Annual Flowers - Bed Preparation, Maintenance and Design David Hillock Assistant Extension Specialist/ Consumer Horticulture
Advantages: Versatile, sturdy, & relatively cheap Easy to grow Produce instant color Provide season long color and interest!
Disadvantages: Must be planted yearly involves some effort & expense Must be dead-headed for continuous bloom Some look disreputable by late summer
Uses: Temporary ground covers,
Uses continued: hanging baskets, containers
Uses continued: bedding plants,
Uses continued: create interest or direct the eye,
Uses continued: cutting gardens, dried flowers, etc.
Plant Selection Cultural Considerations: hardiness soil & moisture conditions degree of sun or shade maintenance
Aesthetic Considerations: size form: spreading, round or oval, vase, pyramidal, columnar texture color
Bed Preparation: Choose a suitable site: i.e. - sun, shade, wet, dry close to water source away from shallow rooted trees and shrubs compete for water and nutrients
Prepare site by: removing debris remove/control weeds glyphosate first season devoted to weed control check & adjust drainage Raised beds may be necessary
Soil tests are recommended! determine proper amounts of fertilizer to apply incorporate P & K into bed if needed often need only nitrogen
Amend soil with organic matter incorporate 3-4 of composted organic matter spade or till in 8-12 deep improves soil aeration improves drainage encourages healthier root system easier to plant and manage
Shape bed by slightly raising or mounding towards the center or back provides better drainage positions plants so they can be viewed more easily
Plant while soil is moist - not saturated Plant during cooler part of day - evening Water in immediately Apply light mulch 1-2 inches thick shades out weed seed moderates soil temperatures holds moisture
Maintenance: Water regularly Fertilize based on soil tests Daily walk through to monitor for problems Remove pests by hand or mechanically Use insecticides/fungicides only when needed
Maintenance cont. Weed control is best done by: Use of mulch Hand pulling Shallow cultivation
Maintenance continued: Weed control with herbicides Preemergence herbicides Treflan (trifluralin) Preen Garden Weed Preventer, Miracle-Gro Garden Weed Preventer, Vegetable and Ornamental Weeder, others Oryzalin Surflan, Weed Impede, others Benefin + Oryzalin Amaze (Green Light) Post emergence for grassy weeds Sethoxydim Poast, Grass-getter, Ferti-lome Over-the-Top II Grass Killer, others Fusilade (fluazifop-p-butyl) Grass-b-Gone, Ferti-lome Over-the-Top Grass Killer
If no soil test is taken: Apply two pounds of 5-10-5 per 100 sq. ft. at planting Apply another one pound at six week intervals throughout the growing season.
What to look for when buying: The plant should be: rosette-like - short, stocky, leaves arranged in a rosette like pattern, vs. tall and leggy with leaves spaced out across stem healthy looking - deep/bright green, firm, lustrous; not yellow, brown, twisted, curling, sticky, etc.
The plant should: have healthy roots - white, fuzzy, abundant; not brown, slimy, or wrapping in circles, or too few be moist - but not soggy; and not water stressed not be in flower - energy directed towards root formation
Design Concepts Formal Informal
Design Concept: A Mountain Meadow Effect Informal Do not worry about straight rows or spacing plant them where they land Use other landscape plants as part of design shrubs, perennials, ground covers, etc.
Aesthetic Critique Personality - Character Is it apt: exactly suitable to its surroundings?
Spontaneity Is it free flowing; not labored, loose but confident, happy, buoyant? (negative example: solid lines and boarders)
Color Do color combinations have crisp oppositions, smooth analogies?
Color continued: Use white near patios - shows up well at night Use white and gray as separators of conflicting colors Warm colors red, orange, yellow gives illusion of smaller space Cool colors blue, green, violet gives impression of openness and space
Structure, Form, & Texture Are there clear contrasts, effective relationships, harmonic rhythms?
Neighborhood Does the flower bed integrate with neighboring flower arrangements?
