Planting fall annuals is a quick, easy way to give your yard a kick of autumnal color. These vibrant flowers get their name because their life cycle lasts one season, and then they can be replaced the following year.
Here in Gainesville, Florida, we’re lucky to have several options for buying fall annuals. The Sun Power Lawn Care team took some time to call around this week and ask who has annuals in stock, so that you can get straight to planting new flowers and enjoying a welcoming, autumnal lawn.
Check out our list of Gainesville fall annual vendors below, plus tips for choosing and planting these flowers.
Tips For Planting Fall Annuals
If you plant your fall annuals in the next few weeks as the weather begins to cool, you can expect them to look their best in about three or four months. But don’t just plant any annual—different flowers will thrive in different settings. An excellent planting guide from UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is available here.
- As your annuals grow, they’ll start to need more watering. The best way to decide whether your flower needs water is to press your finger into the soil up to your first knuckle. If it’s not damp, it’s time to water.
- We generally suggest that gardeners use fertilizers for full, vibrant annuals. Look for a fertilizer that is heavy in nitrogen (this rule only applies to annuals during the fall, not your lawn or summer perennials).
- Prune your annuals by “deadheading” them. This simply requires pulling off flower heads as they wilt and begin to form seeds. After deadheading, the plant’s energy goes toward creating new flowers rather than seed production, creating a nicer visual for your yard.
Where to Get Fall Annuals in Gainesville This Month
Garden Gate Nursery
2406 NW 43rd Street
Garden Gate currently has dianthus, flowering kales, and supertunias in stock. Snapdragons and pansies are expected to arrive this week. As November approaches, and the weather cools, diascia and sweet alyssum will also be available.
This nursery will have annuals in stock until around February.
Blooming House Nursery
15220 W Newberry Road
This nursery’s stock of annuals will begin arriving this week. Petunias, snapdragons, dianthus, and flowering kale will be available. There are currently a few mums and begonias, with more set to arrive as the weather cools.
The Green House Nursery
15207 W Newberry Road
Marigolds, torenias, and some pentas are currently in stock. Begonias and mums are set to arrive this week with asters also expected soon. Pansies and petunias will likely arrive toward the end of the month.
Depending on the weather, these annuals will be in stock until spring.
Green Market Nursery
5402 NW 8th Ave
At Green Market you’ll find pink petunias, some dianthus, and different types of pansies. Fall annuals will continue to arrive to this nursery in a couple of weeks. They’ll be available until they’re sold out, typically until the end of winter or early spring.
Grassroots Nursery
14231 E County Road 1474
This nursery’s primary fall annual is dwarf celosia. One or two more annuals may come in stock before the season ends. For the most part you’ll find perennials here, including lantanas, pagoda plants, and jacobinias.
The Home Depot at Tower Road
7107 NW 4th Boulevard
Fall annuals are expected to start arriving this week. There will be pansies, violas, petunias, snapdragons, ornamental cabbage, and kale. There will also be cyclamen, a unique fall annual in that it’s well suited for shady areas.
Annuals will be available at this Home Depot until about February.
Lowes
3101 Clark Butler Boulevard
Many fall annuals are already in stock. Mums, dianthus, violas, pansies, snapdragons, and petunias will be available until early- to mid-spring. More annuals will continue to arrive over the next couple of weeks and months.
Got more questions on seasonal planting and lawn care? Sun Power Lawn Care has a team of sustainable lawn care experts ready with answers. Contact us online or at (352) 507-5296 to set up a personalized conversation about your property’s needs.
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