Cutting flower gardens make an impressive addition to any garden. The key is growing flowers that last in a vase while having long stems for easy cutting.
Start by sketching out your garden on paper, noting the varieties and bloom cycles of plants to create a productive mix. Don’t forget to deadhead to extend blooming periods of annuals and perennials!
Location
Before beginning a cut flower garden of your own, the first consideration should be its location. An ideal location would be an area receiving full sunlight for most of the day – mark your site using string or hose so as to determine how much sun exposure each area receives each day – most cut flowers (annuals such as cosmos, larkspur and sweet peas) need at least 6 hours daily sunlight exposure to thrive successfully.
Your site should provide easy access to water when necessary, with well-drained areas and healthy soil being essential components. Amending soil with compost or creating raised garden beds allows you to control quality planting beds while assuring flowers receive optimal care. Pinching young zinnia and celosia plants is also highly encouraged, and can be done either with your fingers or gardening shears for longer stems and branching.
Soil
For an optimal cut flower garden, you need loose and well-draining soil that promotes healthy plants with more flowers! Doing this will keep them growing healthy while encouraging more blooms!
Raised beds are an excellent way to ensure you have control over the quality of the soil in your garden and avoid compaction issues that are prevalent elsewhere.
Considerations must also be given to how much sun the location receives; most cutting flower varieties prefer full sunlight in the morning hours as this helps the flowers remain cooler during their afternoon blooming period.
At the same time, it’s also important to take into account your desired bloom period. To maximize fresh flowers throughout the summer season, plant annual flowers. Pinching young zinnia and celosia plants is another effective way to encourage branching and longer stems; either hand pinching them back or with clean pair of shears is effective.
Water
Most cut flowers require full sun and loose soil with good drainage to thrive, with soil tests recommended prior to planting in order to ensure your soil contains all the essential nutrients for healthy plant growth. Each seed packet will detail specific growing requirements.
Annual flowers tend to be chosen for their rapid-blooming and longer-lasting blooms than perennials, such as cosmos, zinnias, sweet peas, larkspur sunflowers and more. Perennial varieties like yarrows, garden phlox anemones and peonies might not produce as many blooms in one season but will continue producing new blossoms each season.
Plan a cutting garden so it can be easily maintained and harvested by planting in long rows or grid systems to facilitate harvesting and easy maintenance. This allows you to easily access your flowers without stepping on other plants or weeds; additionally, group together similar flowers such as alliums and hydrangeas in one area so the color palette and flowering remain consistent throughout your garden.
Sunlight
When starting a cut flower garden, the optimal location should provide plenty of sunlight. Many flowers won’t thrive under shaded conditions during the day. Once you find an ideal spot in your yard to start your cut flower garden, mark it off using string or another means and observe how much sun or shade the area receives over time.
Plant your seeds or seedlings closer together than their packet suggests to create bouquets with longer stems – for instance zinnias and snapdragons can be planted 6-9 inches apart while sunflowers should be spaced 12-18 inches apart.
Raised garden beds are ideal for growing cut flower gardens as they allow you to manage soil pH and quality – both of which are crucial components for growing beautiful and vibrant blooms. Furthermore, conducting a soil test will give you more information on exactly what nutrients your garden requires for optimal success.