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Guide to fast-growing annuals

Many gardeners who grow annuals do so because they have short growing seasons. When faced with a short growing season, it stands to reason that the gardener would want to find annuals that grow especially fast. So here are some faster growing annuals to consider when looking for things that will give you growth and color reasonably fast.

Pansies and violas, though best suited to cooler weather grow quite fast. Since they don't grow very tall, they tend to spread. They make an ideal choice for a cool weather border.

Petunias are fast growers, and they are better suited to hotter weather. Petunias grow taller than pansies but they don't grow very tall. They come in a wide range of colors. They are also well suited to growing in containers.

Marigolds are fast growing flowers. Although there are several types of marigolds, they typically grow quite fast and germinate from seed quickly. The smaller varieties are well suited to containers and will also work well just behind a border.

Snapdragons are fast growers. They come in a variety of colors, don't grow very tall, but really add a splash of color wherever they are planted. They would be a good flower for a container.

Morning glories are extremely fast growers once the seeds germinate. They are extremely easy to grow from seed. Once they start growing, they will grow very fast. Because they grow as a vine, they need some sort of support. They may also do well in pots.

The down side of growing morning glories is that they dump seeds everywhere and will spread all over after dumping the seeds. Plant them as far away from other flowers as possible or they may strangle the flowers.

Caladium, a plant that is in the aroid family grows from a tuber or tuberous root. They grow to about 2 feet in height but are best suited for shadier conditions. They thrive in humid conditions. They have leaves that are shaped like angel wings. Since they only grow to about two feet in height, they are well suited to growth in containers, and if grown in containers, they can be grown as houseplants, extending the growing season indefinitely.

Cosmos is one of my favorite annuals. In warmer climates, it grows as a perennial or reseeding annual. Plant in spring after the danger of frost. It grows extremely easily from seed and once started grows very fast. To encourage more blooms, dead head the spent flowers. If you wish to harvest seeds, leave the dead flowers on the stems.

Gazania is one of my all time favorite flowers. It is a short grower that


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    by Theresa Rose

    Many gardeners who grow annuals do so because they have short growing seasons. When faced with a short growing season, it

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