Some of your garden favorites are annual plantsbut what does that mean?
But what exactly is an annual plant?
What Are Annuals?
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Annual plants are plants that complete their life cycle and die in one growing season (a year).
They include many herbs andvegetable plants, alongside some flowers and foliage.
Normally, annuals need to be replaced year after year.
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Unlike annuals,perennial plantslive for three or moregrowing seasons(or years).
Once planted, perennials like roses, tulips, and hydrangeas grow back year after year without needing replacement.
There are exceptions to how annuals and perennials grow, though.
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Sometimes, annual plants may seem like they’re perennials since they grow for more than one season.
Luckily, such annual plants keep thriving without needing to be replaced yearly.
Here’s what that means.
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Hardy Annual Plants
Also called cool-season annuals, hardy annuals grow best in cooler weather.
They can withstand a bit of frost without protection and are ideal for those early spring and fall months.
They tolerate cool and warm months, making them ideal foryear-round gardenbeauty.
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These are some of the benefits of having annual plants in your garden.
With only a short growing season, annual plants are unlikely to outgrow the container and require repotting.
Enjoy More Blooms
Annual plants put a lot of effort intogrowing flowers.
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(That way, you never end up with a time of year when nothing’s blooming.)
you’ve got the option to also test out which types of annuals work best for your location.
Consider adding a few of these popular annual plants to your outdoor containers and landscape.
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Alyssum
These tiny, snow-like blooms make a great ground cover in your garden.
It’s a spring-blooming flower, that often goes dormant in the summer.
You may be able togrow basilindoors if you have a very sunny window.
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Imagine having fresh basil available in your garden or kitchen for your recipes.
Plant them in partial shade for thriving flowers.
Cucumber
Most vegetables are annual plantsand cucumbers are no exception.
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Harvest once ripe and replant for ongoing cucumber availability.
Great for making dill pickles, the dill plant requires plenty of sunshine.
They’re great for containers and thrive in the shade.
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Also known as touch-me-nots, impatiens provide lots of color to your garden.
They’re a full-sun plant and need to be deadheaded regularly to encourage new blooms.
Popular marigold colors include bright oranges and yellows, but you’ll also find red or white marigold flowers.
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After cooking with your peppers, plant their seeds for new harvest.
Many pepper varieties grow within two to six months.
They can grow anywhere from one to 14 feet tall, depending on the variety.
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True to their name, sunflowers require plenty of sunlight, so pick a well-lit area whengrowing sunflowers.
Tomatoes need lots of sun and may be ready for harvest within a few months.
Verbenas thrive in heat and full sun and come in many colors.
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Grow verbena flowers in containers or hanging baskets, as well as a garden border.
Zinnias are not just beautiful, they alsoattract butterfliesto your garden.
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