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Each year the National Garden Bureau selects one annual, one perennial, one bulb crop, one shrub, and one edible as “Year of the” crops. Plants are chosen because they are popular, easy-to-grow, widely adaptable, genetically diverse, and versatile.
2021 Is The Year Of The…
- For bulbs, 2021 is the year of the Hyacinth.
- For annuals, 2021 is the year of the Sunflower.
- For edibles, 2021 is the year of the Garden Bean.
- For perennials, 2021 is the year of the Monarda.
- For flowering shrubs, 2021 is the year of the Hardy Hibiscus.
5 Tips for Growing the 2021 “Year Of” Plants in Your North Texas Garden
- Hyancinths: Plant hyacinth bulbs like you would tulips anytime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also like tulips, Dutch hyacinth bulbs benefit from pre-chilling. Place bulbs in the refrigerator (away from any fruits that emit ethylene) for 6-8 weeks before planting.
(Blue Jacket from Dutch Grown – Year of the Hyacinth – National Garden Bureau) - Sunflowers are one of the easiest annuals that you can grow in a North Texas garden. Start sunflowers by seed after all chance of frost has passed (the average last frost date in North Texas is March 12). For a continuous supply of
cut flowers , plant sunflowers seeds “in succession” every 2 weeks through mid-August. A “Dallas Garden Favorite” supplier of sunflower seeds is Sunflower Selections.
(Goldy Honey Bear Sunflower from Botanical Interests – Year of the Sunflower – National Garden Bureau) - Hardy Hibiscus is a reliable flowering shrub for North Texas. Look for transplants to arrive in garden centers in spring. Hardy hibiscus is also easily started from cuttings. For best results, plant hardy hibiscus in a location that gets lots of sun and has well-drained soil. Improve dense clay soil with amendments of compost and expanded shale.
(French Vanilla by Walters Gardens – Year of the Hardy Hibiscus – National Garden Bureau) - Garden Beans: Nothing says summer like fresh beans from the garden. In North Texas, garden beans grow best in the spring and the fall. For spring harvest, plant beans by seed between mid-March and mid-April. For a fall harvest, plant beans in the first two weeks of August. For best results, keep beans well fertilized.
(Improved Purple Queen from Pure Line – Year of the Garden Bean – National Garden Bureau) - Monarda: Also known as Bee Balm, Monarda readily attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds making it a wonderful addition to North Texas perennial and pollinator gardens. Plant monarda in the spring or the fall. Look for large, healthy transplants at your local garden center. Improved varieties like ‘Raspberry Wine’ or ‘Peter’s Purple’ are more resistant to powdery mildew.
(Didyma from Darwin Perennials – Year of the Monarda – National Garden Bureau)
Special Educational “Year Of” Content at The Dallas Garden
In celebration of the plants of the year for 2021, The Dallas Garden will be featuring special educational content, how-to’s, and videos both here on the blog and also on Instagram @thedallasgarden throughout the end of this year and all next year.
Make sure that you are on The Dallas Garden list so that you don’t miss announcements when content is made available!
- Gardening Gifts That Mom Will Love - May 7, 2024
- New Plant I’m Testing: Kitchen Minis™ Bonsai Basil - April 24, 2024
- Resilient Perennials I’m Adding to My New Landscape - February 28, 2024
