Sowing hardy annuals From Growing from Seed Soil and situation Although hardy annuals will give you a cheerful show in most gardens, soil that is not too wet and claggy is best. If you have sticky clay soil you can improve it by forking in grit, peat or garden compost to help the excess water drain away. A very sandy soil will also need extra peat to help it dry out less quickly. In most gardens it's a matter of steadily improving fertility (see page 6) and im-proving the drainage in order to get the best results. Try and grow hardy annuals in a sunny spot if at all possible. One or two will thrive in light shade but plenty of sunshine will really bring out the best in them. If you have a shady garden and still want to grow hardy annuals they will cope with shade from a fence or wall far more readily than shade from overhead trees.   Timing Most varieties are sown in the place where they are to flower and sowing from March to May will bring them into flower from May to September. Being annuals, they will then die and you will have to sow again the following year. Don't be tempted to sow early if the soil is very wet or the weather very cold as later sown seeds will be more successful. They can also be started off in a greenhouse or on a windowsill like half hardy annuals so you can put out plants which will flower earlier or which you can use in formal bedding schemes, tubs or hanging baskets. Some annuals can also be sown in the autumn to flower the following spring. Not all varieties are suitable but by sowing in late August and September the plants will come into flower about four weeks earlier than those sown in spring. A well drained soil is especially important for this method. Protection from the worst of the weather with cloches if you have them, will help through the winter. Back to Sowing hardy annuals Preparing the site Sowing the seed Annual Manual ©copyright 1999 Graham Rice. All Rights Reserved. All Images Digitally Watermarked.