Most gardens are made for one of two purposes: harvesting or aesthetics. While homegrown produce farmers can create one that serves both, flower gardeners can do it, too. If you’re a flower gardener, you can grow a flower patch with blooms you can cut and bundle into bouquets.
Becoming a flower farmer sounds easy. But it requires thorough preparation to grow flowers, especially if you’re new to gardening. Before you clear a place in your backyard to start your garden, here are some tips to put you on the right path to producing the healthiest and most beautiful blooms:
1. Put Good Soil On The Right Spot
Garden buds grow into lovely bouquet flowers when you meet all their needs. That includes setting them in the right kind of soil. Potting medium depends on the type of flower you’ll plant. If you’ve never planted flowers before, buy fresh blooms from a florist as practice. You can read this helpful guide to flower care to ensure your potted plants stay healthy.
Aside from using the proper soil and medium, the garden must be in a secure location in your yard with a balance of sun and shade. Too much of either can kill your flowers quickly. Research which blooms require more sunlight or shade and group them on your patch accordingly. That way, you won’t worry about your flowers getting the light and shade they need.
2. Choose Your Blooms
Anyone dreaming of having a beautiful garden wishes to plant as many gorgeous flowers as possible. However, you can only choose some varieties for your garden farm unless you own a spacious yard for growing bouquet flowers. Planting limited kinds of flowers has its benefits. For example, when working with fewer types, preparing soil and watering sprouts will be easier.
Other than popular bouquet staples like roses and chrysanthemums, you can try planting these lovely flowers in this list:
- Alstroemeria or Peruvian Lily
- Amaranth
- Cosmos
- Dahlia
- Zinnia
You may also consider growing accent or filler flowers that add depth, dimension, and texture to bouquets. Some examples include the following:
- Baby’s Breath
- Delphinium
- Feverfew Daisy
- Heather
If you’re new to growing flowers or live somewhere few varieties survive, stick with hardy blossoms that don’t succumb to weeds or drought. The stronger your flowers are, the less likely your garden farm will become bare.
Flowers that have multiple blooms throughout the year are the most ideal. Perennial blossoms, like hydrangeas, will provide bouquet options for several months if you can only plant a few varieties.
3. Plant During The Right Seasons
Spring is the best time to start planting flower seeds since the weather and soil are at the right temperature and quality for their growth. But there are varieties, like wildflowers, you can grow later in the year and survive colder temperatures. In fact, some species can handle the cold so well that winter gardens exist.
Successful farmers are excellent strategists when planting seeds. It’s all about great timing, which you learn by trial and error and research. When in doubt, use a farmer’s almanac specific to your area. You can also check the seed packet’s instructions on when to plant them.
Soon enough, the seeds will grow and bloom in time for events where people buy the most bouquets, like Valentine’s Day and weddings in May. That’s why choosing the right flowers is a must. Various blossoms with different blooming times will change and improve your garden’s beauty while providing you with many cut flowers.
4. Feed And Water Your Flowers Regularly
Every plant needs nutrients to grow well, especially flowers for bouquets. Garden flowers that you cut don’t always need fertilizer, but it’s an excellent addition for healthy blooms.
Choose organic options with balanced levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. Fertilizers with excessive nitrogen are not ideal for flower gardens since these produce fewer flowers and more green growth. Slow-release plant food is another choice to nourish your blossoms. Apply a few tablespoons under each new sapling you plant so they grow quickly.
Watering schedules depend on the flowers you have. Some need daily moisture, while others can go several days without it. You may water them by hand or install a sprinkler or drip system, especially if you have a large garden. If it rains often in your area, limit how much water you give your flowers to avoid drowning them.
5. Deadhead Your Flowers
Deadheading is a necessary practice all flower farmers must do. Flowers can wilt due to age or lack of nourishment, but they may still produce seeds. Before this happens, cut the older heads off to encourage the main plant to continue growing new flowers. You can keep the seed heads as accent pieces to bouquets.
Think of the process as cutting off split ends from your hair. The result is often more beautiful than before, and it’s the same for flowers. So, deadhead your pansies, geraniums, and other blossoms when needed to keep your garden looking attractive with consistent floral growth.
Beautiful Blooms For Any Bouquet
Growing flowers for bouquets and floral arrangements takes time, patience, and perseverance. It also requires enough soil, sun, shade, and water to produce healthy blossoms.
Keep these tips in mind when you’re ready to start planting. The result of well-kept gardens is the most beautiful flowers that’ll bring a smile to people’s faces.