Natural Environment Are varieties used ecologically nested to the sun/shade, sand/clay, wet/dry, cool/hot, and endemic disease facts of life for location?
Practical Maintenance: Is it maintainable? (dead-heading) % Risk: Experiment with less than 10% of entire commitment. Repeat past success! Execution: Can it be simply planted?
Flower Species from A to Z
Acmella oleracea Peek-a-boo - Spilanthes Flower Colors: yellow with red eye Habit: 12-15 tall, 24-30 wide Culture: full sun to part shade; moist, well-drained soil Utilization: groundcover, container, bedding; also known as toothache plant; purplish foliage
Alternanthera ficoidea Joseph's coat, garden alternanthera Flower Colors: ns, colorful leaves green, yellow, red, pink, purple Habit: 6-12 rounded Culture: sun, almost any soil, can shear Utilization: carpet, edging
Amaranthus tricolor Joseph's coat amaranth, fountain plant Flower Colors: color provided by foliage and flowers scarlet, crimson, orange, yellow Habit: 1 ½-5 Culture: sun, average to dry soil, water sparingly Utilization: background, specimen
Illumination
Angelonia angustifolia summer snapdragon, angel flower Flower Colors: purple, white, or pink Habit: 18-24, upright, slightly cascading, airy Culture: sun, heat loving Utilization: cut, border, bed, mass, specimen
Angelonia blue Angelonia blue bicolor
Basella alba Malabar spinach Flower Colors: ns Habit: trailing vine Culture: sun, hot humid weather Utilization: trellis, arbor
Calibrachoa Million Bells Flower Colors: white, reds, pinks, violet, yellow, or orange Habit: 3-12 tall, 6-24 spread Culture: full sun, welldrained moist soil Utilization: planters, edging, border
Capsicum annuum Ornamental Pepper Flower Colors: ns, valued for colorful fruits and sometimes foliage Habit: 10-20, rounded Culture: sun, moist, good organic matter Utilization: bed, edging, border, carpet beds Purple Flash
Catharanthus roseus Madagascar periwinkle, rose periwinkle Flower Colors: rosepink, mauve, white Habit: 3-18, prostrate to upright Culture: sun, part shade, moist well-drained soil, heat tolerant Utilization: border, bed, ground cover
Celosia cristata crested cockscomb Flower Colors: red, yellow, gold, orange, pink Habit: 6-24 Culture: sun, tolerates dry, porous soil Utilization: cut, border, edging, bed, dried
Cleome hasslerana cleome, spider flower Flower Colors: cherry, pink, rose, violet, white, rose-purple Habit: 3-4 Culture: sun, part shade Utilization: background, cut
Coleus x hybridus - coleus Flower Colors: grown for foliage colors chartreuse, yellow, pink, white, red, maroon, green Habit: 9-16 Culture: sun or light shade, well-drained moist soil Utilization: edging, border, planter boxes, hanging basket, bed, carpet
Rattlesnake Japanese Giant Alabama Sunset Rustic Orange Tilt-a-whirl
Dichondra argentea Silver Falls Flower Colors: ns Bloom time: Habit: mat forming; 2 tall, 3-4 wide Culture: sun, welldrained; very drought tolerant Utilization: groundcover, containers, edging
Euphorbia Inneuphdia Diamond Frost euphorbia Flower Colors: white Habit: mounded, 12-18 Culture: dry to normal; sun to part shade Utilization: rock garden, container, bed, heat and drought tolerant
Gomphrena globosa globe amaranth Flower Colors: purple, white, pink, yellow Habit: 9-24 rounded Culture: sun, welldrained soil, tolerates heat, wind, rain Utilization: cut, dried, bed, edging, mass G. haageana Strawberry Fields
Hamelia patens - firebush Flower Colors: orangered Habit: 3-4 Culture: sun, tolerates heat, humidity, dry conditions, almost any soil Utilization: background, hummingbird, specimen
