ANNUAL GARDENS for BUSINESS and HOME
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Floriculture Indiana Vol. 6 No. 1 Winter 1992 Page 14 ANNUAL GARDENS for BUSINESS and HOME Ricky D. Kemery, Head Gardener Purdue University Horticulture Gardens "Variety is the spice of life", ac occur. Oaks are particularly sensitive to cording to the old saying. Annual gardens tillage operations. are a favorite among gardeners who like Oh no! It's Clay!: Gardeners or businesses to change ideas and styles with each who find that their soil consists of heavy successive year. Annuals provide inten clay are faced with two choices: moving sive color interest all season long and to a better site, or raising their annual may be used by a business or a home beds above the clay. The latter is cer gardener to draw attention to a particu tainly a wiser choice. lar location. In fact, many business Start weed free: A little Round-up owners are finding that annual garden (glyphosate) goes a long way in preparing display beds have increased customer a weed-free bed for annual plants. Apply turnout, resulting in higher plant sales. glyphosate (following label directions) on a sunny, calm spring day on emerged Starting an Annual Garden weeds. A second application 2-3 weeks Prepare the Soil: Often the most ignored later often is necessary to "clean up" step in establishing annual gardens in any survivors. Treflan (trifluralin) may home and business settings. However, also be incorporated into the soil during proper soil preparation is paramount for tillage operations to control germinat a successful annual garden. ing grasses and some broadleaf weeds. Use the O word: Organic matter in the Follow label directions to avoid injury to form of spaghnum peat moss, compost, sensitive species. or rotted manure should be incorporated Fertilizer: Plants require adequate into the proposed garden site. The or amounts of nutrients present in the soil. ganic matter should be incorporated into Preplant incorporate a pound or two (2 or the site the fall before planting the bed. 3 cups) of 5-10-5 per 100 square feet Incorporating organic matter improves when rototilling in the spring. The main soil texture and soil nutrient holding idea is to have enough phosphorus present capacity. at the root zone level for plant uptake. Words on Rototilling: Rototilling or deep (Phosphorus does not move in the soil.) digging your annual garden in early spring Light applications of a straight nitrogen loosens the topsoil so annual roots can fertilizer are often necessary later in spread easily. Annuals are notoriously the season, especially if plants are wa shallow-rooted, but tilling to a 12" depth teredfrequently or a heavy organic mulch provides an optimal environment for plant was used. "Water in" any broadcasted growth and establishment. Till or dig granular fertilizer to avoid foliar burn. when the soil has dried or clodding will Applications of liquid fertilizer can be occur. Extra care must be taken not to made with portable injectors. Applica till around the root zone of trees and tions of 300 ppm N can be made weekly shrubs that surround your garden. Avoid or as needed. tillage within the drip line as injury or Watering Correctly - The ultimate chal- death to your favorite tree or shrub may lenge: Many textbooks of gardening rec- Floriculture Indiana Vol. 6 No.1 Winter 1992 Page15 ommend an inch of water per week for in an annual garden. annual gardens. I have found that the Design Implications: Many annuals re best method of determining whether a quire full sun for optimum growth, so garden needs water is to dig 6 to 8" down locate your garden so it receives sun into the soil to determine if indeed the light most of the day. However, many soil is dry. Letting the soil dry out annual plants grown in the Midwest pre between waterings reduces the likeli fer a light shade during the hottest part hood of soil born diseases. Whatever the of the afternoon around 3:00 p.m.. A method, make sure you water deeply slight southeastern orientation for an when it is needed. "Wimpy" waterings of nual beds is optimal. An annual garden less than an inch do not provide adequate bed with a slight downward slant from moisture to the root zone. Water the back to front improves drainage and garden in the early morning to reduce makes the garden visible from further evaporative loss and also to prevent away. foliar diseases. "Soaker" hoses or "T" Keep it Simple: A popular approach to tapes are excellent alternative irriga garden design is to purchase 10 varieties tion methods to overhead sprinklers in of annuals and plant them in a 10 square small gardens. These methods reduce foot area. However, I do not recommend evaporative water loss and help to avoid the "chaos" approach to annual design. water-borne diseases. Higher visual impact is achieved when no Weeding: Annuals are shallow rooted, so more than 3 different color combina deep hoeing is not recommended. Using a tions are used. Use complimentary color "scuffle" or "dutch" hoe just below the pairs or different shades of the same soil surface works wonders in an annual color to create a unified look. garden. Staying off the annual beds after Remember that "hot" colors such planting is very important as annuals do as reds and yellows attract a lot of not appreciate compacted soil. attention and create a "come and see FlowerRemoval: "Deadheading" flowers me" look. Blues and pinks create a cool which are past their prime encourages sophisticated look in an annual design. I additional flower development. "Pinch enjoy using white in annual design be ing back" many annuals (ie: petunias or cause it not only "catches the eye" from marigolds) results in compact plants a distance, but it also softens bright with more flowers than non-pinched color combinations. A white border leads plants. the eye along an annual bed to focus Mulch: Annual gardens must be mulched attention towards an entry or business to reduce evaporative loss during hot sign. Midwestern summers. Mulching also Following are annual selections keeps the soil surface cool, prevents based on a rectangular bed format for weed establishment, and prevents sur either a warm or cool color garden. Mix face clodding. A light bark mulch is and match your favorite annuals for a preferred because dark, heavy mulches particular area to create a garden that absorb heat from the mid-day sun. I reflects your individual preferences and personally prefer a light pine needle taste. After all, variety is "the spice of mulch because it reflects solar rays, it life" and annual gardens provide variety is aromatic, and very decorative. Mulch and spice for home gardens and business should never be applied more than 3" deep settings. Floriculture Indiana Vol. 6 No. 1 Winter 1992 Page 16 Garden Size: 20' x 8' B B MIX and MATCH PLANT LIST Trouble-Free Garden / Full Sun Area Warm Colors 1 Area Cool Colors A Marigold ~ FirstLady A Snapdragon » RocketWhite or Pink or Cosmo$ ~BrightLights B Cosmos - Sunny Red B Centurea - Blue Diadem or Marigold - Marvel Yellow Chiffon orGomphrena - Globosa Mix orGomphrena - Woodcreek Red C Melampodium * Medallion C Salvia-Rhea or AnnualGallardia- Indian Blanket D Salvia - Scarlet Queen D Vinca - Pretty in Rose or Parasol orGeranium - Pinto Red orGeranium - Pinto Quicksilver or Petunia - Sheer Madness B Dianthus* Telstar Ptcotee E Alyssum- New Carpet ofSnow or Verbena - RomanceScarlett or Alyssum - Snow Carpet F Petunia - RedCarpet Improved F Dusty Miller - Snowstorm or Silverdust or Petunia - Polo Red Target or Nierembergia - Purple Robe UPS * Avoidstraightline plasinng^offsetthe transplantsina triangle pattern. * Set transplants so crowns are atsoil level, *Waterplants<aftersetting.''- You may needto-tvaterup to 3^ times a dayuntilestablishment •Try to settransplants on a cloudy/cool day afterdierecommended plantingdate for your area..