Cut flower gardens differ from ornamental gardens by being designed specifically to maximize yield. To do this, the ideal conditions include rich soil that drains freely while remaining free from weeds.
Plant taller flowers together for easy staking and picking, and divide plants that require netting from those that can benefit from grow-through netting (sweet peas). Consider perennials with long bloom times as the foundation for your cutting garden.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers that bloom regularly and quickly are an ideal foundation for a cut flower garden. Single-stem varieties produce medium sized blooms suitable for cutting while taking up less space than branching varieties.
Plant in wide rows to make harvesting each flower simpler, using clean tools to avoid spreading bacteria. When cut stems need freshening up, add floral preservative to water in a bucket so they’ll last even longer!
Consider planting your cut flower patch on raised garden beds if the soil quality is poor, to allow more control and to improve health and productivity of the crops. Consider organic compost that gradually improves soil structure for ease of water absorption and nutrition delivery.
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas, larkspur and cosmos are examples of annual flowers that flourish all year-long. Perennial varieties such as yarrow, garden phlox and dahlias may produce blooms as well, though perhaps not for as long.
Planting times depend on your variety and hardiness zone. To be on the safe side, seeds should be started indoors at least a couple weeks prior to their expected last frost date.
Planting a cut flower garden differs significantly from that of ornamental beds as its focus should not be solely aesthetic, but yield a bountiful harvest instead. To maximize space utilization, group tall plants together (dahlias and sunflowers); arrange short ones nearby; vineing vines such as nasturtiums that require netting or trellis support in the back (sweet peas); keeping rows at an optimal distance apart will enable you to access all blooms without stepping on any blooms!
Zinnias
Zinnias make ideal fillers in bouquets thanks to their wide color range and heirloom aesthetic. If spent flowers are regularly deadheaded, zinnias will bloom all season long!
Raised beds may help make watering and weeding your cut flower garden simpler, as they allow the soil to remain nutrient-rich while being free from weeds, making care of their roots and stems simpler.
Create your cut flower garden by first understanding each plant’s individual growing conditions – such as sun exposure and soil requirements – before grouping plants that share similar needs together for easier care and harvesting.
Gerber Daisies
Make sure your cutting garden features plenty of sunny spots, selecting loose and well-draining soil that drains well; adding coarse sand can improve this soil further. Raised beds are excellent options for cut flower gardens as they allow you to have complete control of its composition.
Plan your flowers carefully by grouping them by their growing conditions and blooming times, to ensure that each variety receives enough water, sunlight and fertilizer – leading to longer-lived blooms!
Arrange your garden bed so that tall plants, such as sunflowers or certain varieties of zinnias, are planted at the back. Medium-sized ones should then be planted in the middle and short stature flowers at the front. Sweet peas and climbing nasturtiums benefit from being grown on netting or a trellis for support; otherwise they might overrun their surroundings as they grow.
Begonias
Consider how easy it will be for you to water, weed and harvest your cut flower garden before selecting its planting spot. An ideal location would be sunny with well-draining soil.
Position taller flowers such as sunflowers in the back and middle, while placing zinnias and begonias closer to the front of the garden. Arrange plants either in wide rows to easily access stems for cutting or in small plots so you can divide as the flowers develop.
Be sure to fertilize your garden regularly with dilute, balanced fertilizer for continuous blooms, while watching out for pests and disease to protect the flowers and foliage from harm. Incorporating floral preservative into water helps make sure they last as long in a vase as possible.