The fun part about flower gardening is choosing the right plants. There are many varieties of annuals and perennials that can be used together in a garden. Even if you prefer the permanence of perennial gardening, it’s not a problem that annuals can fill in some gaps. A few carefully chosen perennials can be used as anchor plants for your garden, giving you the ability to grow new and different annuals each year.
How to Care For Flowers
Even the most difficult plants need some attention to thrive and look their best. The most basic care and maintenance are watering, pruning, fertilizing, and mulching.
Many of these chores are easy to do and don’t require a lot of time. You might also consider staking out unwanted plants or providing winter protection for perennials.
Flower Care & Maintenance Guide
Watering, is the most essential garden requirement, even for drought-tolerant species. The amount of water you need will depend on the climate and water retention of your soil. Clay soil retains water well, while sandy soil allows it to drain quickly.
When the soil is dry to the surface, water established plants. You can make the most of your watering times by making sure to soak the roots thoroughly, not just the top. This encourages plants to grow deeper roots which allows them to survive in hot environments without water. Even established plants that require regular watering may be able to go several days without water.
No matter how much water they need, new plants will require additional water to establish themselves. These plants should be watered when the soil is dry to the top.
Mulching keeps moisture in your soil, which allows you to go longer between watering. Mulch also prevents weeds and adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes. Mulch options include compost, pine needles, and wood chips. Mulch should be placed around the plants for about 2 inches, but it must not touch the crowns.
Fertilizer provides nutrients to plants. There are many types of fertilizer, including liquid and dry. There are fertilizers that increase the blooming of plants.
Pruning is a process that involves pinching, deadheading, and thinning annuals and perennials. These techniques promote compact growth and increase flower production.
Pinching sounds exactly like it: taking a piece of the tip-off a plant. This helps to keep the plants bushier and shorter and encourages flower production. It is a good time for most perennials and annuals to be trimmed in late spring or early summer. Some plants like geraniums or petunias may need to be trimmed more frequently throughout the year to maintain their health.
Deadheading refers to the process gardeners use to remove old flowers. This not only improves the appearance of the plant but also encourages it to produce more flowers than just setting seeds. You can also leave the spent flowers on the plant to encourage seeding. These seedheads can be very attractive, especially in fall.
Thinning is the process of removing all stems from a ground-level plant. This can prevent rangy plants from taking over space. It also allows air to circulate which is important for plants susceptible to mildew.
Cutting back refers to cutting or shearing both stems and flowers at once. This not only removes dead flowers but also improves the overall appearance of the plant. It can also encourage rebloom, especially for low-growing annuals.
Alexandria Florist offers flower care that is very professional and flowers can be purchased at a fair price.