Here are some tips on how to grow annuals:

• Most garden annuals prefer moist but not wet soil; they do poorly in unimproved clay soil. When planting annuals with shrubs and perennials, backfill the planting hole with compost, peat humus or potting mix. Use commercial soil mixes for pot planting.
• Annuals are best planted on a cloudy day to minimize wilting and shock.
• Tease apart roots of pot-bound plants, but don’t manhandle annual roots; they are not as sturdy as perennial or shrub roots.
• Water-retaining crystals or gels, available from garden centers, increase the water-holding capacity of soil mixes. Don’t overdo them; they can push plants out of the soil and expose their roots to drying air.
• Pots should drain freely — do not place saucers beneath outdoor pots. A pot is watered when you see it draining.
• Small pots dry out faster than large ones, raising the risk of drought stress.
• Pinch out faded flowers before they form seeds. This action, called deadheading, keeps annuals blooming. Many new annuals don’t need deadheading, but doing so will keep them tidy.
• Fertilize annuals regularly for vigor and blooming; a weak solution of balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 once a week will do the job. Alternatively, slow-release pellets such as Osmocote should be incorporated into the root zone.