Sowing annuals

Annual flowers are among the easiest plants you can grow. They're ideal for filling gaps, or simply producing a dazzling display of colour from summer to the first frosts. There's a great choice of annuals in our garden centre in Northallerton and NORTHALLERTON: here's how to get perfect results every time.

Under cover: half-hardy annuals can't cope with frost: sow into pots in spring to plant out later
1: Fill trays with seed compost: you'll find the equipment you need in our garden centre
2: Place in a shallow bowl of water to soak up moisture from the bottom
3: Sow seeds sparingly, and cover lightly with vermiculite or more compost
4: Pot on seedlings as they grow, then plant out after the last frost.

Direct outside: hardy annuals can be sown straight into the garden from March
1: Weed the bed and rake the whole site level. Water if necessary.
2: Mark areas for each type of seed, dividing the bed into irregular sections
3: Make drills 1/2cm deep within each section to identify your seedlings as they come up in lines
4: Sow sparingly into each drill, cover lightly with soil and water

During March and April we have our bedding plug plants for sale.  These plants have been expertly raised from seed and are ready for pricking out.  They need to be kept indoors in a light position and totally frost free.  Grow them on until planting out time at the end of May when all the risk of frost has passed  

Please ask the staff at Whitegates Nursery for  more information and advice about growing annuals from seed and plugs.