Autumn is here!

Today is the first day of autumn! What better way to celebrate than to plant some beautiful fall color that will last you into the spring. This is perfect planting time here in our zone 7b Georgia area. Fall annuals are a snap to plant. You can actually throw down a bag of soil mix on the top of the ground in a nice little mound and plug your little darlins right in. Mix in some slow release fertilizer and cover the whole mound of beauty with some pine bark nuggets and viola voila, instant garden magic.

I am particularly fond of placing snapdragons behind my pansies and viola and I am going to tell you my super secret why. They are my favorite to share with my grandchildren, but you have be careful with showing them how to pull them off and pinching the sides of the bloom to open their cute little blooms to look like a dragon biting at you or the grands will pull all your blooms off! So here is the secret, I don't care if they do pull them all off. I am going to cut them down to about 4-6 inches to hide them behind the pansies through the winter because they really don't look so hot anyway. Then in Spring...more flower magic! They grow up twice as beautiful and strong with a million blooms. ..well maybe a few more than that but they are totally awesome. And for giggles and glory try some Bright Lights Swiss chard in a ...»

12 Comments

Becky H Tampa, FL

Oh how lucky you are that you can begin planting fall flowers now! My absolute favorite fall flower is the viola. Can't wait to begin putting them in again this year.

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 0
SheilaG, Plum Doodles Acworth, GA

Great tips, 4S! I love violets and violas. Haven't tried snapdragons yet.

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 0
Becky H Tampa, FL

Oh........Sheila, try them, you'll love them. I plant the dwarf snapdragons and allow some of them to reseed which keeps them going forever.

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 1
Miriam I New York, NY

Such wonderful tips and pretty faces :) Thank you for sharing!

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 0
Diane B Dublin, GA

Once again, you have given us encouragement and inspiration. Thanks

on Sep 23, 2012 · Like 0
Hometipster.com Columbus, MS

Really lovely. Dee recently wrote an article on Icicle Pansies which I thought was simply wonderful - http://hometipster.com/icicle-pansies/

on Sep 23, 2012 · Like 0
Cheryl M Freeport, ME

Wish I lived farther south sometimes,Year round gardens would be wonderful.We can only grow snow here.

on Sep 23, 2012 · Like 0
Kate N La Porte City, IA

I agree with Cheryl, would be wonderful to have a garden more than 6 months a year.

on Sep 23, 2012 · Like 0
Claranna Roberts

I am soon moving to Indiana just south of Indy..anything I can do now for spring?

on Sep 23, 2012 · Like 0
Donna Dixson Buford, GA

Claranna according to the Icicle Pansy information they are growing them in Canada, so if they are successful there, then I would think you can grow them in Indiana.

on Sep 23, 2012 · Like 1
Hamtil Construction LLC Saint Louis, MO

Beautiful! I love the colors.

on Oct 26, 2012 · Like 0
Flowerscapes Garden Desig... Suwanee, GA

Great! Voila! viola!

on Jan 17, 2013 · Like 0

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