6 Easy to Grow Summer Annuals

Annual plants and flowers are ones that survive for only one season. Because they are short-lived they are fast growing and they are an excellent way to quickly fill in empty spots between your shrubs or perennials. They often create a great show of bright flowers and they are relatively little work to maintain. Summer annuals are often planted in the spring (the exact sowing time, depends upon the plant), and they tend to thrive in a variety of hardiness zones, but you may want to check with your local garden center if you have concerns or want to find flowers that will last the longest in your particular region.

A few annuals are known to be “self-sowing,” such as cleomes (cleome hasslerana) and pot marigolds (calendula officinalis). You will be able to enjoy these for many years to come if they are successfully planted the first time around. The plants will die each year come the colder seasons, but the seeds they produce that fall will then bloom the next summer. It is also possible to save your other plants’ seeds and then plant them again by hand. Some of these popular summer-blooming plants are actually resistant to deer and some are even disliked by rabbits – the two most common nuisances to gardeners.

The cleome (cleome hasslerana) is a popular summer annual and is also known as the “spider-flower” due to its unique flower shape. Its flowers will actually last for weeks in moderate climates, usually until the first frost. In winter the flowers turn into seed capsules, which fall in the spring, producing a brand new batch of these vibrant and interesting blooms. Hummingbirds love these. Deer and rabbits, on the other hand, do not because they have more prickly flowers and leaves than are unpleasant. They will rarely eat cleomes and only as a last resort.

 

Marigolds are actually flowers spanning two genuses: the common marigold (tagetes) and the pot marigold (calendula). They are related, both being in the sun flower family, and both are extremely fragrant. Common marigolds are native to North and South American and pot marigolds are thought to be European in origin. There are both annual and perennial varieties, and according to some, pot marigolds (calendula officinalis), are actually “short-lived annuals.” Marigolds normally bloom mid-summer and the more resilient varieties will continue into the fall. If pot marigolds are hardy they will self-sow like the cleome and continue for several years with little work on your end. Marigolds are a flower that deer will not touch because of their intense fragrance, but depending on the rabbits in your area, they may still end up a snack. To keep rabbits at bay, use I Must Garden’s All-Natural Rabbit Repellent or Granular Animal Repellent.

Cosmos (cosmos bipinnatus) are another group of flowers related to sun flowers with annual and perennial varieties. They are brightly colored, very fast growing and attractive to butterflies. They make great beginner flowers, but deer love them and depending upon whom you ask, rabbits either love them or hate them, so repellents are the safest bet. I Must Garden provides two varieties of Deer Repellent. Growing Season is an excellent choice for use on spring and summer plants because its all-natural ingredients also aid in plant growth. All Season is the equally effective alternative that can be sprayed on all of your plants, all year round.

Available in a huge variety of colors, impatiens (impatiens walleriana), are another popular annual that blooms in the summer. They have interesting shoe- or horn-shaped flowers. Aside from requiring a bit more watering than some of the other flowers mentioned here, they are otherwise low-maintenance. Interestingly, in most areas deer are not interested in these flowers until the end of summer or the fall when they begin to end their life cycle anyway, so in most cases later repellent spraying is all that is needed. To contrast they need to be protected from rabbits all season because they will gobble them up anytime.

A favorite hanging basket annual, the tropaeolum, commonly called nasturtium (tropaeolum majus) has an appealing habit of trailing and the flowers are actually edible. They are often ornamental, but the blooms can be used in salads or stir-fries. They should not be confused with the watercress (nasturtium) in the mustard family, but they produce oil similar to the watercress and this is how they got their name. They are attractive to both butterflies and humming birds, and are listed by many places as being both deer and rabbit resistant.

The zinnia (zinnia angustifolia) is another popular and easy flower to grow. They produce large flowers that are both drought and heat tolerant, so they are very durable. Zinnias are well known as being deer-resistant. Deer may take a taste, but they do not seem to enjoy them and will not try again. They are most vulnerable to rabbits when they are first sprouting. It is possible to start them inside and then transplant them outside, but if that is not an option, frequent repellent application is recommended during the growth period. I Must Garden’s application tips can provide you with pointers for that very topic.

These six annuals will add variety and excitement to a garden with their vibrant summer blooms. Many attract butterflies and humming birds, and marigolds and nasturtiums can be used as companion plants to repel some types of insects and other pests. For the plants that deer and rabbits view as viable food sources, I Must Garden’s all-natural repellents will protect their bright flowers all summer long.

 

Gardening Tip – Keeping your repellent close

Are you ever out and about in your yard intending to spray repellant on your plants, but you realize your repellant is in your garage? On your way to the garage, do you spot something in need of being deadheaded, or see some weeding that needs to be done, or the phone rings? Before you know it, you’ve gotten distracted and forgotten all about protecting your plants!

