All About Growing Annual Plants

What are annual plants and why should you grow them in pots or your garden?

• Instantly Adds Color – Annuals last one growing season, so you can grow new plants each year in any color you like. Or if you have a spot that looks dull, you can plant annuals to quickly fill in the area with color.
• Continuous Color All Season – One of the great things about annuals is that they are usually colorful for a longer time than perennial plants that return year after year. Annual flowers tend to bloom continuously from spring until fall.
• Lots of Colors and Sizes – Annual plants come in a huge variety of flower and leaf colors. They also come in different heights, from trailing to towering. So, there is bound to be just the right annual for any place on a balcony, deck or in a garden.

Choosing Annual Plants

popular annual flowers for pots or your yard

Annual Flowers by Color A list with pictures of some of our favorite annuals, sorted by color to make it easy for you to find your favorites.	Top 10 Easy to Grow Annuals Ten super-easy, low-maintenance annual plants that can make this one of the most relaxing gardening seasons you’ve ever had.
Edible Flowers – Delight All Your Senses Some flowers are more than just a pretty face, they can be eaten too! Use edible flowers to add a colorful, flavorful twist to nearly any recipe.	Heat and Drought Tolerant Annuals If you have hot, dry conditions that doesn’t mean you can’t grow plants. Look at these 20 annuals that can tolerate heat and drought.
Tips for Choosing the Best Annuals Tips on choosing the best annuals to set you up for a hassle-free season bursting with color.	Know Your Plants – Annual vs. Perennial Learn the differences between annual and perennial plants and how to decide which type of plant is best for your gardening needs.

Caring for Annual Plants

growing tips

Ways to Water Your Garden All garden plants need water, but the amount they need is different. Use one of these watering techniques to ensure your plants thrive. You’ll save time too!	5 Ways to Water Containers While on Vacation Nobody wants to be welcomed home by crispy, dead plants! Here are five ways to water your potted plants while you’re out of town.
What to Do When You Can’t Plant Right Away What happens when you get home from the garden center and can’t put those plants in the ground right away? This article explores your options.	Your Last Frost Date – What You Need to Know Check the last frost date for your area, learn why it matters and discover how you can work around it to avoid subjecting your seedlings to damaging conditions.
Tips for Choosing the Right Pot for Your Plant The perfect plant deserves the perfect pot. Find out how to choose the container that will keep your plant healthy and give it plenty of room to grow while still looking stylish.	How and Why to Deadhead Flowers Deadheading is one of those small things you can do that will yield big results in your flower gardens and planters. Here’s all the info you need to get started on this essential maintenance practice.
Stake Your Flowers to Keep Them from Falling Over Supportive stakes can improve the appearance of plants with tall flower stems or exceptionally heavy blooms. They’re simple to install and enhance the beauty of your garden by keeping your plants upright.	What’s the Best Mulch for My Landscape? Mulch is a great way to improve the health of plants and give a polished look to the landscape. Learn about different types of mulch to determine which are best for your landscaping needs.
Plant Food 101 Explanation of the most important nutrients plants need to thrive and how those nutrients influence plant growth and development.	Secrets to Growing Beautiful Begonias Begonias are popular because they are easy to grow and come in a wide range of varieties. With a few tips, anyone can grow beautiful begonias.

How to Plant Annuals

four easy steps to planting

Designing with Annual Plants

tips and ideas

Ideas for Starting a Balcony Garden Looking for simple ways to use plants and decorate your apartment balcony? Start balcony gardening!	5 Tips to Refresh Your Garden It’s easy to spruce up your flower beds and pots without spending much time or money.
4 Plants with Colorful Leaves for Pots Create a vibrant scene to decorate your doorway or porch! Combine bold-colored leaves from tropical plants in containers.	Principles of Design in your Garden There are 7 principles of gardening design: balance, movement, repetition, contrast, harmony, dominance and unity. Use these design ideas to create a beautiful landscape.
Make a Patriotic Container Garden What better way to show your patriotism than with colorful pots of flowers? Here are tips on selecting long-blooming flowers that are available in red, white and blue and grow well in containers.	Flowers to Celebrate Canada Day Canada Day is one of North America’s biggest summer celebrations. Join the party with a few splashes of red and white in your landscape to celebrate the spirit of independence everywhere!

No-Brainer Container Combos for Annuals Eight easy-care plant combinations! Each combo includes a printable PDF with step-by-step directions and a shopping list.	5 Clever Ways to Use Plant Containers Planters are a quick way to add color and style to gathering places. Arrange your potted plants to create an inviting and relaxing outdoor space.
10 Hanging Basket Ideas No matter if you’re looking for a new twist or are new to hanging baskets, here are ten tailor-made things to try.	Make Your Large Planters More Portable This article describes four ways you can lighten up those big containers without sacrificing aesthetics or growing space.
Secrets of Success for Outdoor Potted Plants Follow these basic care steps to keep your container gardens beautiful all season.	6 Heat-Loving Plant Combos for Containers Try a combo of plants that will withstand hot weather in your next container display.
A Soil Calculator for Raised Beds and Containers Before you make the trip to the garden center to buy soil, you can easily determine how much you’ll need using a simple soil calculator formula.	Creating Attractive Combination Containers Fill your landscape, deck and balcony with colorful combos. Here are a few tips to make the most attractive combination container.