Acalypha 'Bourbon Street' Feeding Instructions
Before determining how to fertilize annual bedding plants in the garden, you will need to make sure that the seasonal color beds you intend to plant have been properly prepared. Without a suitable planting bed, you will never get adequate performance from your annual bedding plants, even if you fertilize them regularly. Below are a few basic instructions and initial steps to take in order to build a "raised" annual bed that will grow healthy annual bedding plants for years to come:
- STEP 1: Start by outlining the shape of your annual flower bed with marking paint or flour.
- STEP 2: Then, with a round point shovel trench a shallow ditch around the perimeter of the bed following the outline. Cast soil from trench into the interior area of bed. For larger beds it will be necessary to bring in extra screened native top soil to raise your bed to at least a 6" height at the center and taper gradually to grade.
- STEP 3: Then till or turn in an organic compost, such as mushroom compost or composted cow manure, at a 25 to 50 percent ratio with the native soil. (depending on quality of native soil.) Avoid planting in straight organic matter or planting soil mixes that come in bags as a mixture with the native soil is best.
- STEP 4: After tilling, use a garden or leaf rake to smooth into a tapered mound. Now you are ready to plant.
SEE: Planting Instruction A Raised Flowerbed for more detailed instruction.
Fertilizing Your Annual Bedding Plants
In Beds: For season-long feeding, fertilize at time of planting with a slow-release, granular or capsule-type flower food that will last for the entire season. Some granular bedding plant fertilizers will slowly release over a 4 to 6 week period of time. There are also organic fertilizers that work wonderfully. If you like feeding your plants on a more regular basis, you can use a water soluble fertilizer to liquid feed your bedding plants every week or two, or on an as-needed basis. Refer to product label for application rates and instruction.
NOTE: After fertlizing with a granular fertilizer always wash fertilizer off leaves of plants. Do not water your annual bedding plants late in the evening as water that remains on leaves overnight can lead to growth of fungus resulting in decline of plants. Watering during the morning hours is best.
In Containers/Pots:First, when growing annual plants in containers, always use a professional "Potting Mix". Cheap ($1-a-bag "Potting Soils") are not recommended. Fill container with potting mix (tamping as you go) to a point 1/2 to 1" below the top edge of the pot. Fertilize annuals growing in pots with a slow-release flower food or once a week or so with a water soluble plant food. Refer to product label for application rates and instruction.
Acalypha 'Bourbon Street' Pruning Instructions
Many bedding plants benefit from frequent removal of dead blossoms (deadheading). For instance, Snapdragons, Marigolds, Salvia, Dianthus, and Geraniums all produce more flowers, and for a longer period of time if faded flowers are regularly removed from the plant. If your bedding plants have stretched, or become straggly, and require rejuvination, cut them back (making sure to leave stems with foliage) and apply fertilizer. Be careful not to overwater bedding plants that have been cut back as they will no longer have the same water requirements to feed a larger plant. Keep soil consistently damp, but not wet. Any plants that have become diseased and/or are dying should immediately be removed from the bed or container to avoid spreading of possible disease to other plants.
Acalypha 'Bourbon Street' Pest Instructions
Inspect your bedding plants regularly and watch for signs of insect infestation or disease onset. If these problems occur, make sure to use only appropriately labeled insecticides and fungicides to control. Insecticidal soaps and products containing Neem oil are often recommended. To avoid problems, follow all label directions carefully, and make sure your plant is listed on the label. Dead or seriously diseased plants should be removed from bed or container to avoid spreading a possible disease to other plants nearby. Consistently wet soil in beds or conatiners can lead to fungus and disease problems on many annual bedding plants. Rotating variety of annual bedding plants each year can help to control many soil-borne funguses. For instance: If you plant Annual Vinca (Periwinkle) on year that performed poorly due to disease, do not plant them again the next year. Instead, switch to some other sun-loving annual plant.