How to Plant Annual Flowers Outside

Preparing the Garden

• 1

  Choose a well-drained outside garden location that offers full sunshine. You may want to plant a garden containing only colorful annual flowers, but these plants can be intermingled with perennial plants, shrubs and trees. Alternatively, you can plant annual flowers in outdoor flower boxes or pots.

• 2

  Select annual flowers for the outside garden. You can choose annuals according to a color theme (for example, pink and purple blossoms) or by size or texture. Some gardeners like to contrast bright, bold sunflowers with tender, delicate petunias. Popular choices include baby’s breath, bachelor’s button, forget-me-not, geranium, sweet pea and zinnia.

• 3

  Prepare the soil. Test for soil consistency by pouring water into a 10-inch-deep hole and watching how quickly or slowly it drains. If it drains too quickly, add organic matter such as old leaves or peat moss. If water doesn’t drain at all, you may need to construct a raised garden. Any potting containers should be mixed with fresh potting soil.

Growing the Garden

• 4

  Plant the annual flower seeds outside. Create furrows in smoothed soil using a smooth stick or spade handle. Cover furrows with a fine layer of soil or mulch, then moisten the soil with water. Plant according to the sowing directions printed on the back of seed packets, which take into account the climate of different regions.

• 5

  Once the annual flowers have grown two leaves, begin thinning out the plants so they have room to grow. These removed plants can be discarded or replanted elsewhere if handled delicately.

• 6

  Mulch the annual flower garden using wood chips, pine needles, straw or black plastic. These protect and warm the soil, encouraging growth.