An indoor cut flower garden is an effective and eco-friendly way to add beauty and scents into your home. Not only will the blooms provide gorgeous decor pieces, but their sustainable nature also means less waste from store purchases!
Planning a cut flower garden requires keeping in mind that plants require rich, well-draining soil with ample sunlight; check the back of a seed packet for their individual requirements.
Location
Selecting an optimal location for a cutting flower garden depends on a number of factors, including sun and soil conditions. Most flowers need full sunlight, while planting beds must be free from weeds that compete for nutrients and water with your plants.
Ideal gardens should be easily accessible for cutting and harvesting purposes. A general rule is to plant flower beds three to four feet wide to provide enough room for harvesting blooms without trampling other plants.
If you are growing tall annuals like sunflowers or zinnias, consider installing a trellis to support their growth. Also think about whether your site provides protection from wind which could quickly damage or knock over fragile plants. Whenever possible, keep the cutting flower garden away from areas with heavy traffic flow for best results.
Soil
Quality soil is of critical importance in creating an excellent cut flower garden. It must be rich and deep enough to support plant growth while being free from weeds or rocks that could potentially hinder its effectiveness.
Consider growing cut flowers in raised garden beds for greater control and convenience in planting and harvesting them. It will also help prevent weeds from competing with your blooms for water and nutrients, keeping your flowers lush.
To extend the bloom time of your cutting garden, plant perennials along with annuals. Keep in mind that not all flowers flower at the same time; try interspersing plants with different flowering times throughout your garden.
Planting
Ideal cut flower gardens should consist of several long, linear beds each approximately one metre wide, for ease of gardening and harvesting flowers. Doing this allows for easier navigation across your garden while planting and weeding as well as ample space for picking.
Assess the growing conditions of perennials and annuals — sun exposure, soil type, water usage and nutrient needs — of each perennial and annual, then group those that share similar needs together so you can water evenly without accidentally over or underwatering plants that need different amounts of moisture. This will make watering them all evenly easier!
Consider whether to include tall plants like zinnias or sunflowers, vining plants such as cleome and snapdragons which require netting (such as cleome) or trellising ( such as cleome). Also remember filler flowers like chrysanthemums, sweet peas, tulips and yarrow which complement other flowers’ colors by providing texture and height in arrangements.
Pruning
Your cut flower garden should be organized in rows or grids to facilitate harvesting and maintenance, while providing easy identification of any weeds or pests quickly and efficiently.
Many flowers have an inviting fragrance, adding an aromatic accent to bouquets. Scented varieties also draw insects and wildlife into your cutting garden – for instance, zinnias provide food and shelter to bees as beneficial pollinators!
Choose flowers that are easy to cut and boast long vase life, such as zinnias, dahlias and sweet peas. Additionally, bring along a bucket of water so that cut stems can be immersed directly into it to prevent wilting.
Harvesting
An addition of a cut flower garden to your existing garden can be an effective way to expand your bloom selection and discover how to craft exquisite arrangements. While this special area doesn’t need to be large or prominent, it should still be easy access so you can harvest flowers regularly.
Some cutting flowers grow on vineing plants like dahlias and sweet peas, while others require staking like sunflowers and zinnias. Be sure to read descriptions in seed catalogs or at nurseries so you know which care requirements each type of cutting flower requires.
Grouping flowers with similar cultural needs will make your flower bed easier to care for, ensuring each bloom receives exactly what it requires without over- or underwatering. Furthermore, consider how tall each plant will grow when mature so you don’t end up burying smaller ones underneath taller ones.