Buying Healthy Plants
Even if you grow your own bedding plants from seed (see Seed Starting) chances are you'll still find yourself strolling the aisles of the local nursery or garden shop, looking for some annuals or perennials to fill in gaps. Choosing healthy young bedding plants will give rewards in prolific, vigorous adult plants.

Annuals most commonly are sold in 4- or 6-cell packs. A common temptation is to buy those plants in full bloom. Look instead for plants with many full buds, sturdy stems and healthy foliage without signs of rot or mildew. Remove a plant from a single cell and examine the roots. They should be well developed, holding the soil together, but should not be overly pot bound or showing signs of rot. Pay attention to plant labels. Different varieties of the same species can have widely differing habits of growth, foliage texture and blossom color.

Perennials, usually sold in single pots in sizes ranging up to gallon containers. Top growth should be full, with sturdy stems and healthy leaves, and the root ball should be firm, but not overly congested. Keep in mind, smaller containers are usually first-year plants and may not reach their peak blossoming performance for several years.

Planting
The best time to plant bedding plants is on an overcast, cool day-a light drizzle would be perfect. Since most people prefer a nice sunny day, though, planting late in the afternoon will result in less shock to the seedlings. Before planting, amend poor soils by mixing in well-composted organic material or a potting mix like Schultz® Potting Soil Plus™ with time-release fertilizer. Moisten the bed and bedding plant root balls. Remove plants from individual cells, being careful not to damage the main stem or roots. If roots are pot bound, carefully tease them apart with a knife or fingernail.

Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball, and position the plant at the same depth as it was growing. Firm the soil around the new plant, and water thoroughly. Continue to keep the area well moistened for a couple weeks or until plants show vigorous new growth.

Despite the temptation, do not position plants closer than the recommended planting distances. Crowded plants will compete with each other for nutrients, and poor air circulation may encourage diseases. Try underplanting young shrubs and perennials with annuals until they reach their mature size. Finally, to retain soil moisture and reduce weed development, apply a layer of mulch to the bed or border. Make sure the mulch fits the acidity preferences of your plants. Some mulches, like pine needles, oak leaves, and many wood mulches, can increase soil acidity, making them ideal for rhododendrons, azaleas, and other acid-lovers. Others, like mushroom compost, add alkalinity to the soil.

Care
Feed all plants everytime you water with an all-purpose plant food like Schultz® Liquid Plant Food™, or Schultz® Bloom Plus™, a specially formulated food that promotes rapid blooming, richer color and strong root development in all flowering and fruiting plants.

Water with deep-soaking applications to encourage deep root growth and discourage weed development. Using a wand attachment on a hand-held sprayer such as the Schultz® Super Sprayer™, water and feed plants at their base as much as possible to avoid damaging blossoms and disease growth on foliage. If using an overhead sprinkler, water early in the day so foliage can dry before nightfall.

Deadheading spent blossoms will encourage extended blooming for many varieties. You might want to let some blossoms, like coneflowers and sunflowers, go to seed for the benefit of neighborhood birds. Many annuals will self-seed, producing new plants for next season. While these can produce some pleasant surprises, often the succeeding generations-particularly those of hybrid varieties--are weaker plants without the same characteristics that made their parents desirable. As a result, some people prefer to weed these "volunteers" out, replacing them with new plants.