This happens to the best of us, but here is a helpful hint – at first, it will seem a little odd, but it will save time and prevent those distractions from having a chance to get in your way – “hide” your repellant in your plants. Transfer it to smaller bottles if it makes it easier to hide, and then put those little bottles in various places where they are not an eyesore, but where they are convenient to the plants you need to spray.

Try hanging them from tree branches or putting them under an azalea. Your neighbors may think you have become an eccentric gardener, but it will save time and make the spraying process so much easier, especially if you have a large yard with many plants to cover.

Spring Blossoms and Scents

I have quite an assortment of plants that come to life this time of year! In hardiness zone 7B, mid to late March is when most trees and shrubs begin to bloom. Today, I’ll share with you my Daphne Odora (Daphne Odora), Patio Peach (Prunus Persica), and I have two varieties of Viburnum – Mohawk Viburnum (Viburnum ‘Mohawk’) and Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum Carlesii). I can’t get enough of the distinct scents of the Daphne and Viburnum, nor the striking color of the Patio Peach!

My Daphne Odora (Daphne Odora), also called a Winter Daphne, bloomed late this year due to our cold winter. They are an evergreen shrub and also extremely fragrant, but not particularly resilient. I started with eight of these and I’m sadly down to two. They are a bit finicky and susceptible to phytophera (a soil borne disease) but I was determined. My “still happy” daphne is about four feet tall and four feet wide and I’ve had it for ten years. The others went into decline after six years. They are worth the trouble as soon as you experience their jasmine-like scent that engulfs your entire yard. They are slow growers that do best in zones 7 through 9, and they normally only reach about four feet tall. They are very tidy and require little pruning to stay in shape. They have rosy purple buds that open to be rose pink or lighter blooms – mine are pink. The flowers are tube-shaped with four petals and they grow in small groups. The leaves of this Daphne are variegated, meaning some have yellow-gold edges and other are solid green. The plant originated in Japan and China, where it has appeared in literature for thousands of years, but it was named in the 18th century after the Greek nymph.

Peach trees (Prunus Persica) are deciduous trees native to China, and everyone is familiar with the fruit they produce. They begin flowering in early spring before producing leaves. The five petal flowers are a gorgeous pink with a darker center. The flowers make this tree popular in landscaping. Some varieties of flowering peaches are cultivated for ornamental display only, rather than fruit production such as the Patio Peach which is a more petite variety. Patio Peaches do produce fruit, but they too are smaller than common peaches and often don’t quite ripen. They are best when cooked, rather than raw.

My Patio Peach is displaying the characteristic bright pink flowers already, which will diminish as the leaves begin to appear. Deer seem to be fond of my tree, but are only interested in the fall. Once the leaves are gone again, they leave it alone until the following fall. To my surprise, I found several young Patio Peaches sprouting beneath it, and I potted three of them. One didn’t survive the winter, but the other two are growing happily in pots on my deck. They’re small right now, but once they reach about two feet, I’ll replant one of them in my garden. Patio Peach trees normally only reach about six feet in height after ten years, being a dwarf of the larger trees. These pretty little trees add interest to your landscaping and grow well in zones 5 through 8.

There are 150 to 175 species of Viburnum, which are native throughout the Northern hemisphere. My Mohawk Viburnum (Viburnum ‘Mohawk’) begins with deeper pink buds that develop into white with pink accents when blooming. The brighter buds contrast beautifully with the flowers. Mohawk Viburnum are a deciduous shrub that grow well in zones 5 through 8. They are moderately fast growers and can reach up to seven feet tall and across. The flowers can also be lighter and snowy in color and they grow in tight bunches, sometimes looking like snowballs. The red berries it produces often attract birds. With its strong clove-like scent, it is one of the gold standards of fragrant garden shrubs.

My other Viburnum, a Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum Carlesii), has bloomed into nearly all while blossoms with the faintest pink blush. They began as pink buds. These are also deciduous shrubs with flowers in bunches that produces bright red berries. The berries will become darker and less showy as the weather gets colder again in the fall. It originated in Korea and grows well in zones 5 through 8. The Korean Spice is a bit smaller, only reaching five or six feet tall and across. Like the Mohawk, this species has a lovely heady aroma that you can smell from fifty feet away! I often take little cuttings of Viburnum and put them in vases, so if I can’t be in my garden, I can have a bit of my garden with me at work.

Spring is a wonderful time of year, not only because of beautiful blooms, but also because of the intoxicating aromas of flowering plants.

Spring is finally here!

