Petunias are beautiful, carefree flowers that seem to fill a space with laughter, maturing into tumbling masses of blooms that show from spring to frost, and they happily adapt to containers for a splash of color nearly anywhere.  Easily one of the most popular annuals, they fill the air with a sweet scent that radiates from cascading streams of flowers.  Best of all, petunias are notoriously easy to grow.  In fact, all you need is a patch of dirt and, with even meager exposure to sun, petunias will put on an enthusiastic show!  

Before You Plant 

Choose the Right Type: 

• Grandiflora petunias produce large, showy flowers.  With a penchant towards quality, not quantity, these petunias often display blooms that are 3-4” or larger in diameter, with single or double ruffled flowers.  Cascading varieties are dramatic additions to hanging baskets, although not as hardy to wind and weather damage as Multiflora varieties.  Bush-style plants mature to 12-15” in height.
• Multiflora petunias produce smaller flowers, but with huge quantities of blooms at any given time, the result is a garden that is positively teeming with color.  These dainty flowers are usually single bloom, although double bloom varieties are available.
• Milliflora Petunias are considered great for borders or edging.  Tiny flowers measure just one to 1.5” inches in diameter, but they add big color to containers and flower beds.
• Groundcover, or “spreading” petunias, are enchanting additions to hanging baskets, where they’ll frequently grow to 2-3’ or longer in trails bursting with blooms.  These varieties quickly fill flower beds and walls, thriving in full sun. 

Find a Suitable Place: 

• Petunias adore full sun and will put on quite a show when planted there, but they will even grow in light shade, although with fewer flowers.  For best results, find a spot with 5-6 hours of sun exposure each day.
• Avoid standing water.  Petunias do not require exceptional soil in order to prosper, but it must drain well.  Mix in sand or raise the bed in order to promote drainage.
• Wait until danger of frost has passed before spring planting.  Petunias will grow in nearly any area as long as the soil has reached a temperature of approximately 60 degrees, and will continue to bloom until frost. 

Prepare the Soil: 

• While petunias are not fussy and do not require excellent soil, plants are healthier and better producers if you mix organic material into the bed.  Turn compost, manure, or peat moss into the top several inches of the soil to improve the bed.
• Before planting, fertilize with 10-10-10 at a rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet.
• If soil is wet or slow to drain, mix in sand and/or raise the bed to allow for better drainage. 

Planting/Growing 

What You Will Need:  

• Petunia seeds (or plants)
• Seed starter kit
• Potting soil
• Garden trowel
• 20-20-20 fertilizer
• Small shovel
• Prepared beds 

Steps for Starting Seeds:

1. Start seeds approximately 6 weeks before the usual planting time for your region (or after the last frost).
2. Follow the directions on the seed starter kit to get your petunias off to a healthy start.
3. Water seeds as needed to prevent soil from drying out.
4. After seedlings sprout, thin plants to the strongest one or two plants per hole.
5. Fertilize every two weeks with 20-20-20, following the manufacturer’s directions.
6. On warm days, place the seedling tray outdoors, uncovered, for an hour or two at a time, gradually increasing exposure time to “harden” the plants ahead of transplanting.
7. Once the outside soil temperature has reached 60 degrees and all danger of frost has passed, it’s time to put them in the garden!  

Steps for Transplanting to the Garden:

1. Whether you grew your own seedlings or purchased potted petunias, the process of planting them in the garden is the same.  Start by finding a sunny, well-drained spot.
2. Plan to space plants approximately 12” apart, with Milliflora varieties somewhat closer together and allowing slightly more space for groundcover petunias.
3. Dig a hole that is slightly larger than the plant itself so that the surrounding soil will be loose and favorable for root growth.
4. Backfill the hole so that the level of the ground will be equal to that of the dirt with the plant.
5. Gently fill the remainder of the space with dirt, patting it firmly and gently to the ground.
6. Water thoroughly at the time of planting to prevent wilting.
7. Continue to fertilize with 20-20-20 as directed on the label.
8. Protect new plants from wind, heavy rain, or extreme temperatures for at least two weeks following transplant. 

Growing/Pruning 

Petunias require very little maintenance.  These easy steps will keep them at their show-stopping best! 

What You Will Need: 

• 5-10-5 or 10-10-10 fertilizer
• water 

Steps for Care and Maintenance: 

1. Mulch plants to help retain moisture and ward off weeds.
2. Fertilize plants at least once during the summer, but avoid over fertilizing which may result in excessive green growth with little flowering.
3. Allow top layers of soil to dry before watering plants.  Excess moisture can cause mold, mildew, and disease in the plants.
4. Remove dead or fading blooms to encourage new growth. 

