Plant Summer-Blooming Annuals Now
Late May is your last chance to transplant marigolds (Tagetes spp., native to Mexico, non-invasive), petunias (Petunia × atkinsiana, native to South America, sterile cultivars non-invasive), and zinnias for a summer-long show. I keep seedlings in trays until the soil warms fully—then tuck them in gaps among perennials to fill in the garden’s color palette.
Immediate planting ensures they establish roots before midsummer heat. Once settled, these annuals burst into bloom and provide continuous nectar for hummingbirds and hoverflies, which often nest in nearby reed bunches or hollow stems.