In certain climes, perennial evergreen vines are loaded with flowers right now and buzzing with insects, hummingbirds and butterflies.
Though we can't grow these same flowers as perennials, home gardeners in our region can grow some of these flowering vines as annuals.
If you're up for trying some exotic annuals, the first group to look at is also known as the black-eyed Susan vine. It looks like the black-eyed Susan, which is a rudbeckia, but this flowering vine is not related.
Thunbergia alata love the heat and grow loads of blossoms, especially late in the season. The most common varieties have small golden or orange flowers with a dark brown center, but you can find newer varieties in white and even brick red. It's a beautiful plant to grow in a basket or up a trellis and tends to grow 3 to 5 feet tall.
Look for next. It is known as "the blue sky vine" and is native to China and India, where it grows as an evergreen. This plant will grow as an annual here, with trumpet-shaped flowers that range from light to dark blue. And because of the blossoms' shape, hummingbirds and other pollinators really love them.
If you're pressed for space but still want to try one of these flowering vines, the is smaller and grows well horizontally on a fence or trellis. It has very deeply serrated leaves and the vine will be loaded with hundreds of small, bright red flowers. The is the cypress vine's cousin, though it has bigger leaves and blossoms with yellow flowers.
And perhaps the most well-known of these tropical perennial vines is the fragrant This one works well planted in a hanging basket or container. Do note that true mandevilla are toxic to pets and cannot overwinter here. You can cut it back in late summer or early fall, bring it indoors and place it in a sunny spot and let it dry out. If it survives through the winter indoors, bring it back outside next spring to flower again.
Can soil testing ensure success for homegrown wedding flowers?
Q: I'm preparing to grow flowers for my daughter's wedding in mid-August. I have been a slap dash gardener for years and our soil has been pretty well-amended with compost and cover crops, but I do not want to leave the success of these flowers to chance. Where should I get a soil test and is there any general pH I should have a goal for? I will be growing zinnias, sunflowers, amaranth, statice, bachelor buttons and a few more. - Mary, in Thetford Center
A: A mid-August wedding is perfect timing. That is when many of these annual flowers will be at the height of their glory!
And a soil test is a good idea, especially if it's a new garden. Make in spring. The service generally has a fairly quick turnaround time, and the testing can give you a basic idea if your soil is missing key nutrients. That way, you can amend the soil before you begin gardening in earnest.
These flower types tend to grow better in raised beds. Plant them, then add in some compost, too. You also can add some supplemental fertilizer (try an organic 5-5-5) during the growing season 鈥� maybe once in June and again in July. Also in June, pinch the tops of some of these flowers so they bush out and give you even more flowers.
Try these methods and the flowers will be pumped up and ready for their August debut.
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