When planting annuals, I have seen and read that you should pinch off the flowers when you plant them. This supposedly prevents the flowers from going to seed so that the annual can spend its energy creating more and fuller blooms. Is this true? If so, are there any annuals that shouldn’t be pinched back?

Removing the flowers at the time of planting lets annuals concentrate their efforts on establishing healthy roots and vegetative growth. This procedure also helps pave the way for an abundance of flowers. Basically, all annuals will benefit from removing the blooms, including flower types such as snapdragons, salvia and zinnias.