for as long as you want the change to continue.

The large (up to 15 long) white flowers of the PeeGee hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculta) turn to a faded pink in the fall and are great for cutting and taking indoors. Because their large flowers often weigh down its stems, PeeGee hydrangeas require staking.

Oak Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has a much different appearance than the other hydrangeas. Its foliage resembles that of the American oak. Its white blooms fade to pink in fall. Oakleaf hydrangeas grow to about 6′ and can tolerate more shade than other hydrangeas.

Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) is a deciduous vine which clings to garden structures, walls and fences with aerial roots. Its flowers are white and have the characteristics of the lacecap hydrangea.

Though there are numerous choices when it comes to types of hydrangeas, there are some general rules of thumb to follow when planting and caring for them. When planting new hydrangeas you’ll need to add a mix of compost and peat moss to the existing soil. This will give the plant plenty of nutrients and the soil ability to retain water. Dig a hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Place the hydrangea in the hole, making sure the top of the root ball matches the existing grade of the garden. Never install any plant below grade, its often detrimental to the health of the plant. Backfill about half way and water to remove air pockets. Finish filling the hole, water again and mulch. Planting in the spring or fall is best as the hot summer weather can stress hydrangeas.

In the spring prune broken branches and old flower blooms from the previous season. Don’t prune new shoots; they are where the new blooms will be. Prune in late summer, after blooming. Thinning the plant by reducing its number of stems by half will yield larger flower clusters.

Noted for their long lasting, late blooming flowers and their unique foliage, hydrangeas are one of the most versatile shrubs in the garden. Whether among a shrub border, climbing a garden structure or planted on its own as a specimen shrub hydrangeas are a wonderful addition to any garden.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm