Annuals

  • Annuals are plants that come up one season in certain zones (see zone info under conditions) and then die from the frost. 
  • Annuals need a lot of water and fertilizer.
  • Soil should be prepared ahead of planting (see soil under conditions).
  • You can start annuals from seed on a windowsill, cold frame, in the ground depending on weather condition.
  • Annuals bloom all summer until the first frost.
  • you can start lots from seeds, ask me how

You can save the seeds from most annuals and plant them the next year for new plants. Most year my sunflowers reseed themselves--just love those volunteers. 
____________________________________________

My Recipe for Rose Scented Geranium Cupcakes
Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk or soy milk
1 tablespoon melted butter (I used salt free)

In bowl, beat eggs, add sugar, salt and mix well

Add flour, baking powder and mix well

Add milk and melted butter and mix

Use cupcake paper cups, put Rose Scented Geranium leaves on the bottom of the cups and pour batter on top--2/3 fill cups

Bake at 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Makes 10 cupcakes

When cool, frost and decorate with single petals of the Rose Scented Geranium flowers (press gently into frosting)

Homemade frosting--1/2 cup milk or soy milk add confectionery sugar until it is thick. 

You can also make an 8 inch round cake or 8 X 8 in square cake, same directions and time. Put leaves on bottom,  frost and decorate with the flower petals on top the same as above. Have fun!

Scented Geraniums (Pelargoniums)
One of my favorite presentations for your social or garden club...ask me for more info.

I usually have some Citronella Scented plants available for $3.50 for a 4in pot plant...put them in a nice big pot, a little Neptune's Harvest fish/seaweed fertilizer and they will grow like crazy! You can put them in outdoor containers--can actually fill a half barrel during the summer.


2006 Herb of the Year
(Pelargonium-genus)
  • Annuals—they smell wonderful!  Potpourris, sachets, tea flavorings, baking, beverages, decorations
  • Rose is the favorite to use in baking and beverages
  • Citrus scents will keep mosquitoes away for up to 25ft
  • They like a sunny window—east or west
  • They like clay pots, they don’t like their feet wet, porous soil
  • Let them dry out—water once a week approximately
  • They bloom in the late winter to early spring
  • They love being planted in the garden, containers too
  • Take cuttings and root to plant in the garden 
  • Feed with fish emulsion 
  • Pinch top new growth to make them bush out
  • Mosquito Plant—oil of citronella from the tropical grass, Cymbopogon nardus was implanted into the geranium species to create this plant
  • 600 varieties are native to South Africa, rose, cedar, lemon, mint chocolate mint, apple, are among my favorites

NOTE: I have cuttings available all year but will have more available at my plant sale in May and will have more plants available at the end of the summer. Please call me if you are interested in purchasing any of these plants. Cuttings are $2.00 and plants are $3.00.  4" terra cotta pots are $4.  call/email me to put in your order. 

I also have a presentation available for your social organization--call me for more details--I have presented at the Mass Horticulture Spring Flower Show (Bayside Expo Center) for the  past 5 years a special workshop on Scented Geraniums. I also have presented this workshop for the Saugus, Melrose, and Framingham Garden Clubs and what was Wild Oats in Saugus. 

**********************************************************************