How to Choose Annuals for Sunny Areas

How to Choose Annuals for Sunny Areas David Epstein: Hi I’m David Epstein, I’m here with Teri Volante and we are in one spectacular green house filled with annuals and this is pretty amazing a lot of color and we’re going to talk to you today about annuals for sunshine so first let’s define what is full sun and then I am interested to hear your favorite plants. Teri Volante: Okay. Well full sun usually means at least a half of day of afternoon sun to an entire day of sun and that includes the sun that really cooks the plants, some plants really like the hot sun. The most popular and my favorite plants would be Geraniums, Petunias, Marigolds, barbina, and tropical plants, New Guinean patients the list goes on and on and on. David Epstein: Tell me about some of the easier annuals for full sun that you think folks could grow at home. Teri Volante: One of the easiest I think is a Geranium because it likes, its soil dry you can really dry it out and you can almost forget about it and then go back and soak it and that will be fine. They’re an easy nice plant to grow as long as you take off the dead blossoms. David Epstein: And what about something that’s going to continue to bloom for a long period of time. Teri Volante: All of the annuals are going to bloom the entire summer as long as again you break off the dead buds and you just water and fertilize them regularly. David Epstein: So Teri these guys are baking in the sun all day long how do we keep them healthy in terms of water and fertilizer? Teri Volante: Well they’re definitely going to need more water than your shade plants like you said they’re going to be baking in the sun all day and you know the bigger the plant gets the more water it’s going to need. As far as fertilizing goes, I usually recommend putting some slow release fertilizer into your containers right when you plant them and then from there on out you can use the liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks then that should do fine throughout the summer. David Epstein: Teri some folks like to have hanging baskets in a doorway or just on a porch, what would you recommend for full sun that hangs and flowers all season. Teri Volante: I would recommend Geraniums, Petunias, New Guinea Impatiens, Scaevola, thunbergia, bacopa, there are tons of options that you have and also a mix of those also looks very nice in a hanging basket. David Epstein: How many summers are your favorite tropicals to use for color in the summer? Teri Volante: Tropicals are beautiful and they also love the heat and love the sun, Mandevilla, hibiscus, Canna lilies are just a few examples of more of the tropical heat loving plants. David Epstein: I love adding tropicals because people get into a rot and it kind of breaks you out of that rot using something totally different from a totally different climate. Teri Volante: Absolutely. David Epstein: Teri, thank you very much. A lot of knowledge to grow successful annuals in the sunshine and no matter where you’re watching our video go over the growingwisdom.com sign up for our news letter we send you the update every month I’m Dave Epstein.