Annual displays
Most annuals are well into their blooming period, but some can be planted now and still have time to flower before killing frosts of autumn. Among the best to germinate quickly and grow off fast: portulaca, cosmos, sweet alyssum zinnia, marigold, lobelia, candytuft, and annual phlox. These give colorful displays for the garden, often contributing late — season accent to fall crysanthemums.
To speed up flowering of these late plantings, seeds should be sown where the plants are to stay. To help hasten flowering, try these steps:
- Scoop out a shallow depression and mix a teaspoonful of fertilizer plant food into the soil.
- Cover fertilizer with about 1/2-inch of soil.
- Sow three seeds into each hole.
- Cover seed lightly with fine soil. Clean sand is good. If garden soil is heavy, mix soil about 1/2 sand and 1/2 soil.
- Sprinkle ground daily with a fine spray of water. Take care not to wash seeds out of soil.
When seedlings appear, thin out two weaker plants. Discards may be planted elsewhere, or contributed to community landscape projects. Undisturbed plants will grow, mature, and flower first. Fertilize when the flowerbuds appear.
A nice extra in summertime outdoor living is fragrant flowers planted near your patio or deck. Among the most odoriferous: scabiosa, petunia, calendula, candytuft, ten-weeks stock, ageratum, snapdragon, and sweet sultan. Plants that provide pleasing scents for outdoor areas: nicotiana, night-scented stock, evening primrose, tall mullein.