Georgia Gardener Newsletter Design Tip

Georgia Gardener Newsletter Design Tip: September 7, 2006

Easy To Grow Annuals

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This is the third and last in the series of easy to grow plants for Georgia. In the previous newsletters, I covered:

Easy to Grow Trees and Shrubs
Easy to Grow Perennials

This issue will cover annuals for a variety of sun and soil conditions and cover both summer and winter. There are so many easy annuals that it would be hard to cover them all. Those that are listed below are plants that I've grown and have found them to be beautiful and easy.

Remember, to have the best chance of success with your annuals:

Site the plant correctly in terms of sun and shade
Site the plant correctly in terms of soil moisture
Install the plant correctly in properly prepared soil
Get the plant established by watering for the first few weeks
Install winter annuals in late September (zones 7-8) or October (zones 8+)
Install summer annuals in early to mid April (zones 7-8) or mid to late March (zones 8+)
Amend your soil every time you switch seasonal annuals and mulch afterwards
Many annuals are heavy feeders and may need frequent fertilization

Summer Annuals: Full Sun with Average to Dry Soil

Lantana (Lantana camara): May be invasive in frost-free areas
Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red'): 2002 Georgia Gold Medal Winner
Cleome (Cleome sp.): in a variety of colors
Globe Amaranthus (Gomphrena globosa): in a variety of colors
Poppies (Papaver spp.): in a variety of colors
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia)
Larkspur (Delphinium spp.)
Blue Daze (Evolvulus glomeratus)
Cosmos (Cosmos spp.): in a variety of colors
Pentas (Pentas lanceolata)
Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora)
Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea x batatas)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)

Summer Annuals: Full Sun with Moist, Well-drained Soil

Summer Annuals: Part Shade/Shade with Average to Dry Soil

Summer Annuals: Part Shade/Shade with Moist, Well-drained Soil

Winter Annuals for Sun (S) and Part Shade (PS)

Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana and cultivars): S
Ornamental Cabbage/Kale (Brassica oleracea): S
Early Season Tulips (Tulipa sp. and cultivars): S
Snap Dragon (Antirrhinum majus): S/PS (for fall and early spring)
Primrose (Primula x polyantha): PS (perennial grown as an annual in zones 7-10)

From Annual to Perennial

In recent years, our ever warming winters has allowed some previously annual plants to make it through to spring thus becoming perennial, at least for now. Gardeners may have had these plants return after the winter for several years, but the trend is moving more northward each year.

Additional Information

Dr. Allan Armitage, UGA Professor of Horticulture, is one of the world's authorities on herbaceous plants. He has several books, including one on annuals:

Armitage's Garden Annuals A Color Encyclopedia

You can also visit the web site of UGA's Trial Garden to see the latest trials (with pictures) being conducted by Dr. Armitage for both annuals and perennials. The trial garden is free and open to the public year round and hosts several open houses through the season.