Helpful Guidelines for Annuals & Bedding Plants

In years of working with landscapers, golf courses, and commercial planting sites, we’ve noticed two reasons why certain commercial sites consistently have success growing their bedding plants/flower beds:  soil preparation and variety selection.
 
The following garden preparation formulas have proven successful for typical garden sites in MN.  Remember, before any soil preparation takes place on a large commercial site, it’s a good idea to have the University of Minnesota do a thorough soil evaluation test at their St. Paul campus soil testing facility.  If you need help analyzing the results, you can bring them in and have one of our greenhouse production growers analyze the data.
 
Generally, sandy or clay beds can be treated the same way (it is best to add enough volume to raise a clay bed, thereby increasing drainage).  We advise only using a grower grade peat moss.  It is a young, course, blonde-colored peat harvested from the top few inches of the bog.  When mixed into poorer soils, it vastly enhances soil porosity, and helps suppress root disease that often shortens the performance duration of flowering bedding plants.  General recommendations as follows:
 
Full Sun Location:

One-time soil correction recommendation for extremely poor quality existing soil or a brand new bed:

• Rates based on 100 square feet of bed-space (10’ x 10’ area)
• 4 - 3.8 cu ft bales of grower peat moss
  2 lbs pulverized or finely sieved limestone
  2 lb magnesium sulfate (Epson Salts) MgSO4
  8 lbs Osmocote timed release fertilizer (15-9-12) 5-6 month formulation
  
• Thoroughly mix above ingredients by hand or with tiller to a depth of approximately 8”.
• Second year, add MgSO4 and Osmocote only.

Full Sun Location Ongoing Maintenance Formula:

• Ongoing maintenance formula for established beds – moderate soil quality
• Rates based on 100 square feet of bed space
• 1-2 bales grower peat moss (as needed)
  2 lbs MgSO4 (magnesium sulfate)
  8 lbs Osmocote slow release fertilizer (15-9-12) 5-6 month formulation
• Thoroughly mix above ingredients by hand or with tiller to a depth of approximately 8”.

Shade location:

• One-time soil correction recommendation for extremely poor quality existing soil or a brand new bed:
• Rates based on 100 square feet of bed-space (10’ x 10’ area)
• 4 - 3.8 cu ft bales of grower peat moss
  2 lbs pulverized or finely sieved limestone
  1 lb magnesium sulfate (Epson Salts) MgSO4
  4 lbs Osmocote timed release fertilizer (15-9-12) 5-6 month formulation
• Thoroughly mix above ingredients by hand or with tiller to a depth of approximately 8”.

Shade Location Ongoing Maintenance Formula:

• 1-2 bales grower peat moss (as needed)
  1 lbs MgSO4 (magnesium sulfate)
  4 lbs Osmocote slow release fertilizer (15-9-12) 5-6 month formulation
• Special note for Impatiens growers: The high ammonium nitrate content of Osmocote 15-9-12 can cause rapid stem elongation (stretching) of Impatiens, particularly in a heavily shaded area.  To avoid this problem, do not use Osmocote in your Impatiens beds.  An inexpensive 10-10-10 garden fertilizer applied at 3-4 lbs per 100 sq feet usually suffices.  Use supplementary liquid feeding, such as Miracle Grow or additional broadcast feedings of 10-10-10 if plants show signs of yellowing. 
• Thoroughly mix above ingredients by hand or with tiller to a depth of approximately 8”.

Hanging Basket Maintenance
Most of our hanging baskets contain an application of Osmocote added at planting .  Supplementary feedings of liquid fertilizer on a bi-weekly basis will be beneficial.
 
Careful attention to watering is necessary for hanging baskets – especially in hot or windy weather.  Gerten planted baskets are planted in extra deep pots for additional soil holding capacity.  Most include a special reservoir to aid in water retention.  Some of the larger paper-Mache baskets contain a water-absorbing gel to aid in soil moisture retention.
 
Variety Selections
Not all variety of annuals perform equally.  We have tried to take the guess work out for you.  The varieties listed on your ‘Fast-Start’ order form have proven to be the best garden performers for commercial applications.  For a complete listing of all varieties offered, please refer to Gerten’s Wholesale Catalog.  Again, if you have any questions, contact Gertens Commercial Sales Center: Tele: 651.450.0277 Fax: 651.450.9380 Email:wholesale@gertens.com.