Middle Pot: Red Banana plant and Petunias. Backround pots: Marigolds and petunias. August 12th 2012

Annuals planted earlier this year are perfect for late season color added into the yard, they continue to bloom through summer and still look great even in August if the right amount of fertilizer, pruning and water is added to the care of the plants. If you have pots are started to die out it is likely because of lack of water or it is because the plant has bloomed its self out. I always deadhead my annuals one a day which keeps the plants renewed and encourages blooms through the summer and up to frost. For watering, annuals in pots need alot of water to keep healthy becuase they easily become root bound easily and can’t take up water unless it is provided. Small pots I water every day unless it rains. Large pots I water one or twice in a week. The marigolds above were grown by me from seed from last years plants.

Backyard landscape August 12th 2012

Gardens are still much alive with color if you have late summer perennials they are just now getting buds and are getting ready to bloom! For a great garden with blooms all year its a good idea to add flowers that bloom in different seasons. Plants that are blooming now in sunny gardens include Dasises, Sunflowers and Black Eyed  Susans. These are all great for color this time of year. Plants that have yet to bloom include Seedum, Asters and Mums. These are all great for color very late in the season. It is common to see Asters blooming in October around Halloween!

Frontyard landscape

Plants that are blooming now in shade include turtlehead Hydrangea and Hostas. Impatients for summer color are also very colorful right now.

Mums in full bloom 2nd year plant August 12th 2012

Mums are a beautiful plant for late season color, but there are information on mums some people are not always aware of. Some notice including me that mums always seem to bloom earlier the 2nd year in the ground then when you buy them off the shelf in early September from garden centers. This is because gardens centers and garden specialists prune back there mums around July 4th. This causes branching for more flowers and also sets them back a few weeks and causes the mums to begin blooming closer to September. Mums left un trimmed bloom closer to the end of July and August. So if you like mums to bloom in September be sure to try cutting them about half way back around July 4th of next year. If you don’t mind mums blooming earlier in the season like me you can leave them be and expect blooms to start in July or August. Even in the un trimmed merthod you will still get blooms late, but you can expect the most blooms in August. In any method you choose me sure to deadhead mums becuase this will stimulate new blooms in any situation! Also if your interested in mums that come back year after year make sure you choose a winter hardy type and not florist mums. It is also important to plant early and not wait until September becuase mums need to set suckers before the ground freezes.

Hope these tips were of use to you!

Professinal Gardener & Horticulture student

Derek McKay