Episode 87: Annuals 101

Annuals, a term dating back to the 14 ^th century, are plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season or single year. That means, they germinate, flower, set seed and die in one season. Annuals are loved because they bloom throughout the spring and summer. Typically, smaller than perennials, they don’t have time to focus on gaining height but rather expend their energy on flowering since they only last a single season. They come in a wide variety of beautiful colors and shapes. After the first frost, they’ll die off and typically won’t regrow the following year, although you might find that some of their seeds may germinate.

Master Gardener Volunteer, Maureen Mooney, joins the podcast, Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley, in an informative discussion about popular annual flowers that grow in New York State. As part of the 101 series, this episode is geared towards new gardeners as well as those who have lots of experience under their belts.

Whether used in containers or garden beds, most annuals thrive in full sun. They can be grown from seed or purchased as plants to add lots of color in your garden. Less expensive than perennials, they are great plants to experiment with, as you can replace them the next season in different spot or replant them in a different color to change things up. Maureen talks about many of her favorites including zinnias, celosia, larkspur, and others that also make great flowers for a cutting garden.

Hosts: Jean Thomas and Annie Scibienski

Guest: Maureen Mooney

Photo by:

Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Teresa Golden, and Annie Scibienski

Resources

> Annuals - Cornell Cooperative Extension

> Nature Calls - Episode 5: Understanding Seed Catalogs

> Nature Calls - Episode 11: Seed Starting

Last updated September 19, 2023