Gardentalk – Hardening annuals

“This is the part I like. I like planting stuff, tending the flowers, the field work, being outside in all weather,” said Ben Patterson, CBJ Landscape Maintenance Supervisor who also manages a 10-person seasonal crew. “You can look back at the end of the day, see what’s been planted and you can see people enjoying it. It’s a little more rewarding than the office half of the job. The greenhouse is also really fun. We do about 16,000 annuals every year that grow from seed that we put all around town in 33 different spots.”
“This is the part I like. I like planting stuff, tending the flowers, the field work, being outside in all weather,” said Ben Patterson, CBJ landscape maintenance supervisor who also manages a 10-person seasonal crew. “You can look back at the end of the day, see what’s been planted and you can see people enjoying it. It’s a little more rewarding than the office half of the job. The greenhouse is also really fun. We do about 16,000 annuals every year that grow from seed that we put all around town in 33 different spots.” (Photo courtesy of Lisa Phu/City and Borough of Juneau)

In this week’s edition of Gardentalk, Master Gardener Ed Buyarski has some tips for hardening your annuals and preparing them for planting outside.

Geraniums, petunias and begonias are some annuals which are not hardy enough to withstand chilly overnight temperatures in the mid-thirties. Buyarski recommends putting them outside and covering them with reemay horticultural fabric so that the plants can get used to brighter or cooler conditions outdoors.

“We put that over them for a couple of days, even doubling it, putting two layers on it,” Buyarski said. “It serves as a frost blanket and it moderates the brightness of the sun. It also protects against insects.”

You also can create your own overnight cold sinks by placing jugs or plastic containers filled with water around the plants.

“The water will help to prevent or lessen the likelihood of freezing. That water helps moderate temperatures,” Buyarski said. “If we shock the plants too much, then they won’t grow very well. That will slow down their growth or it may stunt their growth.”

Annual plant sale

The annual plant sale gets underway at the Carrs/Safeway parking lot at 9 o’clock Saturday morning, May 13. Perennials, annuals, shrubs and trees will be for sale, and professional gardeners and landscapers will also be available to provide advice.

Listen to the May 11th edition of Gardentalk on annuals:

Gardentalk is a weekly feature that airs every Thursday morning on KTOO’s Morning Edition during the spring, summer, and early fall.

Go to our Gardentalk archive page to see and hear previous segments, subscribe to the podcast, and to submit a question about gardening.

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