Planting out hardy annuals

Planting Out Hardy Annuals

By the middle of April, it is usually the right temperature to begin planting out the rest of your hardy annuals. Some of our hardy annuals, like Dianthus 'Green Trick' went in during November to overwinter, but the majority are going in now.

At this time of year, the soil is beginning to warm up and you will notice that weed seeds have started to germinate. This is a sure sign that it is safe to plant out your hardy annuals.

Top up the autumn sowing with spring-sown hardy annuals

If it's been a particularly hard winter, you can rest assured that any autumn-sown hardy annuals that have survived the cold weather will be very strong and are therefore likely to be great producers.

Even if you have some plants that look quite tragic after the winter, don't take them out because it is likely they have a strong root system and will recover to be strong plants.

Cerinthe and Salvia viridis 'Blue Monday'

I am planting out this row with a mix of Cerinthe and Salvia viridis 'Blue Monday'. The Salvia will flower from the end of May until September. The Cerinthe on the other hand will reach the end of its life before this, but it will self seed, so by the time September rolls around you may be onto your third generation of Cerinthe plants.

Both of these plants are great for pollinators and will attract butterflies and bees to your garden.

Planting out of a gutter pipe

I learnt this method from Geoff Hamilton and I find it's an excellent way to get close to a 100% germination rate. Of course, you can direct sow into your bed, but generally, you will get very patchy germination if you do this. You also run the risk of birds eating your seed or the seed rotting in wet weather.

A full-size Cerinthe grows to a width of about 40 to 45 cm, so you need to give your plants enough room to develop to their full size. People often overcrowd their plants, but if you want to give them the best chance in life, you need to give them adequate space to develop.

The joy of growing plants in a gutter pipe is that they grow without any root disturbance as you never have to pot them on before planting out. As such, they develop strong and healthy root systems, which will help support them as they grow.

Plant out your Cerinthe along the row, leaving spaces in between to intercrop your Salvia plants.

Soaking the salvia before planting

When planting out, if any of your plants feel particularly dry, then submerge your plant tray in a bucket or barrow full of water for around five minutes before planting.

It's always better for your plants to get water from the bottom upwards rather than the top down, so by pre-soaking your plants you're giving them the best start in their new home.