Spring Care

• As soon as the ground is thawed and the growing season has started, clear the area where you know your preannual plants will come up. If you are putting in new plants, clear an area and dig the appropriate size holes for the plants you are putting in. Water the area thoroughly. The most important part of springtime care is to make sure that the ground is clear for those plants.
  
  

Growing Season Care

• During the growing season, the plants aren't going to need very much care. Preannual plants are very hardy, which is part of why they are able to come back each season. You should be able to care for your plants simply by making sure that they don't dry out and by cutting them back late in the growing season so they don't get too big.
  
  

End of Season Care

• Care for your preannual plants at the end of the growing season. After the first frost, or after you notice parts of the plants dying, remove the pieces of the plant that are dead. You can tell that they are dead because they'll be wilted and dry to the touch. Be very careful; some preannuals have stems that will stay alive after everything else has died. When in doubt, cut into a stem near the top. If it is green on the inside, it is still alive, so leave it alone. If it is hollow or dead on the inside, it isn't alive, and you can trim it. You can trim your plants all the way back to the dirt. Even if it appears that everything is dead, the roots are still alive under the soil.