Question by Amanda C: What is the best flower to plant?
I live in NJ. I have mixed shade and sun. I would like them to bloom as long as possible, bloom every year, need as little care as possible and I would like to plant them now.
Read answers:
Answer by chicnlips2012
one that has colorful blooms
What do you think?
Pansies are a great choice. They are not really perennials, but they reseed beautifully every year and bloom all summer. Most other perennials have limited bloom periods so you won’t get flowers all summer.Look especially for the icicle variety for planting now. I grow them in Iowa and they come through the winter great.
It is too late to plant flowers now for your area to bloom this season. So check out the information at the bottom of this message to see how to get your soil ready for next spring.
Perennials are the flowers that come back year after year. They don’t always bloom from spring to fall.
Annuals are flowers that you have to plant every year, but are bright and colorful and will bloom form spring until fall.
There are flowers for the shade.
There are flowers for direct sun.
Send for free flower catalogs to learn about the different types of flowers. Read the planting instructions for each type. Don’t let your eyes lead you to buy. You will not be able to grow all of them in your area:
Free catalogs:
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com
For shade:
http://www.caladiums.com
Supplies:
http://www.gardeners.com
““““““““““
Locate a nursery near you with a good repertation. Try to buy from your area.
““““““““““
Lasagna Gardening-No Tilling:
Create a new gardening bed without tilling or pulling up grass and weeds:
Once you have a well defined garden bed, no need to clear it of grass or weeds, just layer about 6 or 8 newspaper sheets or cardboard over the bed area, water the paper or cardboard to the soaking point (this method will eventually smother whatever is growing there).
Over this paper or cardboard, you can build up layers of organic materials by using already made compost from your own pile or bought in bags from a nursery, chopped up leaves, grass clippings, chipped up prunings, produce trimmings, aged manure (not dog or cat), whatever you can gather that will rot. Pile it on as thick as you can and be sure it is kept well moistened as if you are watering a garden each week. This is known as lasagna gardening.
Or you can mix everything together and then pile it on top of the paper or cardboard if you prefer.
If you would like to have a top layer, wood chips can often be found at your city’s Parks & Recreation Dept., or you can check with your local nurseries. This will make a good top dressing to keep moisture in and to keep wind from blowing away your lasagna.
This material will break down and become a rich, loose loam. Keep adding to this each year and you will have a very nice gardening bed.
““““““““““
N.J. flowers:
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/rutgers/horticul.htm
http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/departments/rutgers/brochures/home_gardening.htm
Here are a few perennials that you can still plant now. Just remember that sometimes they do not bloom the first season.
Poppies- bloom in late spring-early summer, plant now to establish the plant for next year. Full sun, well drained soil. Fall is actually the best time to plant them.
Lavender- blooms mid to late summer. Full sun well drained soil.
Astibes-blooms in summer. Partial shade rich moist soil. mulch in winter
Shasta Daisy-blooms from Summer into fall, full sun or light shade moist well drained soil. Fall is the time to plant them.
Hostas of course are great and can still be planted now.
Primroses- blooms from early to late spring, flitered shade and moist slightly acidic soil. mulch in winter
Gloriosa Daisies- blooms all summer, full sun ordinary soil,mulch in winter
Gazanias- blooms in summer, full sun, sandy well drained soil.
Violas- blooms in spring and fall and sometimes in cooler weather all summer long, full sun to partial shade, rich well drained soil
Hepaticas- blooms in early spring partial to full shade rich well drained soil, mulch in winter
Lobelias- blooms mid summer into fall, partial shade moist humus rich soil. cover in winter with pine boughs until spring
Sea Hollies- blooms summer to fall, full sun, well drained soil
Inulas- blooms in summer full sun to partial shade, moist well drained soil. These seedlings will die back in the winter but will come back in the spring
You can also plant most of your spring flowering bulbs now. They will not have to be removed and will provide you will splended spring color for years. Here are a few of my favorites.
Fritillaries- full sun to partial shade
Lily of the Valley- partial to full shade (can be invasive)
Spider Lilies- full sun to partial shade
Oriental Lilies- full sun to light shade (flowers in summer but can be planted now and mulched in winter)
Tulips- full sun to light shade
Daffodils- full sun to light shade
Crocuses- full sun to light shade
Grape Hyacinths- full sun to partial shade
Dutch Hyacinths-full sun
Bearded Iris(or any of the iris family)- full sun
Persian Ranunculus- full sun to partial shade (Beautiful)
Daylilies can be planted most anytime and bloom in the summer.
Triteleias- full sun to partial shade blooms in late spring to summer
Arums- flowers in spring and berries in fall, partial to full shade (poisonous if eaten)
Jack in the Pulpit- flowers in spring, berries in fall, partial to full shade
Viridiflora tulips- full sun to partial shade
Turk’s-cap Lilies- partial shade blooms in early summer
Torch Lilies- flowers anytime of the year except winter, partial shade, mulch in winter
You can plant annuals still for color but they will not overwinter and will not come back next year.