Texas is a great place to live for most of the year. Texas yards are envied by people living elsewhere as they shine lively in the spring and fall and have flowers blooming all year long. However, selecting the perfect flowers to grow in Texas is more difficult than one might imagine. Some plants need a lot of attention, some are pest-prone, and many are just too complicated or slow-growing to be practical.
Flowers to plant in the spring that grow well include:
- Crocus
- Daffodils
- Hyacinths
- Primrose
- Forsythia
- Tulips
- Sweet Alyssum
- Rhododendron
Best flowers to buy in the spring
All of these flowers are an excellent choice to add to your garden. However, some plants may be easier to plant and cultivate than others. If you’re a beginner gardener or want to get your kids involved, it is better to stick to simpler spring flowers that will bloom easily and don’t require too much maintenance.
Some of the best flowers to buy in the spring are discussed below.
Crocus
Crocus is a robust bulb that can still grow even with snow on the ground. You’ll need to plant them in the fall if you want them to spring up in time. Be aware, though, that rodents love them, and as the crocus is one of the tastier bulbs around, at least for mice and similar animals, you may find them pop up somewhere else in your garden.
Daffodils
The daffodil is a classic spring flower that most people associate with the season already. Because of this, it makes sense to try your hand at planting them yourself to add some sunshine to your flower beds. Like a crocus, you need to plant daffodil bulbs in the fall, but once you’ve done this, daffodils are one of the very first flowers to bloom once spring comes around. Unlike crocus, rodents are not a fan, and deer will also leave them be, so you needn’t worry about losing them when you turn your back, even for a second.
Tulips
Tulips are another popular spring flower that everyone has seen while out and about, even if you don’t know the name of the flower you’re admiring. These flowers are considered perennials (a plant that lives longer than two years), but they also tend to fade in the first year, which is why budding and experienced gardeners are happy to plant them each year. Tulips are popular amongst critters, so make sure you plant them somewhere animals can’t get to them. If you can’t find the perfect pot to do this, you can plant them underneath daffodils. This both protects the bulbs and also adds a lovely little mixture of color to your flower beds.
You don’t need to worry about missing the planting time for these flowers. You can buy ready-planted bulbs directly from your florist and transfer them to your flower beds prepared in time for them to bloom into life and make your garden the most attractive around.
SPRING
- Begin to fertilize your roses with granular fertilizer (once a month) or liquid fertilizer (twice a month) to promote healthy and strong plants and to ensure continued flowers.
- Mid-April is a great time to plant your summer annuals including angelonia, pentas, salvias, vinca, and purslane or portulaca for sunny spots.
- Weed, weed, weed! The more you stay on top of it now, the easier it will be next month.
- Begin to mulch your beds with at least 2-3 inches of mulch to help retain the moisture through the heat of the summer.
- As you begin mowing and edging your lawns, remember to avoid string trimmers right at the trunk of the tree or you will cause damage (girdling) to the tree that can weaken it.
- Deadhead flowers to promote repeat blooms on things like roses, daylilies and salvias
SUMMER
- Begin to cut back perennial plants that look stressed (salvia, sage, ornamental grasses, etc.) Cut back to a new growth point toward the base of the plant.
- Be patient with blooming plants, as the heat causes a delay in blooming (a defensive mechanism for heat-stressed plants).
- Water early in the morning (following your water restrictions) to avoid disease and insect issues that can be caused from watering at night.
- Cut back hibiscus plants to about 8″ to encourage a second bloom this fall.
- Late August and early September are ideal for planting fall vegetable gardens. Prepare beds a few weeks prior to planting by adding 1-3″ of compost and incorporating it into the soil.