Cut flower gardens are an easy and beautiful addition to any yard, providing natural color indoors while starting seeds indoors gives an early jump on the growing season and allows you to select varieties not available as transplants.
As flowers typically have specific bloom times, it is advisable to plant in succession so as to guarantee continuous harvest. When doing this, group plants that share similar cultural requirements.
Location
Cut flower gardens should ideally be planted in areas that provide access to direct sunlight and well-draining soil, since most bouquet blooms require direct sun. Even partial shade exposure will often compromise their growth potential.
Cut flower gardens require an easy mix of perennials and annuals with varied bloom times that are easy to cultivate. Perennials will return every year while annuals allow you to try out new plants with different bloom times and bloom times.
Plan to plant your cut flower garden in rows or blocks so that its layout is pleasing to the eye and easy to manage. Implement a drip irrigation system for added peace of mind as this will prevent fungal diseases while giving your flowers access to a steady supply of water without becoming overwatered.
Once your flowers begin to fade, remove deadheads using either your fingertips or clean pruning shears. Pinching may also encourage long stemmed flowers such as zinnias and celosia to branch out further and produce longer stems.
Soil
To maximize the success of your garden, the soil must be properly prepared. If you plan to plant cut flowers directly in the ground, begin by clearing away any weeds and loosening up the soil with compost or other organic matter to increase water retention and drainage for your plants. This will also aid with water retention.
Consider what types of blooms you would like to grow as well. Some annual varieties, like cosmos, scabious, sweet peas, larkspur and sunflowers, do not return year after year, while other perennial blooms like cosmos, scabious, sweet peas larkspur or sunflowers produce multiple blossoms each season.
Beginners may want to start off small. I recommend selecting perennials and annuals that can be directly planted into the ground during spring planting season, though winter sowing seeds is also possible; this allows you to extend blooming seasons on many annuals such as sweet peas, snapdragons, foxglove, larkspur, calendula as well as some perennials such as yarrow and garden phlox.
Water
Water is of vital importance when cultivating cut flower gardens. Optimally, early spring or fall planting is best, depending on your climate and the particular flowers that you intend on growing.
Consider their color and height before planting flowers for optimal success. Additionally, think about whether scented blooms might appeal, as well as whether their drying process should go smoothly.
Before planting, the area must be properly prepared by amending and clearing away weeds from its soil. Organic matter-rich soil is essential for creating healthy plant life.
Once seedlings or perennials have been planted, be sure to provide regular watering as well as weekly fertilizer applications with balanced fertilizers. In addition, deadheading is required: this involves trimming spent flower heads while simultaneously pruning any diseased or unsightly foliage to encourage new growth and reflowering; aim to perform this activity every 4-6 weeks in order to maintain fresh, long stems for cutting purposes.
Pruning
As opposed to vegetable gardens, which can tolerate being somewhat messy, flower beds must remain tidy and organized in order to look their best. This includes keeping weeds under control as well as pruning plants to shape them correctly.
Pinch your flowers by cutting just below their second set of leaves when they are approximately one month old, to encourage more blooms and longer stems – this will produce bouquets with greater visual impact!
As fall approaches, it’s time to prepare your veggie garden and cut flower bed for winter. Now is an excellent opportunity to test and amend soil quality; either by rototilling (in larger gardens) or working in compost (in smaller ones). Now is also an excellent opportunity to plant dahlias in cold areas as well as overwinter tender perennials. You should also order seeds, bulbs, and tubers so that some can be started directly in spring without needing indoor pretreatments.