Additional Tips and Advice 

1. Yellow foliage may indicate a lack of iron or nitrogen in the plant.  The right fertilizer will correct this problem.
2. Plant petunias on a cloudy day to help them adjust more easily to their outdoor location.
3. If you cut petunias for display, be sure to remove all leaves that may become submerged in water.  Wet leaves decay rapidly, ruining your arrangement.

Peonies are stunning, delicate flowers.  Native to Asia, southern Europe, and westernNorth America, peonies grow best in cool climates and require winter’s chill for blooms in the spring.  Because varieties can be either herbaceous or woody in nature, there is certainly a peony for every need and preference.  These long-lasting perennials are an excellent way to add a burst of color to your garden! 

Before You Plant 

Choose the Right Type: 

• Herbaceous, or plant-like, peonies prefer cooler climate zones.  They will, however, grow anywhere they experience a cold winter, even as far south as northernFloridaandTexasas long as there are few cold weeks of winter.  Areas where the temperature dips more than 40 degrees below zero are less than ideal for a peony, which eliminates much of the northern tier of Midwestern andNew EnglandStates.
• Woody, or tree, peonies are slightly less hardy in the cold.  In the northern half of theUnited States, tree peonies may need protection over the winter in order to thrive and produce spring-time flowers.  They will grow well into the southern reaches of theUSin all but the hottest regions, producing flowers in spring with exposure to below freezing temperatures during the cold months.
• Both varieties of peonies have been successful outside of their optimum temperature conditions with a bit of extra care, so it’s quite possible to have success growing peonies throughout much of the United States. 

Find a Suitable Place: 

• Peonies require a great deal of sunshine, so plant them in full sun for a bounty of blooms.  In areas where summer temperatures reach extreme levels, a light shade canopy during the hottest time of the day will benefit the plants.
• The area must be free of standing water, as peonies rot quickly.  They prefer a rich, heavy soil, so the key is to make sure that it is exceptionally well drained.
• In mild climates, plant with northern exposure and avoid mulching to assure that peonies receive the required cold for best production.
• Ideally, the soil pH should be 6.0 to 7.0.  Your local cooperative extension office can test your soil for you, or you can buy pH test kits from hardware stores. 

Prepare the Soil: 

• Peonies prefer a heavy, rich soil that is well drained.  If you have less than ideal planting conditions amend the soil with peat, compost, and fertilizer as needed.  If you need to adjust the pH, there are fertilizers available for nearly any soil situation.
• The best time to plant peonies is fall through frost.  A springtime planting may prevent the plant from blooming for a season or two. 

Planting/Growing 

What You Will Need:  

• Peony plants
• Small shovel
• Prepared soil 

Steps for Planting Herbaceous Peonies:

1. Choose a location carefully.  Peonies don’t like to be moved, so you should consider your new peonies to be permanent residents and space them accordingly.
2. Use the shovel to dig a hole approximately 18” in diameter and 12”-18” in depth.   Plants should be 2.5’-3’ apart.
3. Fill the bottom 2”-4” with organic matter (peat, compost, leaves, etc) and add ½ cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer to the hole (or use a fertilizer as needed for your soil conditions).  Do not leave fertilizer where it will directly contact the roots.
4. Fill the hole half full of prepared soil.
5. Place the bare root peony in the hole, backfilling under the roots with soil.  Be sure that the “eyes” are facing upward, and no more than 2” below the surface of the soil once planted.
6. If the plant is not bare root, prepare the soil as directed and plant the peony as the same level as it was in the pot.  Peonies do not like to be transplanted, so this method is less successful than bare root planting.
7. Apply mulch in cold climates, or leave the plant bed exposed for winter in milder regions.
8. Water deeply.  If standing water remains, you need to eliminate the ground conditions that allow it.
9. During periods without rain, water deeply once per week. 

Steps for Planting Woody Peonies:

1. Tree peonies are planted much the same as herbaceous peonies are, but they require a different planting depth.  Follow steps 1-4 for woody peonies.
2. Plant a tree tuber with 4”-5” of soil covering the graft (which is often marked by nurseries).
3. Continue with steps 6-9 for planting peonies. 

Growing/Pruning 

Follow these easy steps for a show-stopping display of flowers each spring! 

What You Will Need: 

• Pruning shears
• Stakes
• Coated wire 

Steps for Care and Maintenance: 

1. In the spring, add a 2” layer of mulch to deter weeds.
2. When plants are 2-3” tall, add a low nitrogen fertilizer such as 5-10-10.
3. When the first buds appear, remove the side buds from each stem, leaving the terminal (end) bud in place.  This encourages show-stopping blooms.
4. When plants grow heavy with blooms, stake behind the plant and secure plants with loops of coated wire in a figure 8 position, with one loop circling the plant and the other the stake, allowing them to cross in the middle.
5. Remove fading blooms to prevent seed development.
6. Cut no more than ½ of the flowers for vases or display, and leave as much foliage on the plant as possible.  For young plants, remove no more than 1/3 of the flowers, as this process with reduce flowering for the next spring.
7. To winterize herbaceous peonies and protect against fungus, cut them back to 3” from the soil after a heavy frost.  Do not cut back tree peonies. 

