Know your climate zone and understand the specific requirements of each flower you intend to grow. Most cut flowers require well-draining soil with at least six hours of sun daily for optimal blooming conditions.
Plan your garden so it will bloom throughout the season by including both annual and perennial plants in it. A mix of annuals can also extend harvest.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are fast-growing flowers that make a fantastic addition to any cut flower garden. Producing single, medium-sized blossoms that take up less space than branching varieties.
Sunflower seeds can be preserved for next year by allowing some flowers to go to seed and dry on their stems, then collecting the seeds on an ideal sunny yet not overheated day and placing them in a paper bag to prevent spoilage.
When planting sunflowers, always follow the recommendations on your seed packet for proper spacing depending on their variety. Single-stem varieties should be planted 18″ apart; branching varieties should be spaced 9″. In either case, pinch the central stem (or top) when each plant reaches six to eight inches high with your fingers or with clean gardening shears in order to promote branching and longer, more sturdy stems.
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas add both an irresistibly fragrant scent and vivid color to any flower arrangement, wildflower meadow mix or cut flower garden. Thanks to their long bloom period and tolerance of cool temperatures, these perennial bloomers make for excellent cut flower gardens.
Seeds can be planted directly in the garden or indoors in containers. Soaking them for 24 hours before sowing may improve germination rates; once planted outdoors, sweet peas grow best when left alone and not disturbed – although frost hardiness makes planting easy, even during periods where there may be risk.
Try the new ‘Erewhon’ cultivar for stunning bicolor flowers and delectable aroma. Also excellent is ‘Mollie Rilstone’ by Roger Parsons, National Collection Holder and AGM, which was developed over decades of breeding by AGM himself. If you want longer-lasting blooms, pinch off their central stem once they reach six to eight inches tall to direct all their energy towards creating long stems instead.
Zinnias
An ideal cut flower garden should feature annuals that bloom for extended periods, such as sunflowers, zinnias and sweet peas. Perennial varieties such as yarrows, garden phlox, anemones and dahlias also make excellent choices, although their bloom periods tend to be shorter.
Start sowing seeds indoors about three weeks prior to the last expected frost date, and when temperatures warm up further sow them directly in the soil.
Be sure to plant in loose, well-draining soil. A light application of organic compost and mulch are both excellent ways of improving soil conditions prior to planting.
Pinching your zinnias and celosia is an effective way to encourage them to branch and produce longer stems, especially young plants. Be careful not to pinch too hard though or they could go to seed; the ideal amount of pinching helps create the “muffin top” shape that so many people enjoy seeing!
Celosia
Celosia is an easy and enjoyable annual summer flower to maintain, boasting vibrant hues across their full spectrum of color. Popular for their feathery plumes, wrinkly-looking crests or round combs (known as cockscomb), Celosia adds dramatic texture and height to garden designs.
Seeds should be planted in seed trays or small pots containing high-quality seed-starting mix that remains consistently moist but not waterlogged; after they germinate, transfer to your garden or raised bed for transplanting.
Many flowering plants benefit from pinching early to encourage branching and longer stems suitable for cutting. This approach works especially well with zinnias and plume/cockscomb varieties of celosia.
As many annual cut flowers do not return the following year, perennials and hardy annuals such as yarrows, garden phlox, larkspur and sweet peas often provide long blooming seasons. If you want to ensure optimal soil quality for increased plant health and productivity, adding raised garden beds may help.