Growing Annuals

The rounded leaves of a healthy geranium present a lovely plant even without the blooms. Add vibrant red, light pink and white blooms to the mix, and you have a mainstay for the home landscape....

Greenhouses are a great way to grow any kind of plant or flower. Homeowners grow annuals in a greenhouse to enjoy the flowers year round, while commercial greenhouses grow annuals to sell to local...

Petunia plants are annual-growing flowering plants that produce small leaves covered with sticky hairs. The blossoms are bell-shaped and available in many colors including multi-colored. Petunias...

Petunias are one of the most popular annuals, beloved by gardeners for their bright colors and everblooming habit. Petunias grow well in full or partial sun and are easy to care for. Trailing...

A common garden task in spring is thinning annuals. This process allows the plants in the garden to have the optimum environment for best growth. Several benefits result from thinning annual plants.

Poppies are relatively tall plants that sport large blooms. Poppy flowers bloom in many colors, with soft papery petals that form a cup shape. Poppies bloom in late spring to early summer and are...

Morning glories, a flowering vine which grows up to ten feet are easy going, adaptable plants with a wide range of growing conditions. They require a little extra special preparation if you want...

Begonias are popular flowers with their multitude of colors. They are planted in outdoor flowerbeds, used in hanging baskets and serve as houseplants. The seeds of begonias are very tiny and fine,...

Impatiens may be one of the easiest summer annual flowers from which to harvest seeds. The small green swellings on the plants are bursting to give you their seeds to protect and nurture through...

The scented stems and foliage of the florist geranium (Pelargonium) make an attractive background for the clusters of flowers that repeatedly appear when temperatures are warm. Grown as an outdoor...

Geraniums are a favorite annual of gardeners in the South, as they thrive in hot, humid conditions. They produce beautiful, large blooms in a variety of colors. With proper care, geraniums can...

A flower pot, filled with annuals, is the perfect item to brighten up your porch, patio or deck. These summer flowers will last, if properly cared for, through the entire season. Many times they...

Sweet peas, also known as "The Queen of Annuals," are highly ornamental flowers consisting of red, lavender, pink, and white flowers. These flowering plants offer an abundance of color to your...

Annual flowers complete their life cycle in one growing season, meaning that unless you harvest seed and re-sow the seed in the spring, the flower will not return to your garden in the spring....

Petunias are annuals with large colorful flowers that come in both solid and striped shades. They don't tolerate frost and should be planted outside after the danger of frost. As with most...

A colorful geranium is one of the more popular and dependable annual flowers a gardener can plant in a garden or container. With proper amounts of water and fertilizer, a geranium will bloom...

Martha Washington geraniums are typically grown as houseplants; they do not do well outside. Often grown as annuals, they bloom throughout late winter and spring and will continue to bloom through...

Bring delicate, scented flowers with soft pastel colors into your garden with Nemesia Aromatica. Grown outdoors as an annual plant, Nemesia is used in flowerbeds, for edging or in a container...

Vinca an be planted just about anywhere: in any spot in the garden, or in containers. They tolerate dry conditions. Averaging about 1 foot or so in height and full in appearance, they make...

Croton Capitatus is also known as hogwart and woolly croton. It has been used as an herbal, holistic remedy but can also be toxic. Consumers should be sure to understand its proper use.

The larkspur (Consolida) is closely related to the perennial delphinium, for which it is often mistaken. Larkspur is an annual that frequently reseeds, giving it the appearance of a perennial.

Oriental poppies are exotic field-growing flowers that originated in Asia (hence the name). They are accustomed to rough, hot climates and therefore require very little care during their...

Moonflowers are a hard flower to miss. When planted on a fence or trellis, the vines can grow to be 20 feet long, with splashy blooms 5 to 6 inches across. The flowers open in the afternoon and...

Hanging baskets, container gardens and window boxes filled to overflowing with fast-growing annuals provide quick color that lasts all season. While a perennial bed certainly has the advantage of...

Scabiosa, or more commonly referred to as pincushion flower, is an annual in colder regions and a perennial in more moderate regions. The name pincushion flower refers to the flower's stamens,...

