Planting Annuals in Garden Boxes

Gardening is one of the great pleasures of summer, but digging up the backyard may not be your cup of tea or a fun weekend. Planting your annuals in garden boxes can be a far simpler way to add decoration to deck, garden, or patio without breaking your back digging in the garden.

Planting annuals in garden boxes doesn't mean that you are limited when it comes to choosing a variety of plants. Garden boxes blossoming with a variety of flowering annuals make great decorations. Not only do they look great, the flowers won’t lose their beauty on hot summer days. The problem is determining what type of annuals to plant in your garden boxes. Here are a few suggestions that will provide you a variety of beautiful flowers right through summer and fall to the first heavy frost.

Maraschinos:
The Maraschino (Salvia) plant is a small shrub that blooms from spring right into the fall. It’ll grow up to about 18 inches tall. It is a lovely way to add height to mixed plant containers. Bright fuchsia-pink flowers attract tiny birds such as hummingbirds and butterflies. They are extremely tolerant to heat and drought. They require full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Pinch off dead blooms regularly to encourage continuous blossoms.

Fan Flowers:
Fan flowers are stunning blue and purple flowers. They grow to 12 inches tall upright, but when spilled out of a planter, they will trail to about 24 inches. This incredibly tough plant can withstand extended periods of heat and periods without water. They are nearly maintenance free and enjoy full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.

Lantanas:
Lantanas is a tropical annual. It weaves beautifully through mixed plant containers. Lantana comes in six vibrant blossom colors: pink, magenta, red, orange, yellow and purple. Lantana grows best in full sun and requires little water. Pinch off dead blooms before they produce fruit.

Plant Care Tips:
Maraschinos, Fan Flowers and Lantanas thrive when potted, fertilized and watered properly.

Pot with a compost potting soil that you can get at your local garden store. A good rule of thumb is to use one part of compost for every three parts of regular commercial potting soil. The mixture will loosen the soil, provides nutrients and helps retain moisture, so you can water even less.
Fertilize each month. Place one pellet of fertilizer in each container, and then use a liquid fertilizer each month. If you potted with organic soil, only fertilize with one-half the strength suggested on the bottle.
Watering plants when the top three inches of the soil is dry. You will know when you have watered thoroughly when water begins to run out of the bottom drainage holes.

Planting annuals in garden boxes makes gardening a little easier and the blooming boxes will dress up your backyard or patio area. Your selection may be determined by which planting zone you live in. Never the less, you can experiment and come up with some beautiful flower decorations.

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