Growing Green

By Robin Trott, Extension Educator

Are you ready to add some pizzazz to your outdoor oasis? Get ready to meet your new favorite plant – flowering annuals. From delightful snapdragons to colorful zinnias, these beauties are the unsung heroes of vibrant garden displays. Imagine a kaleidoscope of blooms, filling in every gap as your garden grows, and offering an endless array of affordable cut flowers. The best part? They’re adaptable! Whether you prefer to transplant them or sow them directly into the soil, they’re guaranteed to add irresistible allure to any garden spot. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into the wonderful world of flowering annuals – your garden will thank you later!

Fast-growing annuals are like the sprinters of the plant world, racing to flower within just seven weeks of planting. Talk about instant gratification for your garden! But before you start scattering seeds like confetti, there’s some groundwork to cover. Direct sowing demands a bit of finesse, starting with meticulous planning and soil prep. You’ll want to pick out a spot with full sun, get rid of any annoying weeds, and give your soil a good drink before gently raking it smooth. Then, it’s time for the main event – thinly scattering those seeds according to packet instructions. But here’s where it gets interesting: some seeds need a little extra TLC to reach their full potential. Enter scarification – a fancy term for giving those hard seed coats a gentle scratch to kickstart germination. Take morning glories, for example – they just need a slight nick to get things rolling. As for sweet peas, a bit of filing followed by a warm water soak for 24 hours works wonders. So, if you’re ready to kick your garden into high gear, fast-growing annuals and a little know-how are all you need to create a floral masterpiece in record time!

For novices in direct seeding, here are several varieties to consider:

• Bachelor’s button: 7-14 days to germinate; requires darkness

• Spider flower: 10-14 days to germinate

•  Cosmos: 5-10 days to germinate

•  Annual baby’s breath: 10-15 days to germinate

• Sunflower: 10-14 days to germinate

• Morning glory: 5-7 days to germinate; scarification needed

• Sweet pea: 10-14 days to germinate; scarification needed

• Love-in-a-mist: 10-15 days to germinate

• Rose moss: 10-15 days to germinate

• Marigold: 5-7 days to germinate

• Nasturtium: 7-12 days to germinate; scarification and darkness needed

• Zinnia: 5-7 days to germinate

For more information about seed starting visit: www.extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/starting-seeds-indoors

Until next time, happy gardening!

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“Plant seeds of happiness, hope, success, and love. It will all come back to you in abundance. This is the law of nature.” ~Steve Maraboli