Helianthus annuus common sunflower Flower Colors: white, yellow, lemon-yellow, apricot-orange, red, purple, orange-yellow Habit: 2-10 Culture: sun, tolerates heat, dry conditions, almost any soil Utilization: background, winter bird food howie@lookingforadventure.com
Impatiens wallerana sultana, impatiens Flower Colors: all colors, bicolors Habit: 6-18, compact, mounded Culture: shade, part shade, sun if moist Utilization: shaded areas, planters, hanging baskets Fusion
Ipomoea batatus ornamental sweet potato Flower Colors: ns, foliage dark purple, chartreuse, cream and pink Habit: 4-6, vine, spreading Culture: sun Utilization: ground cover, hanging basket, container
Margarita Blackberry Heart Emerald Lace
Lantana hybrids Flower Colors: yellow, orange, red, magenta, pink, purple Habit: 1 ½-4 Culture: full sun Utilization: beds, planters, hanging baskets Patriot cowboy
Melampodium paludosum blackfoot daisy Flower Colors: yellow Habit: 12 Culture: sun, welldrained soil Utilization: bed
Pennisetum setaceum annual fountain grass Flower Colors: pink or purple Habit: 2-4, mound to upright arching Culture: sun, part shade Utilization: border, background, specimen, fresh flower arrangements
Pentas lanceolata pentas, star clusters Flower Colors: white, pink, lilac, red Habit: 2-3 Culture: sun, ample water, fertilizer Utilization: bed, border, butterfly plant
Petunia x hybrida - petunia Flower Colors: many colors, striped or star-like Habit: 8-15, round, trailing Culture: sun, part shade, light well-drained soil Utilization: beds, borders, flower boxes, containers
Supertunia Lavender Pink Supertunia Priscilla Supertunia Giant Pink
Pretty Much Picasso Petunia
Portulaca grandiflora moss rose Portulaca oleracea purslane Flower Colors: rose, red, yellow, white, orange, cream, striped Habit: 6-8, spreading Culture: sun, hot and dry Utilization: rock garden, ground cover, edging
Salvia farinacea blue salvia, mealycup sage Flower Colors: blue, violet-blue, white Habit: 2-3, erect Culture: sun, prefers well-drained, moist soil Utilization: cut, border, bed
Scaevola aemula fan flower Flower Colors: lilac mauve Habit: 4-6, spreading to 3 Culture: sun, part shade Utilization: bed, edging, hanging basket, ground cover, rock garden New! Suntastic
Tecoma stans yellow bells Flower Colors: yellow or orange Habit: 2-4, bushy Culture: sun, thrives in heat, prefers moist soil Utilization: background, border, bed, container
Torenia Wishbone flower Flower Colors: pink, purple, blue Habit: 6 high by 12 wide mound Culture: partial shade Utilization: shady locations, borders and beds, containers
Verbena bonariensis Brazilian verbena, verbena-on-a-stick Flower Colors: roseviolet Habit: 3-4, upright Culture: sun, tolerates dry soil; tender perennial, will reseed Utilization: background, border, butterfly garden
Verbena x hybrida garden verbena Flower Colors: white, pink, red, blue, lavender, purple Habit: 12, upright or spreading Culture: sun, welldrained soil Utilization: ground cover, bed, edging, rock garden, window box, hanging basket
Viola x wittrockiana - pansy Flower Colors: purple, white, blue, dark red, rose, sienna, apricot, brown, yellow, combinations Habit: 4-8 Culture: sun, part shade; cool moist well-drained soil Utilization: border, edging, window box, cut, bed
Zinnia elegans garden zinnia Flower Colors: rose, apricot, red, white, violet, pale yellow, green, orange, bicolors Habit: 10-36 Culture: sun, hot, dry Utilization: border, edging, cut, bed Oklahoma
Zinnia angustifolia narrow-leaf zinnia, Mexican zinnia Flower Colors: white, gold, orange Habit: 6-12, spreading Culture: sun, welldrained soil Utilization: ground cover, edging, border
Ornamental Pepper Agave desmettiana Variegata Solanum quitoense Bed of Nails
Miniature Purple Basil Ocimum x Well Sweep Miniature Purple