Flower gardens can add great charm and beauty to your landscape. Proper maintenance of this feature is vital in order to promote its healthy development and ensure long-term sustainability.
Decide On an Appropriate Location
First, make sure that the area where you plan to plant has enough sunlight. If not, opt for plants that thrive under partial shade conditions instead.
Choose the Right Plants
Flowers thrive in loose, rich, loamy soil that drains well. A general guideline suggests amending existing soil with compost or other organic material before planting flowers that require full sun; those growing under part shade conditions typically need four to six hours of direct sunlight each day.
An attractive flower garden features an engaging blend of colors, heights and textures. When planning your garden design, select plants with bloom times that vary across the growing season for continuous color – including both perennials and annuals for added depth.
Read each plant tag carefully in order to understand their needs for water, space and sun exposure. This will allow you to avoid overcrowding the beds with too many plants that need caretaking, while keeping beds spaced evenly helps minimize weeding requirements. It may be beneficial to remove spent blooms from perennial flowers like zinnias and dahlias to encourage them to put energy back into their foliage for winter survival.
Soil Preparation
Clean soil is the foundation of any successful garden. Prepare your flower beds for spring by clearing away grass, adding organic matter and more.
Soil is composed of mineral particles formed through the natural breakdown of rock combined with organic matter, air and water – its size and shape determine its texture – such as clay, sandy or loam. To test your soil’s texture, take a handful of it in your hand and squeeze a handful together – clay forms a tight ball when squeezed and feels slippery; sandy crumbles easily while loam is more loose but firm ball-forming material.
Organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure can help improve soil, so add it to your flower beds by spreading a layer of this organic material out over 12 inches deep and working it in thoroughly before raking the bed smooth. Add additional layers each fall and spring as necessary so your flower beds remain performing at their best.
Planting
As part of your flower garden planning process, take note of the needs of each of the plants that you want to include. Many flowers, like full-sun perennials and vibrant sunflowers, require six or more hours of direct sun each day in order to thrive; placing these in shaded areas may cause their leaves to scorch and growth to slow significantly.
Soil quality in your flower bed is also vitally important. Add compost or organic matter to enrich its nutrients and work it into the top 6-8 inches where most flower roots flourish. Avoid working too wet soil as this damages its structure, hindering flower roots from taking in water and nutrients efficiently.
A good, 2-to-3-inch layer of mulch will prevent weeds and retain moisture for increased blooms. Make sure a hose or watering can is nearby to water flowers when necessary, and deadheading spent blooms regularly for better reblooming and overall plant health.
Watering
Flower gardens thrive when their soil has ample organic matter and drainage. Before planting a garden, it’s crucial to improve its condition by tilling or digging to loosen it further, followed by mixing in compost or other forms of organic matter such as mulch.
Location is also essential when choosing the site of a flower garden as this will impact its light preferences. Most flowers prefer full sunlight over shade. Choose a spot in your yard which receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day for best results.
Water your flower garden two to three times every week during the growing season or as required depending on humidity levels in your area. To reduce surface evaporation and prevent fungal development, it’s best to water early morning or evening so as to minimize surface evaporation and formation of fungus. A rain gauge can help track all your watering needs.