Ask Extension for answers to commonly asked questions.

Planting Out Annual Flowers in the Spring

Select a location suitable for plants, or plants suitable for the location. Check light exposure, drainage and fertility. Once you find suitable plants or location, prepare the soil.

Prepare soil six to eight inches deep. Add organic matter to improve drainage in heavy clay soils and water holding capacity of sandy soils. Organic matter can be peat moss, aged manure or compost. Work material into the soil. Add fertilizer at a rate recommended in your soil test, or at a level of two pounds of 5-10-5 fertilizer per 100 square feet of flower bed.

Harden off the plants. This process prepares tender seedlings and transplants for the harsh outdoor environment. It takes about two weeks. Place plants in a somewhat shaded area and expose them to gradually longer durations of light over a two-week period. Reduce watering and do not fertilize again until planting time.

After you prepare the soil, give it about a week to settle. Dig a small hole with a trowel or shovel. Remove plant from container and slit or gently spread root system to prevent girdling. For plants in peat pots, remove the lip of the container. If it is above soil line it serves as a wick and dries out the root system. Slitting peat pot sides is also helpful. Cover roots with soil. Do not plant deep. Gently firm soil and water.

You can use starter or transplant solution (a diluted mixture of water and fertilizer) when you transplant.

Plant late in the afternoon or evening. Temperatures are cooler and will not dry out plants. This reduced initial transplant shock.

For future reference, you may want to obtain a copy of Extension bulletin H-322, entitled "Annual Flowers for North Dakota", which is available free of charge at your local county extension office.

Back to Flowers Menu
Go to Ask Extension Index Page
For More Information Contact your North Dakota County Extension Office of the NDSU Extension Service for additional information or see our main NDSU Web Page for publications and articles on Agriculture, Horticulture, Youth and Family, Business and Community and Food and Nutrition at  http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/