Annual flowers are divided into two groups: summer annuals and winter annuals.
Summer Annuals - Grown from April through September. Examples are Begonias, Marigolds, and Impatiens.
Winter Annuals - Grown from October through March. Examples are Pansies and Snapdragons.
Annual Flowers are used in Acadiana Landscape Materials to provide pockets of color throughout the growing season. Annual flowers require a higher level of maintenance than any other landscape material. Native soils must be properly amended with soil conditioners, fertilizers, and mulch to ensure success. Most annual flowers will not come back and need to be replanted each season. Annual flowers will require fertilization regularly with a liquid fertilizer appropriately labeled for these plants.
Mulch: Should be shredded pine bark, maintained in a 2” thick layer. This small form of pine bark is easy to distribute around the tender foliage of annual flowers.
Pest Control: Pest control is an ongoing process of monitoring, identifying, and treating problems. We can find many types of pests such as insects, root rot, and foliage fungus problems. If problems are detected early, corrective actions will be successful.
Seasonal Color
Acadiana Landscape Materials offers two types of seasonal color programs:
1. Annual Flowers
2. Perennial Plants
Perennial Plants
Grow in the summer months, April - frost. The foliage should be cut back to the ground, then mulch should be placed over the root zone to protect the roots for extreme winter cold. Hardy perennials will come back year after year. With proper care they provide a colorful display of flowers and foliage.
Perennial plants require less fertilization than annual flowers. Fertilize 2-3 times per year with a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or a liquid fertilizer may be used more often.
Mulch: Such as pine straw or pine bark should be kept 2”-3” thick throughout the summer to maintain moisture levels in the plant’s root zone. Mulch should be replenished when the foliage is removed in the late frost.
Pest Control: Should consist of monitoring, identifying, and treating pest problems when they occur. Pest problems are usually less frequent on hardy perennial plants than annual flowers. However, problems do occur and should be addressed as quickly as possible.