Late summer or early fall is a wonderful time for buying annual and perennial flowers.

photo credit: SearchNetMedia

I spent $10 today and came home with an entire car full of plants. I picked up 17 different varieties of annuals and several annuals can be over-wintered. I also have 6 varieties of perennials and 8 varieties of herbs.

Annual flowers are almost out of season so garden centers offer discount prices. The flowers may be stunted from being in a pot that have prohibited root growth but if the plant looks healthy you can pick up flowers to make new container gardens or add more color to your backyard or gardens areas.

I will take off any bad leaves or broken stems and re-pot the plants into containers. This way I can set the flowers up in an area that is protected form the colder weather I will soon have in my Zone 5 area. I can also move the containers indoors or onto the patio  in case of frost in late fall. This will extend my flowers.

One of my favorite annual plants to pick up at a reasonable price at this time of year is the Geranium. I will cut the plant down and start new plants from the cutting from the original plant. Geraniums can also be over-wintered using a brown bad technique or they can be grown indoors.
photo credit: byrdiegyrl

To grow a geranium indoors you need to make sure the plant has “dry feet”, plenty of sun and warmth and soil that is fungal free. I once had a geranium I kept for about 5 years. I would move it outdoors in the summer and back indoors for the winter.

Other plants I try to pick up late in the summer or fall are Dusty Millers, Calendula, Zinnias, Mums and any herb. I also look for perennials to plant for the following year.

Perennials that are bought late in the season may be small if they have been grown  in pots the entire season so I put them in a special raised bed garden for plants that need a little tender loving care. This bed is close to the house, has rich soil and a cover for shade or protection from wind or cold nights.

I find that fall container gardens are perfect for plants that are bought late in the season.  This about.com link will direct you to ideas for container gardening and plants that will grow well in cooler weather. Fall container gardening ideas and tips.

photo credit: kinez

By buying plants late in the season I have added to my perennial collection and have a beautiful colorful garden well into late fall.

Technorati Tags: annual flowers, frugal gardening, perennial flowers, save money on plants

A Backyard Garden adds color, variety, and fresh vegetables or fruits to your diet. It also provides fresh air, exercise and can offer time together with family. What ever your needs, the garden will add to the beauty and relaxing factors of your backyard oasis.
photo credit: jpopesku1

There are many different types of gardens and it helps to narrow down the purpose that your garden will serve. A garden can tend to grow and get to big, which add to the work and takes away from the fun. You may also not have enough time to work in the garden area so its best to think small, use creative organic gardening methods  and keep the fun in gardening. Plants that are properly tended will be healthier.

Will you choose a flower garden, vegetable garden or combine the two? Is your garden space limited and container or balcony gardening would suit your lifestyle better? Are herbs your passion? I myself combine all of these and like to redo the patio and deck areas about twice a summer. It just makes my backyard oasis an exciting retreat for all my friends and family.

One tip I will pass onto you is I find it a timesaving step to group my plants that need the same care in the same area. I also group any plants that need additional watering as close to my water source as possible.

Here are a few more tips that have saved me time in the past. Perennial flowers take less time and last from year to year. Properly planned, you can have a perennial garden with color from spring until fall. And just to make sure, I add annual flowers to the flower garden border and where any of the perennial plants are a little thin. Herbs will work just as well, and I have to admit I really like adding vegetables like colored Swiss chard or scarlet runner beans in flower gardens.

Herbs are amazing plants. They have wonderful color and texture. For anyone that is new to gardening herbs are good plants to start out with. They are hardy, thrive in most soils and are not bothered by as many insects.
photo credit: lcm1863

Herbs have many culinary uses, make great teas, and can be used for a variety of crafting projects. I also mix them in with my other plants for their beneficial use of insect control. Herbs are also one of the plants I grow on windowsills and teacup planters. They just have such an inviting look I have to have them everywhere.

Vegetable gardens require a little more work and planning. They also take more knowledge in how to plant and harvest numerous kinds of produce. Vegetables also add color and texture and are a very pretty addition to any yard. With proper choices there will be fresh vegetables all season long. And again I add flowers to my vegetables gardens. It adds color and fun and several flowers repel insects and small animals.

If you set up a vegetable garden in a raised bed you can grow many varieties of vegetables in a small area. Growing vertically and square foot gardening principles offer advice on how to get the most use out of limited space. I grow many of my vegetable varieties in hanging baskets or containers. This gives me fresh vegetables that are either growing on my porch or just a few steps away from the door. One of my favorite hanging baskets is a tomato plant that growing from the bottom of a hanging basket and on the top has fresh herbs and lettuce greens.

Another way of growing both vegetables and flowers would be in mini theme gardens or on windowsills. What is all comes down to is keeping your gardens fun and adding to that festive backyard feeling you have created for your home.

Technorati Tags: annual flowers, Creative Organic Gardening, herbs, perennial flower, vegetables

Deadheading flowers or plants is very important to the health of plants and overall look of your gardens. Deadheading is practice of removing the old flower blossoms from a plant. This keeps your garden looking tidy and fresh plus plants bloom better if the old flower heads have been removed.
photo credit: audreyjm529

When the blossom remains on the plant seeds begin to develop and the plant uses extra energy to develop those seeds thus taking the energy away from future blossoms. Many plants just stop blooming and will sit the rest of the season, not reaching their full beauty and potential

Tips for deadheading flowers

• Deadhead a flower when the flower starts to brown, wither or looks tired and ragged.
• Cutting the stem of a tall flower that sits on a long slender stem should be done at the base of the plant. Other plants can be deadheaded by pinching the flower off or snapping it off with your hand. A pair of garden shears, scissors or a knife will work well too.
• Trim up annuals and perennials that have dying or ragged foliage by cutting back the foliage by one-third to two-thirds. The best time to trim the plants back is when the plant has stopped blooming or when it starts to get that overall tired look. This will encourage the plants to send out a new growth of healthy, fresh foliage with flowers
• Bushy plants with many small flowers react best to deadheading by trimming the whole plant at once. It’s much easier than trying to remove one flower at a time. Hand held grass shears or small hedge clippers will do this trimming job with the best results.

When I first raised flowers I didn’t deadhead the plants but it makes a big difference in the appearance of the plants and the flowers that is has. My neighbors flower always produce better and were fuller so I asked her why. The answer: deadheading.

So add more color and life to your gardens by taking up this practice. Your gardens will be more alive and colorful.

Technorati Tags: annual flowers, Backyard Flower Garden, perennial flower, plant care