Annual Flowers

Once again, the time for planting annual flowers is here.  Remember, it all begins from the ground up, and you only get one chance per season to succeed – ‘annual’.

For starters, incorporate organic materials by using a composted topsoil to relieve the compacted soils. During bed preparation, it is also a good time to incorporate a well-balanced and controlled release fertilizer such as Multicote (4) 14-14-16 + Micronutrients, Nature Safe 8-5-5 Landscape Granular, and others.

At planting time or in the flats at delivery time, it is important to keep the roots strong and disease free.  Add product(s) to control root and crown pathogens.  For example, Reliant Systemic Fungicide can be easily applied as a drench when watering.

And now for the tough part, keeping the annuals healthy and flowering all season long.  It is much easier to be proactive than reactive.  Put your flowers on a scheduled, season long program (fungicide, insecticide, and fertility) to assist in the fight against disease and insect pressure while ‘spoon feeding’ the nutrient level for the full bloom potential.

There is an array of products to assist you in the success of your annual flowers.  Foliar-Pak offers several natural products such as the Root Guard 1-2-1 ‘Bio Root Supplement’ with mycorrhizae and Bio 12-6-6 and Bio 5-10-5 organic fertilizers. Holganix Bloom is a another great bionutritional product that promotes strong plant health and vigor Pest control products are also available and can be safely implemented into your program.

Download this printable flower program sheet with options for standard and organic programs in 4-week intervals for landscape and flower beds and 2-week intervals for flower containers and intensely managed beds.

Tom Fox
Agronomist
Advanced Turf Solutions

*This blog entry was originally posted on 04-08-2013; it has been updated and reposted.