Lois,

"I LOVE many of the annuals that benefit from direct sowing, e.g., zinnias, cosmos, and sunflowers, but never have my garden "ready" in the spring to direct seed them in time! "

One option would be to start some seeds indoors under lights and let them be developing while you get the ground ready for seeds or seedlings.

"What is your best suggestion for how I can get my beds ready THIS YEAR, including into the fall, so I'll have a less arduous task of getting them direct-seeded-annual-ready in the spring?"

Well, you could do an extensive Fall cleanup and get the beds raked and ready for seeds before Winter hits. The beds should stay in pretty good shape under the snow and require only a minor touch-up next Spring.

I'm not a fan of Winter Sowing, but it has its devotees. I did have a few "volunteer" zinnias come up this year, and they weren't half bad. Apparently being frozen solid in the ground doesn't kill zinnia seeds.

If you can afford it, your friend's idea of burying the weed seedlings with a fresh layer of top soil (hopefully weed-free) or potting soil would work. Obviously you couldn't do that indefinitely, but raised beds can be a convenience.

ZM

I garden in the Deep South, so everything I do may not work for you, but here is my technique. I cut back and mulch my beds heavily in the fall, since that's when free mulch material is available. At that time, I use pieces of vinyl window blinds (because they are cheap and won't decompose) to mark areas where I want next year's annuals. I just stick the strips into the ground around the perimeter of each area, making the areas irregular in shape for a more natural look.

Then, in the late winter, about 4-6 weeks before our last frost date, I go out and pull back the mulch in those areas, exposing the ground. I use a hand cultivator to just scratch up the soil a bit (it's good, loose, well-drained soil), sprinkle a handfull of organic fertilizer over it and sow annuals seeds liberally. They sit there that last few weeks, scarifying, if needed, and come up when conditions are right.

Sometimes I get extra surprises in these area. This year, pink cleomes came up from last year along with the rose colored zinnia elegans I sowed. Next year, I will sow both they are so pretty together.

If for some reason, there are not enough seedlings in one area, I just transplant excess ones from other areas when it comes time to thin and pinch the plants.

Sounds like you have already prepared them for next year & donnabaskets explained a good method that will work for you if you keep up with the mulch!

If annuals are still sold in your area why not purchase some to plant a small area that is visible to you daily. A little bit of color now will reward your hard work & won't be too spendy. Some may even reseed for you.

Last night at the grocery store they had some leggy & dried out looking Confetti gallon containers of 3 plants (potunia, calibracha, & bidens or verbena) free 1 per customer. While I was looking for the color tags the nursery person was closing up for the night & said, "If you want, take all of them." When I said okay, he loaded up my cart with the 7 pots. I asked if a clip & water would bring them back & he said feed them, too! So, today I watered, cut them back, & fed them a diluted 20-20-20 mix. Looking closer I could see buds on everything except the petunias.

After the grocery store we stopped at Home Dep*t for something my son wanted, so I took a peek at the garden center & found a container of 16 compact & in bloom cells of impatiens for $2.50 probably because the plastic handle was broken. Also saw gallon Confetti series of potunias (mini petunia bicolors) for $2.50 in bloom & looking presentable with no cutting back. A gal had her cart full of them & there were 3 more racks of numerous shelves.

Or purchase a trio of perennials that will look good as a combo now until fall. Something showy bloom wise, evergreen foliage & something that trails or spikes or both. You could move them next spring if you'd rather they be placed somewhere else. Sometimes, they're already potted up for you as a porch accent.

Keep up with the mulch & pull weed seedlings as they appear.