Additional Tips and Advice 

1. Ants are attracted to the sweet natural secretions of peonies.  They do little, if any, harm to the plants themselves.
2. It may take years for peonies to bloom for the first time, especially if they were transplanted.
3. Established peonies tolerate drought conditions well.

Sunflowers are fun and easy to grow, and have been a favorite of gardeners for several reasons.  Not only are they hardy and pest resistant, as their name suggests, they are a sunny, cheerful flower.  Children especially love to grow them because of their typical height—it is a thrill to plant something as small as a seed and watch it grow into a friendly eight foot giant!  And aside from their towering beauty, sunflowers also provide us with a delicious and nutritious snack!  The sunflower seeds of most varieties can be roasted and enjoyed by young and old alike.  Sunflowers will also attract some beautiful birds to your garden (although they may steal away some of your yummy seeds) and some varieties attract butterflies as well.  Although most of us are familiar with the standard sunflower with its pretty yellow petals and dark center, sunflowers come in an assortment of colors, designs and heights.  They also are available as perennials as well as annuals, so there is sure to be a sunflower out there to suit every taste.

 Before You Plant

 Choose the Right Type:

Sunflowers come in many varieties, some as tall as 8 feet, some much shorter.  There are even newer varieties designed to be pollen free, thus making a perfect cutting flower to bring into the house for decoration.  Regardless of the variety you choose, the methods of growing and caring for your sunflowers will be the same.  Consequently, the variety you choose is more a matter of personal taste than it is necessity. Aside from the classic giant sunflower that carries a single large bloom with bright yellow petals and a large dark center, here are some varieties you may want to consider.  Keep in mind that, while annuals bloom the season that you plant them, if you choose a perennial variety, it may take 2 or 3 years to bloom initially.

• Velvet Queen:  Plants grow 4 to 6 feet in height, mature in about 100 days, and produce multiple boom son numerous side branches.  The seeds are smaller and great for birds, but because of their small size, they’re not great for roasting and eating.
• Red Sun:  Unique sunflower that produces dark orange/red blooms with a tinge of yellow around its brown center.  This variety usually grows 5 to 6 feet in about 90 days and produces multiple blooms of about 5 or 6 inches.
• Ring of Fire:  This variety grows to about 4 or 5 feet in about 100 days, and produces a bloom with bi-colored petals, dark red around a brown center and golden yellow around the tips.
• Maximillian:  This variety is a perennial that grows to 4 to 7 feet tall and produces multiple sunny yellow 2 to 3 inch blooms all summer long.  It is a favorite of birds and butterflies, is heat and drought resistant and is great for cutting
• Tithonia Torch:  This is a shorter variety, growing about 2 to 5 feet in height in about 90 days, and produces Dahlia-like flowers in orange, yellow and bright red.

Find a Suitable Location:

• Sunflowers in general are hardy plants that are heat and drought tolerant, and do well in all zones, so long as they are planted after the danger of hard freeze has passed for your zone.
• As the name suggests, Sunflowers love the sun and do best in areas that provide full sunlight (at least 6 hours) every day.
• While some varieties do well even in poor soil, for the most part, sunflowers do best in average to rich soil.
• Avoid planting your sunflowers in sandy or loose soil as they can become easily uprooted.
• Keep in mind that, depending upon the variety you choose, sunflowers require adequate space to grow, and overcrowding will diminish the beauty and health of your sunflowers.
• Also remember that sunflower blooms will generally face toward the East, which may be a consideration to you when choosing the perfect spot for your garden.
• Since sunflowers grow so tall, you may not want to place them around other plants that require sunlight since the sunflower may block the sunlight, providing too much shade.
• Keep in mind that since sunflowers generally grow tall, if you’re using them in a garden with other flowers, you may want to use them as a background border, i.e. behind other flowers, so as not to block shorter flowers from view.

Prepare the Soil:

• Soil should be prepared after the last danger of frost has passed.
• Sunflowers can be started indoors, then once seedlings have established, they can be easily transplanted into your garden.
• When sowing your seeds directly into your garden, late spring planting is best and will generally produce sunflowers midsummer.
• Since sunflowers do best in richer soil, work your compost or fertilizer into your planting area before sowing your seeds.