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Annuals in the Trial GardensSelecting annuals that withstand tough conditions
Start planning for your 2007 flower gardens with a trip to a local trial garden this summer.
A visit to a local trial garden in the dog days of summer can be helpful in selecting annuals for your garden. It is very obvious the varieties of bedding plants that hold up well in your conditions. And, it's easy to spot the ones that can't handle the extremes. A visitor to the K-State Trial Gardens called it the Death Gardens. This year, when the annuals went in the ground, we had several days of cool rainy weather in May. Then, the conditions changed to hot and dry. The plants at the K-State Trial Gardens are intentionally stressed and only receive supplemental water every 10 days with no mulch on the beds. There is no protection from hungry deer and rabbits. The flower beds are well prepped in advance of planting. In the fall, organic matter is added to the beds and nutrients are added if soil tests indicate the need. Some of the annuals that are full of flowers right now include:
Last year, I loved the ornamental peppers. Chilly Chili and Black Pearl were great. This year I was surprised to see King Tut Papyrus doing so well given the harsh conditions. I've always thought of it as a water garden plant. Trials are also underway in the gardens on perennials. And, bareroot shrub roses were planted this spring. Not only are the roses being looked at for flowers, but also disease resitance. K-State promotes the results of the trial gardens at their website Prairie Star Flowers. Dr. Alan Stevens calls them "high performance flowers for the climate and soils of the prairie." For a trial garden near you, contact your local extension agent. Or, check out the All America Selections website for the locations of their display gardens. Click on Plants and Bulbs for more articles by Susan Mertz.
The copyright of the article Annuals in the Trial Gardens in Plants & Bulbs is owned by Susan Mertz. Permission to republish Annuals in the Trial Gardens in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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