| It
is difficult for the average home gardener to germinate seed and grow seedlings
or young plants. Before purchasing annuals, the home gardener should
decide how the plants will be used in the landscape. Annuals should
serve as an accent to the landscape, not a dominant feature in the setting.
Those used in front of the home should harmonize with the setting, and
colors should blend with each other and with the home. Large elaborate
annual displays are usually to distracting for this area and are best used
in the backyard.
When selecting annuals for beds or borders, it is best to limit the choice to as few kinds as possible. Attractive flower beds can be created by using one plant species. Flower beds should be prepared before plants are purchased. Allowing plants to remain in their original containers for prolonged periods after purchase can have a negative effect on their performance after planting. After beds are prepared and the kinds and quantity of annuals to be planted are determined, purchase good quality plants. Look for young, healthy, disease/insect free plants with dark green foliage. Seasonal adaptation should be considered when purchasing annuals. Cool-season annuals such as snapdragons and pansies that do well during winter are poor selections when purchased in March or April. Selection of annuals should be greatly influenced by the available light in an area. Some annuals such as marigold and ageratum, perform best in full sun. Others, such as impatiens and dahlia, grow best in areas receiving several hours of morning and afternoon sun. There are no flowering annuals that will perform well under heavy shade. However, annuals such as crossandra and tuberous begonia grow best in areas receiving no direct sunlight.
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