Peak season for buying annuals around here is early May through first week or two of June. People buy at a frenzied pace, I find it amazing the amount of money dropped at nurseries in that short period of time. After that, come about now, they start selling larger pots of annuals for the remainder of summer, and there's not nearly the selection. This is independent nurseries -- I don't buy at box stores so no clue what goes on there. I've also noticed the trend is towards fewer flats, it's now larger pre-potted stuff or big 4- or 6-packs of annuals outside of a handful of things like begonias, alyssum, marigolds, petunias, etc.

I would say mxk3 gave a good description of the situation where I live too..

Things look normal around here. the local growers are into clearance mode for the leftovers so I guess most people have done their main plantings, it's just us all-year plantaholics who are still thinking about planting more :)

Annuals are usually the week or 2 leading up to memorial day IMO. Then all the good stuff get's sold out 2 weeks after Memorial weekend, and what remains is what remains..aside from the 8 inch pot, hanging planters.

I would have blew my budget by 3fold....as my annuals usually consist of jumbo 6 packs , and many various qt sized containers. With this soupy spring we have, as of today, the annuals are still quite small in ~bedded~ fashion. It's been planted for like 3 weeks + already but if had I had the chance to go back in time, I would have doubled up in density in purchase/planting this year, knowing they might be competing for space as the summer sets in. They have not grown out as much as I would have preferred this season due to weather....can't control mother nature.

Many of this years annuals plantings are stressed. Leaves are quite yellow and of course, it rained again today.....

I went to Lowe's today to buy some of the 5 dollar baskets to make up for this year's lack of annuals. I know many eschew big box stores but it was on my way. So I wander in and the whole outside coral area is 75% off. Some sad specimens for sure. But I got a beautiful white kordes rose, geraniums, proven winner annuals and a welcome planter.

A little dead heading, a good water and fertilizer schedule and I should be good.

mzdee - now get on out there and plant them . don't spare a second...we're behind the 8 ball and those roots need to establish before they the blooms do their thing.. I actually replanted about 20% of my annuals just the other day. It was too soupy of a spring and this time of the year, and I had some dieback of my plantings I did back in Mid May

Right now all you'll find in nurseries is the dregs. Granted there are a few gems that are left over if you happen to be lucky but the peak season at nurseries sales was over a month ago.

True. While I'm disappointed that I didn't find that one summer gem, my Lowes haul is helping to dull the ache. Some of my most prolific plants were "dregs." A 4 dollar rose Bush that blooms like crazy thru early fall, gorgeous coral peonies for less than 5 bucks

The list goes on. I'm not one to despise small beginnings

FINALLY, some of my annual beds are starting to fill in and look like annual beds. between the WeT Spring, and some re-planting of beds due to all the rain, and then re-acclimation of new plantings, finally (even though it's like mid-summer), I see more foliage/blooms than mulch. Bring on the blooms