First step to successful planting bed care is clearing away grass and weeds from your planting bed. Mulching helps retain moisture levels while decreasing weed pressure.
Create your dream garden, starting with a list of flowers you want and narrowing it down by learning about the frost dates in your area. Think about mixing bloom times to provide four-season interest.
Know Your Soil
Flowers need the proper environment in which to flourish, including acidic or alkaline soil and specific nutrients. A soil test can help identify these factors; or simply find out which kind of soil your area typically has and plant accordingly.
Location of your flower garden is another key component. Aim for an area that gets ample sun; most flowers require full exposure; however, some varieties can thrive even in partially shaded conditions.
Mulching can also help retain moisture and decrease weed pressure. Organic mulch such as shredded bark or compost works great, while pine needles (for acid-loving azaleas) provide inorganic coverage.
Know Your Plants
Beginning a flower garden can be challenging for beginners. First, define what purpose your garden will serve: Will it serve as a cutting garden to grow flowers for floral arrangements or will it feature native flowers and shrubs that require little maintenance? After making this decision, planning which plants to grow should follow easily.
Take into consideration how much sunlight a plant requires when selecting its environment, for instance flowers requiring full sun will quickly die in shaded beds. Also observe your yard throughout the day to assess how much light there is before selecting an ideal location based on this information. Avoid planting when soil moisture levels are excessive as this can lead to compaction and rot of plants; additionally think about mixing heights for added interest as layers add depth.
Know Your Space
Start from scratch or update existing flower beds, the first step should always be creating a quick layout sketch. Doing so will help guide the planting process while keeping all your ideas organized as you proceed through subsequent steps.
Before choosing flowers that thrive in your climate, you need to carefully evaluate how much sun, shade and wind the area receives. By gathering as much information about the environment as possible, the more accurately can you tailor the growing conditions of the site you select for.
If you’re planning a cutting garden, choose a location out of view of passersby to minimize temptation for overpicking blooms. To attract pollinators more easily, group plants together into drifts and blocks for bees to find more easily. A combination of perennials, shrubs and annuals provides year-round color with staggered bloom times so as to keep your flower garden interesting and keep visitors interested.
Know Your Budget
Start small to ensure a sustainable business model without overspending! When starting out, aim to break even in your first year to avoid unnecessary spending. This will allow you to build a sustainable model without breaking the bank!
Before allocating seed money for COGS and G&A expenses based on estimates that you’ve generated, divide it evenly among COGS expenses like seeds, soil amendments and tools based on priority. Don’t worry if unexpected expenses pop up; try to be as precise as possible in your estimates in order to minimize surprises.
Once you’ve created a budget, ensure to prioritize G&A expenses that support your flower farming operations, such as licenses and websites. Also include any costs related to arranging bouquets (such as sleeves and tape ) before adding labor expenses such as planting/harvesting; make sure you can afford doing the work required so as to realize a return on your investment.