Spring Plantings vs Summer Plantings

Spring Containers by Floral Bar

Ever wonder why your plants die in the spring? You buy these pretty flowers from a store, plant them, and then boom, they die. Dang it! WHYYYY? I WANT TO ENJOY MY FLOWERS.

In the Midwest, our springs are stunning, with the pops of snowdrops and crocuses to remind us that winter is at bay. Most Midwesterners know that we will have these random summery days in the spring, and the next day it will snow. You get excited, and while you are grocery shopping or grabbing a tool at a big-box store, there it is—a stunning hydrangea plant; you must buy it and plant it today! So, you do it, you buy the plant, you get excited and "go if you give a mouse a cookie style" on the plant when you get home with all of your new spring energy. You plant the plant in the perfect place you walk by every day to give you joy.

BAM! Two days later, the frost hit your new hydrangea. Your fresh glimpse of hope has turned brown, serving as a reminder of your shortcomings. You pass by it daily as you head into your house.

Well, let's start here: the hydrangeas that you find at the stores in early spring are florist hydrangeas. They are created for florists for Mother's Day, and every store likes sales, they won't tell you the truth. They can only stay inside until its warm out. Frost will destroy the blooms of warm weather annuals.

We want you to succeed.

Well, we are here to help you understand the difference between spring and summer annuals. This way not only will your spring plant-buying joy not make you feel defeated, but you can also enjoy your flowers and feel more empowered.

There are annuals suited for cold weather and those that flourish in such conditions, so let's concentrate on the cold for the moment. The key factor is the weather. At Floral Bar, we are just as enthusiastic about planting as you are, but we understand that we must heed mother nature, as she is THE BOSS.

Cool weather annuals are fantastic. Some examples include violas, pansies, ranunculus, and primroses. Below is an example of containers for cool weather annuals that can be planted from March to May, before Mother's Day.

Example of Spring Planting by Floral Bar with Dahlias (we add these we add after temps hit 40's)

Pay attention to the temperature. For cool weather annuals, it is okay to plant in the early spring when temperatures are hitting 35, and at night there might be some frost and even snow.

We suggest beginning with pansies, violas, and primulas, as they are the most cold-resistant and can withstand a light snowfall. Cool-season annuals flourish even when nighttime temperatures drop to freezing. Most require ample moisture, so be prepared to water them during these cold months.

Once it starts to warm up a bit, we add a few more summer annuals, but not until around Mother's Day. When daytime temperatures regularly start getting to 40°F and night temperatures match 40°F,

Just so you're aware, cool-season annuals begin to decline and wither; their flowers wilt and blooming ceases after the weather really starts to warm up.

Warm Weather Annuals:

When and how to start planting cool-season annuals is slightly tricky, did you check the night temperatures?

• Even a dip under 35 will cause the buds of your spring flowers to freeze, meaning fewer flowers, that's no floral bar.

Warm weather annuals,

• Plant warm-season seedlings outside after all danger of the frost has passed. This is around May 15th for most Northern Midwest states.

Warm-season annual flowers and edible plants are similar to humans in that they are almost like warm-blooded beings. They cannot withstand frost and must be planted only after the risk of frost has completely gone. These plants require warm soil and air to thrive, so their seeds should not be sown directly into the ground until mid-May or even early June.

Primrose

Warm-season annuals are somewhat simpler to manage. These are the staples of American summer flower gardens: impatiens, marigolds, petunias, geraniums, annual salvia, celosia, zinnias, and others. Many originate from tropical regions, so they thrive in warm conditions. Frost is fatal to them. Even without frost, planting warm-season annuals too early in cold, wet soil causes them to languish and remain inactive. Additionally, this damp period invites diseases and pests for these warmth-loving plants.

Hope this helps you, garden gurus.

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