The tropical and subtropical begonia plant is versatile for use both outdoors in beds, borders and containers and indoors as showy houseplants. While begonia blossoms offer enchanting, vibrant...

Ranging from yellow and orange to a deep rust red, marigolds are striking in borders and containers. An annual bedding plant, marigolds range in size from small dwarf blooms to large bobbing...

Cornflowers, also called bachelor's buttons, earned their name because they grow wild in cornfields. The blue fringed flowers add a bright touch to gardens and cut-flower arrangements. Cornflowers...

Many gardeners have a dream to own a greenhouse, and even having a very small greenhouse can help a gardener by extending the season and allowing the grower to start seedlings instead of buying...

Impatiens grow in partial to full shade, filling dark corners with brilliant color from late spring until frost. According to the University of Vermont Extension, impatiens are the top-selling...

Flowers are simple decorations that add to the beauty of your home. Planter boxes on your porch, deck or patio will brighten the area. Finding just the right plant for your planter boxes can be...

Hardening plants prepares them for the reality of growing under normal conditions in the garden. While frost blankets are useful in preventing damage to young plants from cold spring temperatures,...

The French marigold, "the most popular source of yellows and oranges in bedding schemes" according to "The Bedding Plant Expert," traveled from its native territory in Mexico to Spain and thence...

Azaleas have the loveliest and most appropriate name of "the royalty of the garden." They are an asset to any yard and garden. There are more than 10,000 types of azalea plants. The North American...

Nemesia seeds come in almost every color imaginable, and some are variegated. This native South Afircan beauty has many species and works well in rock gardens, containers and often as a border...

In shades of bright orange, gold and yellow, marigolds are among the brightest blooms in the garden. Because marigolds are annuals, they only last one growing season. However, the little rays of...

Pansies are popular cool weather flowers. Their bright blooms come in a variety of colors ranging from pale pastel lavender and yellow to deep purple and burgundy. You can find pansies that have...

New Guinea Impatiens are part of the vast genus of impatiens, an annual flower that is a staple in gardens because of their prolific blooms, low maintenance and ability to thrive in the shade. The...

The mandevilla plant is a highly popular botanical that many people find useful when designing the landscape of their homes. These large, multicolor flowers come in a variety of shades, such as...

The end of warm weather can be depressing for any gardener. Watching your beautiful summer flowers succumb to the cold weather is much easier to take if you know how to replace them with fall and...

Impatiens are annual flowering plants native to Zanzibar and Africa, but grown throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The delicate flowers are the top-selling bedding plants in the U.S., and are...

Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea) are very easy to propagate by taking cuttings and rooting them in water. It can be done anytime of year and is a great way to get more plants for free.

Easy-to-grow Casablanca lilies are a garden favorite. These lovely blossoms enjoy plenty of sunlight, and thrive in warm, moist climates. Keeping the roots shaded is important for the health of...

Gardeners with shady flowerbeds are often in search of flowers suitable for growing in the shade. One of the most popular shade-loving flowers is impatiens. There are many different varieties of...

New Guinea impatiens received their name from their native island. After significant modifications to the cultivars over the years, the current varieties are easy to grow and very popular among...

Ashwagandha has been grown for centuries in India and grows quite well in many parts of the U.S., especially in the warmer southern states. The root is dried, ground up and eaten for its medicinal...

Opium poppies have been outlawed in the United States since the early 1900s, yet these beautiful blooms continue to be a staple of old-fashioned gardens. Gardeners should be aware that the risks...

All yellow Gerbera cultivars are commercially developed patented hybrids. In the wild, the 30-plus species of Gerbera daisies are generally red or white, with most species growing in temperate...

Petunias are one of the cheeriest and brightest annuals in the garden landscape. They're easy to grow and as long as they have plenty of sunshine and enough moisture, they'll bloom all summer...

Oriental poppies can be grown in Ohio with a minimum of fuss as they are perennials in zones 3 through 9 and all of Ohio falls into either zones 5 or 6. These graceful flowers come in colors...