HERBACEOUS ORNAMENTALS -PERENNIALS, ANNUALS AND BULBS
KEY CONCEPTS I. General Discussion of Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs II. General Cultural Requirements of Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs III. Perennials IV. Annuals Special requirements of annuals Selection Annuals for containers, screening and drying Planting Growing from seed Growing from transplants All-America Selections Overwintering annuals Diseases and insect pests V. Bulbs Return to Introduction		ANNUALS Planting annuals runs a close second to lawn care as the most common home gardening activity. Abundance of flowers and a long blooming period, along with low cost, range of size, shape, color, and adaptability make annuals garden favorites. Annuals listed in order of popularity with gardeners are geraniums, impatiens, petunias, marigolds, begonias, pansies (actually a perennial treated as an annual), salvia and vinca. Ohio is the third top state in the U.S. for production of bedding plants. This means that gardeners can choose from many types of locally grown annuals.     SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OF ANNUALS SELECTION Gardeners usually choose annuals for bedding or border plantings. They enjoy the mass of bright colors most annuals produce from spring to frost. Annuals also make excellent quick fillers where permanent plants have not yet grown large enough to give a mature appearance. Since most annuals have small root systems, they are easy to transplant and can be planted over spring-flowering bulbs.     ANNUALS FOR CONTAINERS, SCREENING AND DRYING   Annuals grow well in containers, planters, and flower boxes. They can tumble down walls and soften sharp edges. Selections for these uses are described as cascading. Their growing habit causes them to trail over the edge of their growing space. See Fact Sheet 1203 for suggested annuals for containers, Reference Herbac.5.   Some annuals produce fast, upward growth. Fast-growing annual vines can produce privacy screening or cover unsightly walls in just weeks. Annuals suitable for screening or covering include cathedral bells, hyacinth bean, moonflower, morning glory, scarlet runner bean and vining nasturtium.   Some annuals are grown for drying and used in arrangements and wreaths. They are called "everlastings." Popular everlasting annuals include celosias, amaranthus, strawflowers, Gomphrena globosa and zinnias.     PLANTING   GROWING FROM SEED Some annuals must be started indoors during late winter or they will not have enough time to reach maturity. Annuals that have a long growing period before they reach maturity include lisianthus and ageratum. On the other hand, annuals that can be easily sown directly outdoors include marigolds, nasturtiums, cosmos, cleomes, California poppies, larkspurs, portulacas and sweet alyssums. When growing annuals from seed, PINCH young seedlings to increase the number of blooms. When young plants are 2 to 4 inches tall and have 3 to 4 sets of leaves, pinch out the central stem as shown in the following illustration. This encourages side branches that produce a bushier plant that can support more flowers.   GROWING FROM TRANSPLANTS Annuals are most often purchased as plants in spring and planted after the last frost. Some annuals can take light frost and may be planted a little earlier. They include pansies, snapdragons, stocks and calendulas. Once annuals are properly transplanted into an appropriate garden site, they require minimal care. Remove spent blooms for continuous blooming. Some annuals are called self-cleaning. This means that they drop spent flowers, looking neat with less care. The impatien is an example of a self-cleaning annual. ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS Each year there are introductions of new vegetable and annual varieties. Some are given recognition as All-America Selections (AAS) winners. These plants are rated as outstanding by private, commercial and government evaluators. The gardener can learn if a variety is AAS rated by reading seed catalogs, gardening magazines or asking knowledgeable garden store staff. All-America Selections are also available as transplants. OVERWINTERING ANNUALS Some gardeners choose to "overwinter" certain annuals. Many gardeners keep their geraniums from one year to the next. This provides plants for inside the home during winter and it reduces the cost of new plants in the spring. Refer to Fact Sheet 1217 for details on various methods used to carry geraniums from one growing season to the next, Reference Herbac.6. Begonias are another annual that are frequently wintered over by gardeners.   DISEASES AND INSECT PESTS Annuals occasionally become infected with the following diseases: leaf spot, powdery mildew, rusts and wilts. Common insect pests that affect annuals include aphids, spider mites, plant bugs, Japanese beetles and slugs. Refer to reference materials for plant-specific disease and insect problems.   FACT SHEETS ON ANNUALS Sunflowers 1228 Geraniums 1217 Petunias 1210 Fuchsias 1221 Plants for Hanging Baskets, 1203 and 1140 Sowing Bedding Plants 1012 Annuals for Outdoors 1223 Earwigs, Perennials and Bedding Plants 2151 Plants for Dry Areas 1055
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