What Do I Mix in My Soil When Planting Annuals?

Basics

• Many annuals are raised in greenhouses or garden centers, packaged in basic potting soil in small pots. These plants are often amended with fertilizer to encourage quick blooms. The potting soil is generally a combination of sphagnum moss and fertilizer pellets for fast and uninhibited root growth.

Needs

• Annuals are fast growers, experiencing their entire life cycle within one growing season. For a hearty plant with multiple blooms, give the roots of the plant room to grow quickly. Soil may be amended with sphagnum moss, commonly known as peat moss; in clay or sandy soil, add a handful of compost into the planting hole.

Additions

• Acid-loving annuals, such as impatiens, may need a little boost from some shredded pine bark. Alkaline-loving annuals, such as the sweet pea, may benefit from a little lime powder in the soil. Always mulch around the annual after planting, to keep the roots from drying out.