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Annuals and Summer Bulbs
Garden Tips Newsletter - May 7, 2001

If you have annuals blooming, remember to deadhead (remove old blooms). Deadheading will help your annuals put out more blooms all season. Its not too late to put out annual seed into your garden. Now is a good time to plant sunflower, zinnia, morning glory, portulaca, marigold, cosmos, & periwinkle.

May is also the month to put out your summer flowering bulbs such as achimenes, cannas, gladiolus, & dahlias. When planting summer bulbs remember, if the bed is new or hasn't been used for a while, dig up the entire bed up to 9-12 inches deep and work the soil. Working the soil will help with drainage and new root development, while also providing for uniform planting and flowering. While working the soil, add compost, fertilizer, and other amendments to help your bulbs grow. Before adding fertilizer, test your soil to know exactly what needs to be added. Bulbs grow best in a soil with pH between 5.5 and 7.0. Phosphorus will need to be added to the soil to encourage root development and flowering. Once you have prepared the bed, dig out your bulb holes. The rule of thumb on how deep to plant bulbs is to dig a hole that is 2 to 3 times the diameter of the bulb. Most prepackaged bulbs have planting recommendations printed on the label.

For spring flowering bulbs, DO NOT cut back the foliage. Bulbs need to regenerate for the next flowering seasons and do so by photosynthesis taking place in the leaves. Once the leaves have turned yellow or brown, you can cut them back.

These archived newsletters were written by Dr. Lelia Scott Kelly. Kelly is a Horticulture Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her office is in the North Mississippi Research & Extension Center, Verona.