It’s time to face the facts at my house. I need to pull out my summer annual plantings and plant my fall color. In spite of the oppressive heat and continuing drought, the vincas planted in beds flanking my side and back doors did very well. They are still blooming here at the first of October.
I really hate pulling out plants that are vigorous and healthy. But with our family’s schedule if I don’t do it soon, I won’t get any fall color planted before Thanksgiving.
My husband and daughter like pansies, the bigger and showier the better. I prefer violas.
I know many of you are fond of snapdragons, but they have never really captured my heart. I suspect it’s because they tend to come in pastels and I prefer brighter colors.
Dr. Raymond Kessler was on Backyard Wisdom recently with some of his recommendations for fall bedding plants. Dr Kessler is a big fan of pansies. He calls them “the queen of the fall garden.”
He says the following pansy series are good choices for Alabama.
• Pansy Delta
• Pansy Matrix
• Pansy Panola 35
• Pansy Colossus
• Pansy Whisker
• Pansy Dynamite
• Pansy Rocky
Remember that a plant series usually includes a wide assortment of colors.
For those of you who prefer the smaller violas, sometimes called Johnny Jump-Ups, he offers these choices.
• Viola Enduro
• Viola Venus
• Viola Black
• Viola Corn Skippy
Dianthus is another good choice for a fall bedding plant. Dr. Kessler
recommends the following.
• Dianthus Bouquet
• Dianthus Sweet
• Dianthus Select
• Dianthus Dynasty 7
He tells me that some or all these can be found at local garden centers as well as at big box retail outlets.
But first things first, I’ve got to pull out the vinca and weed the bed thoroughly. Then do any needed soil prep before buying plants. That way I will be ready to put those new plants right in the ground or containers when I bring them home.