There are many misconceptions about cool-season hardy annuals; much of them rooted in the word “annual.” The most well known and popular annuals are warm-season, tender annuals like tomatoes, basil, and zinnias. Folks instantly think of this group and their needs when they hear the term “annual.”
There is a whole pack of cool-season hardy annuals to include in the cash crop lineup: bells of Ireland, snapdragons, sweet William, poppies, sweet peas, rudbeckias, lisianthus, and others. These are some of the most beloved flowers and are in high demand in the commercial floral trade.
Cool-season annuals follow the same lifecycle as warm-season annuals, but have a very different planting timeline that few of us get right. The secret ingredient that determines success and longevity of harvest is when they are planted.
Read more at the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (Lisa Mason Ziegler)