Spring is here! It may still be a little chilly, but the signs of spring are all around us – my backyard included. It is always an exciting time when my flowering plants have begun to bud and produce vibrant blooms.

Flowering trees and shrubs are a beautiful touch to any yard. In the north, they are particularly prized for heralding in the return of warm weather. Being in a more temperate plant hardiness zone, 7B, I get the pleasure of experiencing this in mid-March. I have a variety of plants and all of them are my favorites, but the Yellow Bird Magnolia (Magnolia ‘Yellow Bird’), Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles ‘Toyo Nishiki’), and Nuccio’s Cameo Camellia (Camellia ‘Nuccio’s Cameo’) are looking particularly beautiful right now. None of these particular plants have been bothered by the troublesome deer; not even the camellia, although they do like to snack on some of my other camellias so I have to be sure to spray those with repellent.

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Read This: Wicked Plants

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities,

by Amy Stewart

Published by Algonquin Books, 2009

A creepy little book from author Amy Stewart, Wicked Plants has been on the best seller list at indie and mainstream bookstores alike, since its publication date.  It’s a must-read for fans of I Must Garden products, because our products are made from plants that smell wicked to animals.  If the animals tried to keep us humans out of their gardens, they might use some of the plants detailed in Wicked Plants.  Better to be safe than sorry!  Here’s what this frightful delightful book has in store for you!

Practical Information about Plant Poisoning

The book is not intended to be a comprehensive field manual for poisonous plants.  Stewart writes  “If this book entertains, alarms, and enlightens you, I’ve done my job.  I’m not a botanist or a scientist but rather a writer and a gardener who is fascinated by the natural world.”  At the back of the book, she lists field guides and references for further reading for those who want more  in-depth information and photos.

She also writes, in the introduction to the book called “Consider Yourself Warned,” that she is most definitely not a medical professional, and that Wicked Plants is not intended to replace information from the doctor.  She cautions “And if you suspect that someone has been poisoned by a plant, please do not spend precious time flipping through this book in search of symptoms or a diagnosis. . . Don’t try to figure it out on your own.  Instead, call a poison control center at 800-222-1222, or seek immediate medical attention.”

After dispensing cautionary information about how to use the book, and how not to use the book, the fun begins.

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Read This: The Organic Lawn Care Manual

The Organic Lawn Care Manual

By Paul Tukey

Published by Storey Press, 2007

One of the most valuable books for homeowners to hit the market recently is The Organic Lawn Care Manual, by Paul Tukey.  Tukey is the editor of the regional gardening magazine “People, Places, Plants,” which has a focus on gardens in the northeast, and sustainable/organic techniques.  The Organic Lawn Care Manual is a useful book for homeowners maintaining lawns, even if they are not, or do not want to, use completely organic methods.  Other lawn care books give useful information for maintaining lawns, but do not delve as far into the biological “happenings” under the lawn, which greatly impact lawn health.  Understanding the information in this book, even if you care for your lawn with conventional methods, will help you have a greener, healthier lawn in the long run.

This Book Gives Big Bang for the Buck

List price for the paperback version of The Organic Lawn Care Manual is $19.95.  It is worth every penny.  You’ll find yourself pulling this book off the shelves time after time to reference it for a variety of tasks.  Here are the main topics covered:

• Evaluating your lawn care needs
• Parts of the grass plant
• Overview of major and minor nutrients needed by grass
• Soil 101: structure, components, how to improve your soil
• Grass species: profile, care needs, regional distribution
• How to install a new lawn
• How to renovate a lawn
• Using compost and natural fertilizer on the lawn
• Lawn care calendar
• Watering do’s and don’ts, equipment overviews and water saving tips
• Lawn weed identification and control
• Lawn insect identification and control
• Lawn mower and maintenance equipment overviews
• Alternative plantings in lieu of a lawn

Each section is fully illustrated with diagrams and full-color pictures.  Some of the information is presented in tabular form, for easy reference.  Virtually every aspect of lawn care is given a thorough treatment.

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Now is the time for All-Season Deer Repellent

Winter is almost upon us, and with it, less tender vegetation for deer to eat.  In northern climes, leftover grain from harvests will soon be covered with snow.  What does that mean for avid gardeners?  All but your most prickly, foul tasting (at least, for deer), trees and shrubs become targets for hungry pests.  If you are unlucky, like William Alexandar, author of The $64 Tomato, you have a neighbor who thinks it is fun to feed the deer.  The deer snack on whatever your neighbor has to offer, and then the deer come snack on your shrubs.  There are some ways to stop neighborhood (regional?) deer from viewing your yard as an all-you-can-eat buffet.  Your level of dedication, financial situation and aesthetic sensitivity will help you make your decision.

Keeping Deer at Bay:  Tips for Success

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