This is the time of year for planting an annual cutting garden. Here’s a checklist of what you’ll need to get started. Space. You don’t need a lot of it, but it has to get a lot of sun.
Water. The garden should be near a water source.
Hoses. Soaker hoses are outstanding for water conservation and for directly watering just the roots. If you water overhead, remember to do so early so the foliage dries completely by dusk.
Soil. The soil must be well- drained and leave no lasting puddles after a hard rain. Annuals do not like “wet feet.”
Shape. The garden’s shape is up to you. Rows make weeding and maneuvering through the garden easier. If you prefer an island bed with a curvy edge, try using a hose, a long piece of rope, a can of spray paint, even a bag of flour to fashion the curves. Doing so will help you visualize the shape before tilling.
Soil amendments. Don’t be afraid to till in lots of organic matter: compost, peat moss, peat humus, leftover straw (not hay) from last Halloween and aged/composted manure. Underachieving soil produces underachieving plants.
Rototill. Till the soil and your amendments just before sowing your seeds or transplanting. This way, the plants have an edge over the weeds, at least for a few weeks.
Aisle width. Rows should enable a gardener to work from both sides with room to maneuver without crushing plants and, most importantly, be able to get to the flowers I want to cut.
Spacing. Some of the bigger annuals, such as state fair zinnias and crackerjack marigolds, can easily measure 24 inches in width once mature, so space plants or cull seedlings accordingly.
Mulch. Because it’s an annual garden, mulching is an extra expense that you will just end up tilling under come fall. A light layer of straw around the base works just fine. Eventually, the plants will shade the soil beneath, limiting weeds and conserving moisture.
Weeding. It’s really important to keep the weeds at bay.
If you don’t plan on tilling periodically, layer newspapers down the aisle or between plants. Come fall, you can just till them in. Another option for the aisles is weedmat, which allows water to seep through.
A pre-emergent weed control will stop the weed seed from germinating.
De-budding. Pinch off the first set of flower buds before planting transplants or once sown seeds develop. Fear not, your plant will thank you by developing into a fuller plant with loads of side branches and more buds than you can imagine. The other benefit is all of the initial energy will go to establishing a bigger root system that will be able to take up water and nutrients in the long run, giving you one specimen of an annual.
Fertilizing. Your choice: organic, chemical, granular and water-soluble. Granular types last longer, but must be dissolved by water before the roots can use them; water soluble is ready immediately. It’s important to develop a schedule for fertilizing so you can get the most from your annuals since their growing season lasts only till frost.
Harvesting. Cut once the dew evaporates in the morning. Place stems in a bucket of water in the garden, then recut them under water before placing them in a vase. Why recut under water? Think of the stem as a straw. When you pull your straw out of your drink, a bubble of air gets in. The same thing occurs in a stem. By re-cutting under water, we remove the blocking air bubble, and upward water movement resumes.
Another harvesting tip. Cut some blooms when they are in the colored bud stage, others part open, some fully open; each flower has a different beauty in each stage. Use it to its potential, and don’t forget their foliage! Selection: Like us, annuals come in all shapes, sizes, colors, fragrances, heights, growth habits . . . the list goes on. Mix and match for interest.
Nancy O’Donnell of Perennial Graphics Nursery in Schaghticoke, N.Y. writes for the Albany Times Union.
