You can keep your garden full of bright flowers from June until September without spending hours watering. Plant tough varieties that thrive in bright sunlight and need water only once a week. Here are five easy flowers and the exact steps to care for them all season long.
Plant Marigolds for Easy Full Sun Color
Marigolds are top choices for easy summer color. Plant them in late May after the final frost leaves your area. Put them in a spot that gets 6 to 8 hours of direct sun every single day. They grow fast in basic dirt and reach full size in six weeks.
Water young plants twice a week for the first fourteen days. Give mature plants 1 inch of water once a week at the base of the stem every Tuesday morning. Follow these simple daily and weekly care steps:
- Sunlight: Place in full sun for 6 to 8 hours daily.
- Water: Soak the soil with 1 inch of water every 7 days.
- Deadheading: Pinch off brown faded heads every Friday to trigger new buds.
- Feeding: Add zero fertilizer, as rich soil causes fewer blooms.
Set Up Purple Coneflowers for Years of Flowers
Purple coneflowers come back every year and bloom from July through September. Buy small grown plants from a local nursery in May. Dig a hole as deep as the plastic pot and twice as wide, then place the root ball inside and fill with native soil.
Give these plants 6 hours of sunlight daily. Water the fresh soil deeply on day one, then switch to a simple routine that takes just two minutes a week.
- First Month: Give 1 inch of water every 5 days.
- Established Plants: Give 1 inch of water every 10 days if it does not rain.
- Trimming: Cut old stems down to the ground in late March.
- Spacing: Leave 18 inches between plants so air moves freely.
Grow Zinnia Seeds Right in the Ground
Zinnias bloom within sixty days after you drop seeds directly into the garden soil. Wait until early June when the soil feels warm to your touch. Scatter seeds 1/4 inch deep in a bed that receives 7 hours of direct sunlight every day.
Keep the top inch of soil wet for seven days until green shoots show up. Thin the young shoots so each plant stands 8 inches apart. Once plants reach 6 inches tall, water the soil around the roots with 1 inch of water every 6 days. Avoid spraying the leaves with water to prevent white powdery spots on the foliage.
Try Black Eyed Susans for Hot Dry Spots
Black Eyed Susans handle intense summer heat without drooping or dropping their petals. Place young nursery plants in the ground during May or early June. Select a spot in your yard that gets 6 to 8 hours of hot midday sun.
Water the base of the plant once every week with 1 inch of water during July and August. Skip watering completely if your area receives normal rain. Cut the flower stems back by half in late July if the plant stops making new buds. Fresh flowers will appear within twelve days of trimming.
Add Lantana for Tough Patio Containers
Lantana produces clusters of bright red, yellow, and orange flowers all summer long. Plant them in 12-inch wide plastic or terracotta pots filled with standard potting mix. Place the pot on a sunny deck or patio that gets at least 6 hours of direct sun.
Check the top soil every three days with your finger. Water the pot until water runs out the bottom holes whenever the top 2 inches feel completely dry. Pour out any water left sitting in the bottom saucer after ten minutes. Cut stem tips back by 2 inches in mid July to keep the bush neat and thick.