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With the days growing shorter and the shadows growing longer, this is that time of the year that can get rather drab in the landscape when it comes to adding color. I'll admit that the easiest way to brighten up your landscape is with fall color, And nothing provides as much impact as annuals. Unfortunately, we are in that "gray" area of the calendar when it's too late to take advantage of the heat loving annuals like Vinca, and it's too early to see success with the true cool season annuals like Pansies and Snapdragons. So, if you take anything away from this GardenLine Tip today, hold off on planting your typical "cool season annuals." While you will see a lot of mums, pansies and snaps etc. at nurseries and garden centers, I suggest that if you want to succeed with such annuals that you wait until at least Halloween to begin planting them. Yes, they are for sale, and they've come from growers who have produced them this early for a reason. That reason: They know some people refuse to listen to logic, and want 'em no matter what. So, at the very least, they must supply that foolhardy market. If you want my advice, wait for the weather to turn consistently cooler than it is right now. I'm thinking about days with high temperatures no higher than 85. We are still hovering around 90, so be wary. But there are a couple of transition annuals you can plant right now that will actually do fairly well until the first frost. Then there are the basic cool season annuals, which if you wait to plant them until late October-early November, they will reward you with much color. And don't forget the upcoming Bulb and Plant Mart which will be October 12-14th at the Westminster United Methodist Church. 
 Cool Season Annuals: Don't forget, I am broadcasting GardenLine from the Woodlands Home and Garden Show this Saturday. It's at the Waterway Marriott. I'll be there from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Until next issue, here's to Great Gardening from the GardenLine, heard exclusively weekend mornings from 8 to noon on Talkradio 950 KPRC. 
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