How to Care for Annuals

Annuals are a delightful burst of color for your garden. Here's how to tend to these plants after you've planted them.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bypass Pruners
• Garden Hoses
• Mulch

1. Mulch most annuals. Use a mulch such as grass clippings, wood chips or pine needles. Mulch suppresses weeds, conserves moisture and prevents some soil-borne diseases. Apply a layer 1 to 2 inches thick.

2. Keep annuals appropriately watered. Refer to the label. Most annuals are fairly thirsty - they'll need about 1 inch of water per week, either as rainfall or watering. It's better to water them deeply and well occasionally rather than giving them just a little water here and there.

3. Deadhead them regularly (see Related eHows). Nearly all annuals do best if their spent blooms are trimmed or pinched off every few days. This not only keeps the plant tidy-looking, it also encourages the plant to produce more flowers.

4. Tear out annuals when they're spent. For cool-season annuals, this usually means that hot or very cold weather has hit. For warm-season annuals, this usually means a heavy frost has blackened their leaves. Dispose of healthy annuals in a compost heap. If disease has been a problem, put them in a separate area or in the garbage.

Tips & Warnings

• Never let annuals wilt. Instead, feel the soil to see if it's dry or water whenever the glossy leaves lose their sheen.