Summary:
This approximately 1280 word artilc gives a description and growing information on the easiest and most colorful blooming annuals to grow from seed.

Details or Sample:
Top Ten Annuals to Grow from Seed

Annuals are the stars of the summer garden. Whether partially shady or bright and sunny, your yard can be filled with colorful blooming annuals. "In situ," used here, means that these seeds can be simply dropped into the bare soil, and they will bloom from summer to fall. With careful watering of seedlings during dry spells, once established, these beautiful work horses of the summer garden will make you proud. Here are some of the easiest annuals to grow from seed.

Calendula (Pot Marigold). These cold-tolerant annuals, with yellow to orange daisy-like flower heads, are produced in abundance, from spring, right into autumn. Easy to grow from seed, sow "in situ" (right in the ground) in early spring, as soon as the soil is workable and begins to warm. Calendula is also edible. Often it is used as a substitute for saffron. Toss a few petals into your boiling rice, and your rice will turn a nice yellow, without an off-flavor. Hardy annual. Full Sun to Part Sun.

Candytuft (Iberis). This sun loving, drought tolerant hardy annual is related to the spring flowering perennial candytuft. This beauty, however, will bloom quickly and will remain brilliant all summer long. Hardy annual candytuft makes a wonderful ground cover in hot dry places, and it reseeds to bloom the following year. Colors range from pure white to pink, lavender, and reddish purple, and it is scented. Sprinkle seed anywhere there is bare ground, and you will be rewarded with a meadow 9 - 12 inches high. Hardy annual. Full sun.

Celosia. A relative of the Amaranth, this hard working beauty comes in an array of colors, flower-types, and heights. The out-of-this-world argentea ´Jewel Box´ mixed, looks every bit as alien as an escaped brain from another planet, and the "fox tails" of ´Century Yellow´ and ´Apricot Brandy´ are breathtaking planted enmasse. Combine that with foliage colors ranging from deep green to bronze, and the Celosia will have your garden celebrating from late spring, right until frost. Half-hardy annual. Best planted in situ (in soil) where it will grow. Does not like to be transplanted. Full sun.

Cosmos. Probably one of the most beautiful mid-summer to fall frost, free flowering annuals. You cannot miss with these elegant, daisy-like blooms and airy foliage, and the most inexperienced gardener can feel like a master, as a rainbow of color makes your garden shine. Cosmos come in an array of bright colors, from pure white to lemon yellow; from deep orange, red, and deep pink, to ´candy stripe´ to deep scarlet. They also come in varying heights, from 12 inches to 4 feet tall. There is a color and height to suit anyone´s taste. Buy them all, and make your meadow snap to attention. Half-hardy annual. Will not reseed, so collect your favorites before frost. Full sun.

Dahlia. Related to asters, dahlias are very easy to grow from seed. ´Bishop´s Children,´ with single blooms and rich bronze foliage, or v. ´Double Extreme,´ with double blooms, are the ones that come to mind. Both grow around 2 to 3 feet high, and they love full sun in cooler climates, while they appreciate a little shade, farther south. They are not fussy about soil, but they will grow spectacular blooms in fertile, moist, but well drained soil. In the fall, after the first light frost, dig up bulbs that have formed, keeping only the large ones. Store in vermiculite or sterile jiffy-mix, in a cool, frost-free basement for the winter. When the ground is warm and frost free, replant bulbs, giving them a top dressing of bulb food and mulch. Dahlias are breathtaking in containers, and the bulbs can be stored in the pots they were grown in, until spring. In Zones 8-10, dahlias are perennials, and they will blossom like crazy, year after year. Half-hardy annual.

Marigold (Tagetes). Related to, but not the same as pot-marigold, this marigold is a breathtaking sight, when planted enmasse. Sow seed "in situ," in moderately fertile soil, in late spring. Marigold tagetes comes in an array of colors, from white to yellow to deep gold to red. Each is worthy of consideration. Tall varieties will add brilliant height and interest to bedding displays, while shorter varieties make beautiful borders. In much warmer climates, you will have marigolds that bloom through winter, but don´t be afraid to pull them out to make way for more, the following spring. Marigolds go from seed to bloom in just a few weeks. Half-hardy annual. Full sun.

Nasturtium. These hardy annuals are one of the easiest plants to grow from seed. The large seeds are easy to handle, and they are perfect in the children´s garden. They are a wonderful companion plant for cucumbers, but don´t stop there. Simply tuck the seeds, about an inch down, into sterile (not fertile) soil, in spring. Do not fertilize, as fertile soil will produce foliage, but little flowers. These breathtakingly beautiful flowers love cool temperatures; however, simply wait out the hotter days of summer, and the flowers will return in the fall. Nasturtiums are edible, and they are delicious when added to salads. They are also, mostly disease free. Hardy annual. Full sun.

Poppy. Coming in an array of bright fruit and sherbet colors, the brilliant colors of hardy annual Poppy will make your garden shout "it´s summer," and most will bloom right into fall. From paeoniflorum ´Ooh La La,´ a glorious double poppy, to California poppy, which will bloom until frost, the annual poppy will delight you with its unbeatable carefree celebration of the growing season. Hardy annual. Blooms in cool temperatures or summer heat. Full sun.

Rudebeckia. Otherwise known as the ´Cone Flower,´ the Rudebeckia is a bright golden to rust colored charmer. A relative of the perennial cone flower, Echinacea, the half-hardy Rudebeckia cheerfully shouts from every corner of your summer garden or meadow. From ´Green Eyes´ with its large green center, to double ´Goldilocks,´ the bright gold and rust colors will literally stop traffic. There is even a petal free variety, for those brave souls who like something a little different. Half-hardy annual. Unlikely to reseed. Full sun.

Sunflower. Easy enough for a child, and fun for all to grow, the majestic sunflower can add towering height, as well as diminutive beauty to your garden. Russian Giant grows as tall as 12 feet, and it makes an almost impenetrable temporary hedge, and let´s not forget just how much the birds love it. ´Dwarf Yellow Spray is a mere 18 to 24 inches high, and it is perfect for containers. ´Teddy Bear,´ also for containers or the front of the border, is like a lovely puff-ball, shining in the sun. From yellow, we move onto ´Prado Red´ and ´Velvet Queen,´ both are deep russet reds, and they are around 4 to 5 feet high. An important tip for growing sunflowers, is to always over-plant the seeds. When about six inches high, start thinning. Plant in the ground in early spring, as these are cold tolerant annuals. Thin to one foot apart for large varieties, and six inches for small varieties. These stunning annuals are the showpiece of the garden. Hardy, cold tolerant annual. Full Sun.

All of these thrilling annuals are beautiful and easy. They will make you look like a master gardener, and they will reward you with stunning blooms from summer all the way to first frost. Make certain to be generous with your seeds, since no matter how easy, there will be some seeds that will fail to germinate. However, with plenty of moisture in the beginning, these stars of the summer garden will make you glad to get your hands dirty. Jaye Lewis

Purchase this content for your website...

Pricing:

Make an offer

Usage:

$15

[Add to Cart]

Unique:

$20

[Add to Cart]

Full Rights:

$25

[Add to Cart]

Downloads: 0
Written by: Jaye Lewis
Available File Types:Text
Words: 1280