Stretching the Last Blooms of Summer
With the onset of shorter days and cooler weather, many summer annuals begin to slow down and lose a bit of their mid-summer luster. To make sure your marigolds, zinnias, petunias, impatiens and others keep blooming right up until the first frost, deadhead (remove faded blossoms) religiously and apply a complete fertilizer such as Bayer Advanced™ Triple Action Bloom Food Granules (product discontinued). If petunias or impatiens have gotten leggy and stingy with blooms, lightly shear plants, removing a few inches of top growth, and fertilize. Taller annuals like zinnias and cosmos can be cut back a little further. Even many sunflowers will rebloom (smaller flowers) if the original flower head is removed.
Lastly, to keep insect pests like aphids, budworms and beetles at bay, apply Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Concentrate. One application lasts up to 30 days and won't wash off in rain.
Products Mentioned In This Article
Bayer Advanced
