Initial steps when planning a flower garden involve selecting the area where you will place it and noting how much sunlight comes through the day – most flowers require full exposure to direct sunlight for proper development.
Additionally, be mindful of your USDA growing zone – plants grown outside it won’t thrive as expected! And consider mixing annuals, perennials and shrubs together for four-season color.
Digging
No matter if your flower garden consists of one big bed or just a few pots, digging for it requires careful consideration and determination. Decide where you want your garden located before clearing away grass and weeds with a sharp shovel. Begin small and expand as your gardening skills and interests develop.
Next, decide the flowers you would like to include. Keep in mind that mixing perennial and annual blooms together will bring variety to the garden throughout the season – perennials (peonies in particular) usually bloom at specific times such as late spring while annuals like zinnias, impatiens, cosmos and cleome can provide flowers throughout summer and fall. Make sure which varieties will thrive best within your growing zone based on sunlight conditions and climate considerations.
When planting from seeds, follow the recommendations on their packet as to depth and spacing. With nursery plants, gently remove each from its container before creating an equal-sized hole to accommodate their roots.
After this step is complete, combine organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure into the soil to improve its quality and feed the roots of flowers when planted. This step will improve both their growth potential and their overall wellbeing.
Water the soil now to get it moist and workable; it will be easier than trying to work with dry and hard soil later.
Position taller plants at the back of your flower garden and shorter plants around them to give an overall view of all its colors from different perspectives. Depending on which flowers you select, some may require extra support such as staking or netting – especially vine-y flowers that tend to sprawl across surfaces; perennial plants that become too heavy for the ground alone might need this measure as well.
Leveling
Once you have dug your bed, it is essential that the soil be levelled. This will give your flowers an even surface to grow on and will prevent them from overtaking too quickly or overgrowing their pots. A garden rake or trowel are great tools for this job; otherwise add well-rotted manure or compost to lighten it up a bit if the soil is particularly dense.
As soon as it’s time to plant, take extra care in reviewing plant labels for height and spacing requirements. Before embarking on any planting endeavors it may also be helpful to draw out a diagram so you know which plants will go in which areas and close proximity.
When planting seed or transplanting seedlings, make sure to dig holes large enough for their roots and foliage as they mature. Indoor-grown plants should be hardened off in an enclosed location before being planted outside; once in place, gently tamp down and water them lightly afterwards.
Once your flowers are established, be sure to fertilize them regularly with diluted urine or nettle water for best results. This will promote branching and blooming throughout the season while pruning back dead flower heads so the plants can focus their energy into growing foliage instead. Also take steps as needed to control weeds.
Finally, it’s always a good idea to plant several varieties of flowers together in one bed to add visual interest throughout summer. Choose annuals (which only live one season) or perennials (which return each year), depending on what works best in your yard and garden environment. Not only can flowers add vibrant hues but they provide bees and other wildlife with food sources as well – creating a happy, healthy garden!