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So,
we’re finally into spring. Our typical "last frost date" is
April 15th, so if you are just dying to plant some warm weather annuals,
you should be prepared to protect them from that surprise frost that may
hit us at any time.
Some
petunias and calibrachoas (million bells) can tolerate a light frost, but
not begonias. A frost will bite them good and turn their tops to mush.
Though they may come back from the basal leaves and stems that were
protected from the frost, the maturity of the begonia will be delayed
beyond what it would be if you just waited a couple more weeks to plant
them.
Alyssum
(Lobularia maritima), Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria) and
Annual Dianthus (Dianthus hybrida) can tolerate cooler
temperatures, even some light frost. I have grown dianthus and they have
spread out to make a good-looking ground cover. The frosts didn’t seem
to bother them and with proper maintenance, (deadheading) they bloomed
from early spring until fall.
Helichrysum
comes in a variety of colors, from silvery gray (licorice plant) to
chartreuse (Limelight). I have found that the helichrysum can tolerate
some heavy frost. If there is tender young growth on the tips though, it
could get a little frostbite. These plants make not only good bedding
plants but also great container mixers and hanging basket plants.
Snapdragons
(Antirrhinum sp.) make great cool weather plants. Though the
Alabama sun tends to beat them up a little in the heat of August, these
plants are semi-hardy. You can use them as a garden element for height or
buy the cascading varieties for hanging containers.
Verbena
hybrids are also semi-hardy here in Alabama. Some are even considered to
be perennials such as the Homestead cultivar.
Lets
take a couple of paragraphs and discuss container sizes.
When
you go to your garden center, have you ever noticed that pot sizes are
different? I have been in stores selling 9-1/2" hanging baskets for
10" baskets. A 4" pot is relative, it seems. A pot that measures
four inches is a four-inch pot, but what about the volume capacity of that
pot? If you buy a 4" standard pot, it will hold less soil than a
4" rose pot. A 4" bulb pot will hold less soil than a 4"
azalea pot, which holds less soil than a standard 4" pot.
Arrrrrrrrr!
That’s a lot to remember! Just consider this. Make sure you are getting
the pot size advertised. If a 10" hanging basket advertised is a
shallow 9" basket priced cheap, well, you get what you pay for and
that may not be the best value.
Whichever
plants you choose, consider the pot sizes. Are the plants going to outgrow
the pot it’s in? Are you planning on leaving the plant in the pot you’re
buying it in? If so, how much more watering will you have to do when the
plant matures? Read the tags in the plant pots. They provide a lot of
information about sun and water requirements, as well as maturity size and
the plant’s hardiness.
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