Annuals - General Information
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  (January) I took a "jiffy peat plugs greenhouse" and rooted lantanas, pentas, and plumbago. Now what do I do with the plants that are too big for their little greenhouse? How quickly should I remove the cover? Should I cut off the flowers they're producing? What size pots should they be moved  to?

  Be careful about removing the cover, since you will drastically change the humidity level, and our houses now are extremely dry. Gradually expose them to the drier air. If you see problems with leaves dropping, you may want to make a taller "greenhouse environment" with clear plastic bags or even plastic wrap. I would enjoy the flowers they are producing, as long as the plants are rooted and growing. We usually remove any flower buds while the rooting process is beginning to encourage rooting, but it sounds like yours are doing well. Again, pot size should correlate with the plant size.

  (April) When is it considered safe to plant annuals outdoors in Central Arkansas? I've noticed the discount hardware stores now have a wide array of annuals. When I asked about this at the store, I was told to go ahead & plan them. "There won't be any more freezing spells." What do you think?

  We can always hope! Our average last frost is typically the first week of April or last week of March, but keep in mind that is an average -- we have had a frost as late as April 19. I know that annuals are popping up everywhere, and some can take cooler weather than others. Petunias, dianthus, geraniums and sweet alyssum like it a little cool, but impatiens, lantana, penta, sweet potato and more like warm soil. Personally, I would wait until mid April, but you can take your chances and be prepared to cover should a frost occur -- or replant!

  (September) I have planters on each side of my front door which have summer flowers in them right now. What could I plant in them in the fall that would last through the winter looking presentable? It is an area that gets sun.

  There are numerous choices including: pansies, violas, flowering kale, snapdragons, Dianthus, dusty miller, parsley and cilantro. Plant some spring flowering bulbs under the winter annuals for even more color in the spring. Keep in mind, that container plants will need to be watered regularly throughout the winter as well.

  (September) I currently have in two pots on our front porch, both of which contain dahlias and geraniums. I would like to begin considering what to plant in the pots for fall/winter. Will you please offer suggestions of plants which are vibrant in color and can be seen from the street? My understanding is dahlias are perennials. Should I cut them back or how should they be treated in order that they will bloom next year?

  If you plan to replant these containers this fall, you may want to lift and store the dahlia bulbs for replanting next season. Dahlia’s are considered moderately winter hardy, but in containers it would probably be best to lift and store the dahlia bulbs for the winter season anyway. The soil in the containers gets much cooler, and could damage the dahlias. You can wait for a few weeks before planting winter color, but options include pansies, violas, flowering kale, Dianthus or dusty miller. While the individual flowers may not be stunning from the street, it should provide long season color. You might also consider planting some bulbs beneath the annual color for even more flowers in the spring.

  (October) I want to winter some dragon-wing begonias, a Persian shield, & hibiscus. Should I just maintain them as house plants or store them in the garage until spring. What about Blue Daze? When should I bring them in?

  If all of these are already in pots, then they can either become houseplants for the winter, or you can keep them in a garage -- protecting them from freezing temperatures. If some of them are in the ground, you may want to take cuttings and bring those indoors to root. You can also do a combination of the two. Blue daze can be rooted and can grow and bloom indoors this winter.

  (October) I need a list of annuals that do NOT need deadheading during the summer growing season. I'd also like to know whether or not they require sun or shade. We are away a lot in the summer and my annuals do not last. I know there are some that will last, I just don't know what they are.

  Whether or not deadheading or lack thereof means life or death, there are a variety of annuals that do not require deadheading. For full sun try Melampodium, Mexican zinnias, New Gold lantana (some lantanas need deadheading, others do not), wave petunias and blue daze.

For shade try impatiens, begonias and caladiums. If you are away a lot during the summer, lack of water may cause them to disappear. Usually lack of deadheading simply gives you leggy, and unruly plants.

  (October) We would like to find out how to overwinter our ferns. We do not have space inside our house, and the winters here in Arkansas will not permit to survive outdoors. We thought of hanging them under the house were it is warm, but they wouldn't get any light. What would be their chance of surviving?

  Overwintering ferns under the house is fine. The main thing you want to do is prevent them from freezing. They may not look spectacular when you bring them out next spring, but give them a haircut then, and they will bounce back with new growth. Give them a little water before they go into storage, and if it isn't too inconvenient, check them about once a month to make sure they haven't totally dried out.

  I would like to plant some large pots of colorful plants around a pool area. I would like them to be rather low maintenance, although I can water. Is there something that blooms all summer (or at least most of it)? Whatever you name, please say whether or not it is winter hardy or needs to be brought in. Thanks.

  Whenever I think of pool side plantings, I look to tropical bloomers. Hibiscus, mandevilla, bougainvillea are all wonderful plants with a long blooming period. Ixora, penta, bananas, and plumbago are other good additions. All of these plants would need winter protection, but they thrive on heat and sun, plus they add a tropical flavor to your pool area. Water frequently and fertilize every three to four weeks to keep them blooming well. You might also consider adding other annuals for summer color. Threadleaf zinnia, lantana, melampodium are good color additions.

  We recently moved to Beebe, Arkansas, and bought a little house. There are no flowers at all, and we are used to having blooming plants. What flowers can I plant that will grow really fast? I need to have these blooming plants around me, but I can’t wait too long to get them .

  I believe you are looking for a combination of shrubs, perennials and annuals for your flowers. If you want quick annual color, you have a lot of options for sun: begonias, marigolds, New Wave petunias, salvia and lantana. For perennials, coreopsis, butterfly weed, purple coneflower, daylilies and liatris. For shrubs consider, mock orange, althea (or rose-of-sharon) and itea. A combination of these and other plants should give you a lot of color this season.

  When is it considered safe to plant annuals outdoors in Central Arkansas? I've noticed the discount hardware stores now have a wide array of annuals. When I asked about this at the store, I was told to go ahead & plan them. "There won't be any more freezing spells." What do you think?

  We can always hope! Our average last frost is typically the first week of April or last week of March, but keep in mind that is an average--we have had a frost as late as April 19. I know that annuals are popping up everywhere, and some can take cooler weather than others. Petunias, dianthus, geraniums and sweet alyssum like it a little cool, but impatiens, lantana, penta, sweet potato and more like warm soil. Personally, I would wait until mid April, but you can take your chances and be prepared to cover should a frost occur--or replant!

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