Its summer, its hot, and you’re probably shaking your head at how your annuals that you worked so hard to pick out are doing. Summer time heat plus lack of constant moisture can leave your annuals stretched out to the maximum and looking awful.
But there is hope yet! You can save those little beauties using as little as a pair of simple clippers, or even a pair of scissors.
Problem: Geraniums Looking Like They Were Left In The Dryer Too Long
Although you might feel like you’re hurting the little plant, the best thing you can do for a geranium is to show it some tough love. Hack back those semi spent blossoms as far down as you can possibly go on the step to promote more energy to make new flowers.
Problem: Your Angelonia Looks Like Its Trying To Reach For Something On The Top Shelf
Although Angelonia loves being hot, it loves being trimmed a bit as well. Give the flower stalks of these a good chop all the way down to where the foliage begins. This will make the plant look a bit lame for a while, but new shoots will soon spring up like frogs from a dynamite pond.
Problem: Your Snapdragons Forgot How To Snap
These were once spectacular, now kind of pathetic. Put Snapdragons to sleep for the summer by whacking them all the way down to the ground. This will put them in a pseudo-dormancy and they will spring back to life when the temperatures fall again.
Problems: Your Begonias Look Like They Got In A Fight With Mike Tyson
Its not typical for Begonias to get nasty, but when they do, don’t be hesitant to chop them half way back, removing flowers and a quantity of leaves. Don’t worry though, these fleshy beauties will re-sprout healthy leaves and flowers in no time.
Problem: Pentas Look Pitiful?
Pentas are another heat loving annuals, but if you take a spare second and remove any spend flower head (they look like little black stars on a stem) this will put new flowers out in warp speed (everyone likes warp speed, right?)
Problem: Your Coleus Aren’t As Robust As You Remember Them To Be
Are your Coleus not as robust as you remember them to be? Chances are if take a look you’ll find they’re trying to put on a little show and dance for you and put out some flowers. DON’T LET THEM, chop those OFF! They’re ugly and make the Coleus get leggy.
Problem: Impatiens…Nuff Said
So, you’ve gotten the Mildew too, eh? Destroy the plants before you bring everyone else down with you. You can’t save them with sprays. Bag them, toss them. Don’t compost.
Have other annuals that look questionable but aren’t on this list, just drop us a line or give us a call and we’ll talk you how to jazz them back up.
And, as always – after doing any sort of serious whack jobs on your flowers make sure you apply a good fertilizer to give them a kick in the pants and bring them back to being perky again. We have a great variety of annual fertilizer including Flower Tone, an all organic fertilizer that’s safe to use and won’t harm the environment!
Available in a variety of sizes.
