Maid To Garden

In The Garden Of Good Living - May 2009: Bring on the color - time to plant annuals!
by Pat Hendrickson

Around the shore, it’s best to use Mother’s Day as a safe frost date. Once we hit that date, you are free to plant your warm-season annuals!

Gardener's Tips

Collect your containers and pots and your favorite soil mix and consider trying some new annuals. For ideas on the best potting mix to use, visit: http://www.backyardgardener.com/soil.html
We all love our tried and true annuals like Impatiens, Vinca major, Marigolds, and Geraniums. But it’s fun to try new things, and I’ve had great luck in our shore area with the following:
Coleus – available for sun or shade in a variety of colors
Lantana – Full Sun; multiple colors available
Mandevilla – Full Sun; multiple colors available
Osteiospurmum – Full Sun; multiple colors available
Sweet Potato Vine – Full Sun or Part Shade; available in dark purple, lime green, or variegated.
(See photos to the right.)
It’s time to move your houseplants outdoors to a protected place, and if needed, repot and fertilize them.
Plant tender summer bulbs outdoors: gladiolas, cannas, tuberous begonias, dahlias.
Once the soil has warmed up enough you can apply a layer of mulch on flower beds and around trees and shrubs. An easy rule is to mulch once the tulips have faded. Mulch reduces weeds, conserves moisture, and prevents disease.

Plant Recommendations
The Lower Shore Land Trust Has a color guide to some native plants for our area:
Click here to open the list provided in PDF.

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