Growing cut flowers at home is much simpler than you might think; all it requires is some sunshine, suitable soil conditions and careful planning.
Start seeds early, several weeks before the last frost date, to allow them to flourish quickly before planting time arrives. Consider stagger-planting so that flowers blossom at different times.
Choose the Right Plants
Your cutting garden should consist of flowers with long, strong stems that have good vase life. Additionally, add scent-producing varieties or filler plants such as baby’s breath or coral bells for more diversity.
Begin by designingating an area for your cut flower patch. A smaller space may prove easier for access, since you will likely be working in this bed often with buckets of water and baskets. Easy access is key!
Once your space has been planned out, decide on which types and how many flowers to grow. It is important to remember that most cut flowers require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal blooming; wind and rain exposure must also be considered; tall flowers may require support such as trellises or netting for support purposes. Group flowers according to their cultural requirements and flowering times as much as possible.
Select a Location
Cut flower gardens can be as small or large as your space allows, depending on what kind of flowers you wish to grow. Aim for plenty of sunshine, with rich, well-draining soil. Raised beds make this process simpler as planting, weeding and harvesting flowers becomes much simpler.
Sunflowers are essential additions to any cut flower garden, especially single stem varieties with blooms that last two weeks when in water. You could even plant sunflowers specifically as crops for birds who will enjoy pecking at their seeds!
As you plan your garden, group flowers according to their cultural needs. For instance, tall annuals like sunflowers and zinnias may require support such as trellises to remain upright while vines such as sweet peas or climbing nasturtiums will need netting in order to climb. When placing these plants into the bed plan them at the back, away from shorter plants so that taller ones won’t overshadow smaller ones as they mature.
Prep the Soil
Most gardeners envision cut flower gardens as consisting of rows of tulips or daffodils or perhaps roses; however, there’s much more to this style of gardening than meets the eye.
Starting out, raising beds are ideal because this gives you maximum control of soil quality and nutrition. Before sowing seeds, adding some organic matter (compost or leaf mold) may improve drainage as well as water retention.
Consider including plants that attract pollinators as well as those that dry well for crafts and arrangements in your cutting garden, according to landscape designer Carien van Boxtel. It may also be wise to grow flowers that don’t all bloom at the same time – this practice, known as succession planting, helps keep cutting gardens looking their best throughout the season; for instance as spring bulbs fade they can be swapped out with summer annuals such as cosmos or sweet peas for an updated look.
Planting
Once your flowers have been planted, they should be watered and fed appropriately. Adam and Jennifer suggest using mild fertilizers such as organic fish emulsion at planting time as well as throughout the season – additionally adding well-rotted compost into the soil will keep it full of essential nutrients for maximum success!
Always bear in mind that a cut flower garden requires full sunlight – aim for at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun per day!
Considerations must also include the fact that flowers don’t all bloom simultaneously. To prevent dead patches in your cut flower garden, staggered planting may help ensure there’s always something blooming – for instance after spring bulbs fade, plant hardy annuals which are expected to bloom later this summer; these hardy annuals will help bridge the gap until your next batch of blooms arrive. Staggering planting also works when growing perennials as it keeps them from competing with each other for water and nutrients.