Planting a cut flower garden doesn’t need to be complicated or time consuming; all it requires is some planning. Begin by selecting flowers with growth habits and forms suitable for cutting from seed catalogs or nursery tags carefully.
Look for varieties such as sunflowers and zinnias that produce blooms over a prolonged period, such as their long stems and good vase life.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are one of the world’s most beloved cut flowers. Easy to cultivate and flower abundantly between summer and early autumn, sunflowers make an eye-catching addition to any bouquet or arrangement.
Sunflowers stand up well against summer heat. Start seeds several weeks or months prior to your last frost date for maximum growth speed, or plant directly in the ground.
If you’re ready to harvest, keep a bucket of water handy so your cut flowers won’t wilt too quickly. Additionally, pinching will encourage branching and longer stems.
Zinnias
Zinnias are another annual that makes an excellent addition to a cut flower garden, providing long-blooming color options and being more resistant to extremes in weather than many annual flowers.
Before harvesting a zinnia, make sure it has fully opened before cutting it. To test this, grasping its stem about eight” below its flower head and wiggling it – if its flower droops or bends back under, then it is not yet suitable for cutting; but if its stem remains rigid it is ready for cutting!
Consider pinching zinnias and other cut flower plants such as celosia and cosmos at approximately one month old to encourage side shoots and longer, stronger stems. A weed eater may also help remove unwanted growth. Finally, be sure to feed these flowers regularly with balanced plant food!
Celosia
For an abundance of blooms throughout the season, it’s ideal to include both annual and perennial flowers in a cutting garden. Perennials such as yarrow and garden phlox will return year after year; however, their bloom period tends to be shorter.
When starting seeds in a tray, use a heat mat for optimal germination and grow your seedlings under lights until the weather warms up – then, after frost has subsided, plant out.
Celosias make wonderful additions to cut flower gardens as they thrive in hot weather. Additionally, you can dry them properly to preserve them as an everlasting bloom.
Petunias
Annual flowers such as petunias, cosmos, larkspur and zinnias form the backbone of most cut flower gardens. Not only are these perennial-like annuals relatively affordable, they grow quickly while producing large numbers of blooms during their growing season – all while being easy to deadhead! Additionally, annuals offer greater reliability compared to perennials which may take more time to mature but don’t provide as many blooms.
Choose a spot for your garden that gets ample sun and is easily accessible. As many plants require daily tending, having one that can be worked in sections will make getting what you need much simpler.
Before planting, conduct a soil test to identify its pH and nutrient level. Adjust as necessary using organic matter like well-rotted manure or compost, adding as necessary organic material such as manure to improve texture and provide essential nutrients. Water your flower beds early morning so that the water penetrates deep into the ground where its roots lie.