Annuals are a drab garden staple, as winter weather can persist. They’re affordable, highly fertile, and your best bet for dealing with potential low temperatures. The garden center isn’t as stocked as it was a month ago, but it’s been restocked recently. My recommendation is to walk around and see what you find.
Pansies and violas survived the pre-Christmas freeze just fine, but there are plenty of other options.
You still have plenty of time to grow ornamental kale and cabbage. They are gorgeous, artistic structures that can be submerged in cool water. Plant them in combination with cool season annuals or use them as low borders. The ‘Osaka Red’ flowering cabbage has thick purple leaves with a bright magenta center. It has leaves and veins. ‘Pigeon White’ crunches things up with a creamy white center and green outer leaves.
Other cool season color options include snapdragon, dianthus, lobelia, calendula, nemesia, and alyssum.
For a more dramatic look with bright colors, choose pots that you can move around your home or garage. New Gerber daisies have arrived in the nursery. Large flower heads and bright petals radiate from the center and are very colorful.
It’s not the time to appreciate bluebonnet flowers, but you can find the beginnings at your garden center.
Other garden work
If you haven’t cleaned up the squishy, mushy plant parts from freezing, cut them off and discard.
Leave hardy perennials and tropical woody plants alone. They may show green at the base, but you should wait a little longer as pruning will increase new growth.
Liriope and Mondograss were not severely affected around Houston, but if they were damaged by frost, trim them back before new growth appeared, or clip off the tips of this year’s leaves.
Until the end of winter is the time for planting woody shrubs and trees.
Fresh mulch can improve the look of your garden without the need for additional plants.
If the temperature drops below freezing again, be sure to water the dry soil beforehand to avoid stressing the roots.
colorful spring plan
The All-America Selection is a new breed proven to be the best performing in North America. To try, next he has two.
Coleus Premium Sun Coral Candy It has narrow serrated leaves with multicolored leaves. Full shade. 10-16 inches tall.
It may be necessary to save this annual for autumn sowing.
Snapdragon Double Shot Orange Bicolor It boasts warm shades of orange-red-white double blooms. Manages frost and light freezing well. Full partial sun. 18-20 inches tall.
These 2023 ornamental seed winners bring warm season color.
Royal Hawaiian Colocasia ‘Waikiki’ is a 2023 AAS Ornamental Winner. Burgundy stems enhance glossy green leaves that look more picturesque than elephant ears with white centers and pink veins. Full partial sunlight. 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Zones 7-11.
Leucanthemum Carpet Angel is the 2023 AAS Perennial Winner. The important thing here is that it is the first groundcover Shasta daisy. It grows only 4 to 6 inches tall and 20 inches wide and has 3 inch white flowers. Full partial sun. Zone 4a-10b