How do you start a flower garden for the first time? Are you interested in growing flowers but don’t know how to get started? If this is the case, rest assured there are many resources that can help you learn how to plant a flower garden. With a little bit of information, you will be well on your way to having fresh flowers in your home for a long time. However, if you’ve always wanted to have a beautiful flower garden but don’t know how to get started, now’s the best time to do it. Following these simple guidelines for beginners will get you off to an excellent start.
Know your venue: When deciding upon the venue for planting your flower garden, keep in mind the climate and location. Flowering perennial flowers will need to be planted in deeper soil, away from trees and other perennials that may try to dislodge them. Perennials that are suited for shady areas, such as lavender, Rosemary, and thyme, should be planted as close to their counterpart as possible. Garden hoses and sprinklers are also good tools to consider using when planting perennial flower gardens. Another tool that you might want to consider investing in is a planting hose, as it makes it much easier to water a flower garden. And finally, don’t forget to put the flowers into the correct pot, especially if you’re planting for the first time.
Get your soil ready: Before planting any flowers, be sure to prepare the soil for them. Make sure it is well-drained and not too full of clay or silt. Also, don’t use garden soil that has been sitting around for a long time. For new flower gardeners, it’s best to start off with small and compact flower pots. Garden planters can be purchased at many gardening stores or even online.
Plant your chosen plants: After selecting the type of plants that you want, get them established on the appropriate potting soil. Some flowers, such as lavender, need to be planted in full sun while others, such as roses, need only partial shade. Be sure to water the plants thoroughly when you first get them established, but make sure they are in direct sunlight all day. Full sun plants will often produce beautiful flowers, but they require more frequent watering. Choose perennials that don’t require much care, such as shrubs, because they won’t need to be watered often.
Use a healthy plant: Most gardeners that have started growing plants in pots and containers will admit to the fact that their first attempts at growing plants in pots and containers were usually a disaster. Soil that is not rich in nutrients, air, or water can produce a disastrous crop if the gardener doesn’t know how to maintain the plant properly. If you’re going to try pot and container gardening, spend some time learning how to take care of the plants, so you won’t end up giving up half the pleasure of growing plants because you failed. Read up on how to choose the best potting soil, how to create the right environment for your plants, and how to feed your plants so they will grow. Once you know how to go about caring for the plants, you will be ready to try your hand at pot and container gardening!
Use early Spring to begin: Most flower gardeners will tell you that the best times to try planting your seeds, or planting your very first flower crop, are in early spring. When it’s warm enough, nature has a way of making almost anything grows, including wildflowers. Of course, we’ve grown flowers in the warm sun all year round, but nature has provided color and beauty in the winter as well. Wildflowers need to have at least six hours of direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day, and sometimes even more. If you can plant your seeds in the fall, they may still need some sun, but they will be well protected from the frosts of winter.
Use mulch: One of the biggest mistakes many flower gardeners make is that they do not mulch their plants. Mulching will help protect the roots of the plants from hard frost, keep soil temperatures consistent, and improve the growth of the plants. Don’t underestimate the effect mulch has on your plants. A deep layer of mulch can help prevent stem breakage, control weeds, and enhance the flower production. To start your flower garden in the fall, make sure to put some mulch over the soil around the roots of your seedlings, but don’t put any mulch on the main trunk of the plants.
Use soil: Soil is another important aspect of flower gardening. Your soil should be enriched with organic matter, such as compost and manure, before you plant anything. Adding organic matter to the soil will help prevent weed seeds from germinating and kill off unwanted pests before you even have a flower crop to worry about. If you are growing flowers for landscape, soil conditioner will also add extra nutrients to the soil. You can use any type of organic matter, such as manure, pine needles, or fruit and vegetable peelings.