Plant both perennials and annual flowers to get a variety of bloom times; choosing flowers that open at different times won’t compete with one another for blooming space.
Prior to planting, select an area with ample sunlight. Amend the soil with compost or slow-release flower fertilizer before introducing your new plants.
Location
An ideal cut flower garden requires access to sunlight and rich, well-drained soil. If possible, plant it as its own separate area in your garden so it doesn’t compete for water and nutrients with other plantings, according to PepperHarrow Farm owners Jennifer and Adam O’Neal in their book Small Farm, Big Dreams: Turning Your Passion Into a Profitable Floral Business. Otherwise, add annuals among vegetables or perennials in your landscape while making sure to add compost and slow-release flower fertilizer prior to planting annuals among perennials and shrubs and make sure slow-release flower fertilizer is added first for best results.
Find perennial and hardy annual flowers that bloom throughout summer and fall, like tulips, daffodils, peonies, lilies, iris, penstemon, dahlias, rudbeckias, coneflowers and agapanthus that offer color and height, such as tulips, daffodils, peonies lilies iris penstemon dahlias dahlias dahlias dahlias dahlias rudbeckia coneflowers coneflowers and agapanthus. Add filler flowers such as zinnias sweet peas Larkspur and Gilia to add height while fragrant herbs such as Eucalyptus lavender mint and sage add scent while poppies and Echinacea make long-term arrangements!
Soil
An optimally prepared garden bed is key to cultivating lush cutting flower bouquets. Use rich, nutrient-rich organic matter to improve soil texture and drainage if your soil contains clay or sandy particles; annual applications of organic matter may also keep weeds at bay and promote good root development.
Plant your cutting flower beds in wide rows to make weeding, harvesting and picking easier. Keep in mind that to reach taller and more mature plants you’ll require access between plants – aim to make rows six feet wide so there is ample space between each row for reaches.
Include perennials, annuals and bulbs in your cut flower garden to create long-lasting bouquets while annuals bring freshness. Consider hardy herbs like statice – which produces hundreds of tiny little blooms throughout the summer and fall in sunny locations – as filler flowers to enhance bouquets with fragrant greenery.
Water
Many flowers that make good cut flowers thrive best in full sun conditions, while there are numerous perennials and annuals that do just as well under more shady circumstances. To discover them, search seed catalogs or ask your garden center for recommendations.
Plants destined to become cut flowers must be easily accessible, which is why using wide rows when planting your garden can be beneficial in making this task simpler and preventing accidental steps on plants while working, while making carrying buckets of water and baskets for collecting your flowers much simpler.
Make sure your beds are organized so that taller plants are in the back, and shorter plants nearer to the front for ease of harvesting delicate flowers. Tall plants such as zinnias and sunflowers may require supports like stakes to remain upright during their growing seasons; vines such as sweet peas or climbing nasturtiums might require support such as trellises or netting for support during harvest time.
Sunlight
If you’re planning a cutting garden for either new or existing beds, or adding it into an existing flowerbed, be sure to locate it so it receives at least six hours of sun each day. Perennials and some annual flowers thrive best with full sun; others thrive best with partial shade. When selecting flowers to add, select those of various shades, shapes, sizes and types as well as plants with interesting foliage for variety in colors, shapes and textures for an aesthetic bouquet effect.
No matter if you are growing perennial flowers from seed or starts, read seed catalog descriptions and plant tags carefully in order to ascertain which are easy to grow as well as their amount of sunlight needs. Also check out your local nursery to gain inspiration when it comes to selecting cut flower gardens – some plants, like sunflowers or vining nasturtiums may need additional support as they grow taller – when planting be sure to group plants that share similar heights, flowering times, growth conditions, flowering times and harvesting conditions together for ease when watering or harvesting!