Dukes
Mercy, Mercy Me
The first week or two of March can still feel like winter is still hanging about and after such a wet few months spring just cannot come too soon. One can only hope that the east wind will soon come and suck some of that moisture out of the ground. Spring usually arrives by mid-March and the frequent sunny days and lengthening hours of sunlight can provide opportunity for an increasing range of gardening jobs.
I often sow several rows of hardy annuals to add some colour to the plot, attract the bees and benefit insects as well as provide cut flowers. Hardy annuals are some of the easiest flowers to grow and provide plenty of interest throughout the season.
Spring sowing is suitable for annuals (plants which are sown, flower and die in one year) that tolerate light frosts. A spring sowing differs from an autumn sowing in that it tends to produce a later flowering display.
Some of my favourites:
Pot Marigold - Slightly aromatic leaves and single or double daisy-like flowers in shades of orange or yellow. Flowers from summer to autumn. Much hardier than the French or African Marigold.
California Poppy - Ferny foliage and cup-shaped flowers of yellow, orange, red or white which flower in spring or summer.
Love-in-a-mist - Saucer-shaped flowers in shades of blue, rose, pink or white, surrounded by a ruff of ferny foliage. Good for cut flowers.
Opium Poppy - Single or double flowers in shades of deepest purple, lilac, pink and white, Some are blotched at the base and self seed easily.
Shirley Poppy - Single flowers which have a white base and come in shades of scarlet, pink and white. Be wary not to compost poppy seed heads unless you wish then all around your garden.
Cornflower Blue and Black Ball - two reliable varieties for cut flowers which flower early summer through the autumn.
When to sow hardy annuals
Sowing can begin from late March to May as the soil begins to warm up (often indicated by the emergence of weed seedlings). It may begin earlier in milder gardens of the south and west; in colder northern gardens sowing may be later.
Annuals do best on light soils. These are not usually too fertile and have the advantage over heavier soils, of warming up earlier in the spring. Germination is slower on heavier, poorly drained soils, which remain colder for longer after winter.
Lush growth and fewer flowers may result on rich soils. It is worth noting, however, that cornfield annuals tolerate a richer soil and make a good alternative to a wildflower meadow where soil is too fertile.
How to sow seeds
Weed the bed, level the soil with a rake and tread lightly before sowing.
Direct sowing can be done by broadcasting. The main disadvantage of broadcasting is that you cannot easily tell weed seedlings apart from your sowings. Alternatively, drills in shallow grooves, can be planned and marked out to produce drifts of flower for a natural appearance.
Check the seed packets for the best time to sow and depth for seed planting.
Aftercare
Once plants are growing strongly, attention will be needed to:
• Keep down weeds with light hoeing or hand weeding.
• Water in dry weather, regularly checking to ensure seedbed does not dry out during the early stages of germination and seedling establishment.
• Once well established, water at 10-14 day intervals during dry spells.
• Deadhead to prolong flowering.
• Thin out self-sown seedlings and transplant to fill gaps elsewhere in the garden.
Slugs and snails may damage vulnerable seedlings. Aphids may be a problem for young shoots. Birds such as pigeons can be a nuisance where seeds are not covered with fleece. Hardy annuals are not without their problems but they are well worth the effort for a small outlay.
First published By The Dart March 2014
