Many perennial and annual flowers make for great cut flowers, such as zinnias or sunflowers which are easy for beginners to cultivate and can produce stunning bouquets.
Plant rows to make weeding and harvesting simpler. Be mindful of how much sunlight the area receives as certain plants require full sun.
Planting Tips
Make bouquets that work by planting an assortment of perennials, annuals and bulbs in an evenly balanced mixture. Plan a separate area if possible so as not to deplete existing borders, and consider including shrubs and grasses with interesting foliage to add depth and texture to arrangements.
Before planting flowers in any environment, it’s essential to carefully assess both climate and soil conditions – most cut flowers require full sunlight with rich, well-draining soil conditions for maximum success. You may require amending the ground with organic matter or slow-release flower fertilizer before commencing this task.
Organize your flowers into rows to make weeding and staking easier; this makes them much simpler to weed when they are young. Separate plants that need support (dahlias and delphiniums) from those that don’t (sweet peas). This will allow for low maintenance gardens!
Soil Preparation
Cut flowers need a well-draining soil for best performance. Additionally, amending it with organic compost or slow-release organic fertilizers in spring after planting can greatly enhance its condition throughout the growing season.
Choose perennials and annuals with different bloom times so you’ll always have fresh flowers as the others fade, along with fillers such as tidies or herbs or shrubs with attractive foliage for stunning bouquets.
Cutting flower plants that require staking should be planted in raised beds or near fences to facilitate easy access, while others might need regular pruning, pinching, or deadheading – so keep this in mind as you design your planting beds.
Soil Fertilization
As with any garden bed, cut flower gardens require well-amended soil and regular watering in order to achieve blooming plants. At planting time and periodically throughout the summer, adding slow-release organic compost or mild fertilizers such as micronutrients will replenish depleted nutrients in your soil.
Consider planting both perennial flowers and annuals that will provide fresh, fragrant blossoms throughout the entire growing season. Popular perennial choices are lilacs and hydrangeas while hardy flowering shrubs such as roses or rudbeckia provide both shape and color – both are timeless favorites!
Many cut flowers, like daisies and chrysanthemums, last longer in bouquets when harvested when their buds are just about to open. For optimal results, cut your flowers early morning or late afternoon before they heat up too much. After cutting, store stems in a bucket of tepid water with floral preservative.
Watering
Homegrown bouquets don’t require much garden space to stay beautiful and vibrant; creating and managing a cut flower garden is easier than you think when following these tips!
Plant a combination of perennials and annual flowers with long stems suitable for cutting. Add foliage plants (eucalyptus, ivy and holly) that make beautiful bouquets, as well as flowering shrubs such as forsythia, lilac and ninebark which also look beautiful when added into bouquets.
Make life simpler for yourself by planting rows to make weeding, staking, and picking easier. Rows also help facilitate excellent plant growth and support – especially tall varieties like delphiniums and dahlias! Cut flowers typically perform best in fertile, nutrient-rich soil; so before planting it’s wise to test your soil so you know if any changes need to be made before sowing.
Harvesting
Harvesting flowers often before they produce seed can encourage them to focus their energies on blooms rather than producing seeds, though allowing a few flowers to continue growing may allow for future harvesting opportunities as well.
In order to successfully cultivate cut flower gardens, sunlight must be provided in abundance. Make sure your garden beds receive at least six hours of direct sun each day, and avoid shade caused by trees or buildings.
Always maintain access to your cutting garden for easier planting and harvesting. For maximum vase life, snip flower stems at an angled position to increase surface area for increased water uptake, while always clearing away foliage below the waterline.