When creating a cut flower garden, take into consideration what colors and heights of blooms you would like. Also determine whether you will plant perennials or annuals.
Tip: For maximum hydration and extended flower life, harvest flowers early morning or evening when temperatures are at their most comfortable. Store them in lukewarm water mixed with flower preservative for optimal hydration and preserver.
Choose a Location
No matter whether you use a separate garden bed or incorporate your flowers into other parts of the yard, start with finding an area with plenty of sun. Most cut flower varieties require ample sunlight in order to bloom properly and thrive best with rich, well-draining soil. Raised garden beds offer greater control over soil quality while aiding cultivation efforts.
Opt for both perennial and annual flowers when selecting flowers for your cut flower garden. Plants such as zinnias and sweet peas that bloom for extended periods will ensure fresh-looking arrangements throughout the year. Consider also scent-generating varieties like lilacs and hydrangeas that add color or texture.
When planting perennial flowers such as lilacs and snapdragons, sow the seeds a few weeks apart so they bloom at different times throughout the season. When sowing annuals such as sunflowers or zinnias pinch young plants to promote branching and longer stems.
Select a Planting Medium
Before planting a cutting garden bed or simply scattering flowers among vegetables, perennials and shrubs, make sure the space is sunny with rich, well-draining soil.
Consider color and texture when selecting flower varieties to create an eye-catching garden plot. Also keep blooming time in mind; staggered plantings of blooming plants at various points throughout the year can ensure you always have cut flowers available throughout the season.
When harvesting flowers, aim to cut when their buds are just opening (or just after they flop in a vase). By doing so, you’ll avoid damaging vascular tissue that slows water absorption and potentially damaging stems that require further pruning once back at home. After cutting again in cold water after you return home, always recut in another bucket full of cool water; this opens new vascular tissues which prolong their lifespan while also helping prevent wilting and fungal disease from taking hold.
Plant the Seeds
Planning is key when it comes to cultivating cut flowers. Prior to planting, make sure the site gets enough sunlight and conduct a soil test; if necessary amend your soil for better drainage and water retention.
An ideal cutting garden requires a combination of perennial and annual flowers. Perennials provide more reliable blooms that can fill space quickly, while annuals allow you to experiment with colors and textures.
As flowers don’t all bloom at once, sowings should be staggered to prevent dead spots in your garden. For instance, plant cold-season bloomers like sweet peas in early spring and switch them out with warmer-season ones like zinnias as their bloom fade. When sowing seed follow instructions on its packet for best results; create an indentation in the soil about as deep as its depth so as to ensure the seed germinates without too much humidity before the sprouting stage occurs.
Water the Plants
Once your cutting flowers have been planted, be sure to water the soil until it becomes damp but not wet – this allows the plants to absorb and utilize all of their necessary nutrients for strong stem development.
Most cut flower seeds require full sun for optimal success, with an area free from weeds to avoid competition for water and resources. Consider adding organic matter such as compost or leaf mold to improve soil quality further.
Zinnias and sunflowers produce large blooms all season, while others such as cosmos, larkspur, and sweet peas have shorter-bloom duration. Select varieties that dry well for extended life of arrangements.
Zinnias, celosia and gypsophilia annuals benefit from being pinched when young to encourage branching and longer stems. Please refer to your seed packet or plant tags for instructions on when and how to pinch, which typically should occur below the second set of leaves one month old.