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Tip #
1. When growing flowers, start with
a good soil mix. Make sure it is light
and airy, and rich in nutrients. If the soil is
clayey or heavy, it may retain too much moisture
or suffocate the plant. This is true whether you
are planting in containers, forcing bulbs, or preparing
your garden beds. |
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Tip # 2.
Most flowering plants and
bulbs need proper watering to thrive. Too much water
or too little can be harmful. Discoloration of leaves
is an indication of a watering problem, If you can
squeeze water from a handful of soil, then the plant
has too much water. Water your plants gently, allowing
them to drink slowly and being careful not to drench
them all at once, which may give them a shock. |
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Tip
# 3. Some plants and flower bulbs
prefer to be watered from beneath, so that they
can absorb the amount they need slowly and hydrate
as they wish. |
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Tip
# 4. Be careful not to leave container
plants sitting in stagnant water that drains
from a watering. Stagnant water causes plants to
become too moist. Placing a few rocks or pebbles
in the saucer allows excess water to drain. |
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Tip
# 5. Most flowering plants
benefit from misting with cool water.The cooler
temperature aids exterior water absorption and refreshes
the plant. |
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Tip
# 6. Water plants and flowers
in the garden when the sun is low, either morning
or evening. Do not water them in the heat of the
day, when water on the flowers and leaves may scorch
the plant. |
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Tip
# 7. Proper fertilization
is helpful. Nutrients are important to a plant's
development, but be careful not to overfertilize:
More is not always better. Read instructions carefully
and follow the guidelines.Too much fertilizer actually
harms plants, inhibiting instead of promoting growth.
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Tip
# 8. Cut flowers in the
morning or evening. Flowers cut at midday may not
hold up. |
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Flower
Growing Tip # 9. Flowers from the
garden are the best source for cutting.
However, when your garden is not producing in abundance,
buy plants from nurseries, greenhouses, florists
and grocery stores. The flowers are still growing
and can be kept until they are used. Cut what you
need to use and allow the plant to produce more
flowers. |
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Tip # 10a. When
forcing bulbs to bloom in winter,
plant them shoulder to shoulder and leave the top
one-third to one-half of the bulb exposed to prevent
rot. Close planting and partial exposure cut down
on excess moisture and allow a greater show of flowers.
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Tip
# 10b. Gently scrape away the dry
roots on the bottom of the bulb. It will
root more quickly and be less likely to rot. |
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Tip
# 11a. Place rocks or broken terra-cotta
pieces in the bottom of the container before planting
to help with drainage.
Tip # 11b. Mixing
a little sand and horticultural charcoal into
the soil mixture also helps drainage and keeps
the soil fresh. |
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Tip
# 12. When planting bulbs outside, they
should generally be planted at a depth of two and
one-half times their diameter. Bulbs planted too
deep or too shallow will not perform as well. |
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Flower
Growing Tip # 13. Make sure bulbs and plants
are not crowded when planted — the roots need
room to grow if the plant is to flourish. |
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Tip
# 14. Cutting back garden plants
after their flowering period or to produce more
flowers should follow one rule: Only cut back what
is dry and discolored. While a plant is green, it
is still in its cycle, and cutting back too soon
can actually inhibit growth for the next year. |
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Tip
# 15. Multiflowering plants
should be trimmed back as the blossoms are spent
to encourage more blooms to develop. |
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Tip
# 16. Some plants, such as delphinium, can
be fooled into blooming a second time. Once a flower
has bloomed, cut the entire plant back to the ground,
leaving only the base of foliage. The plant will
actually force itself to produce a second flower.
It may lack some of the height and bloom count of
the first, but for the most part will produce a
second beautiful flower. |
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Tip
# 17. Some plants can be forced to become
larger. When the plant sends up its initial flower
stalk, cut the stalk back to the base of the leaves.
The plant will then send up multiple shoots, producing
more flowers. |
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Tip
# 18. To produce a large flower
from a plant that usually produces several blossoms,
focus on one bud, trimming the others away so the
plant can focus its energy. This method is known
as "disbudding." |
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Tip
# 19. Plants should be divided every few
years to give them a vigorous new start and make
them stronger bloomers. Wash away the soil from
the roots before you make the division, so that
you can see the best place to cut or pull. Be sure
to leave a good clump of roots for each section. |
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Tip
# 20. When growing plants
from seeds, make sure not to crowd them, as
this will inhibit growth. If seedlings appear
crowded, pull the smallest and weakest, concentrating
on the healthy ones. |
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Tip
# 21. Protect your garden with nutrient-rich
mulch over the winter, concentrating on the most
frost-sensitive plants that need extra protection
to survive. Plant flowers according
to your temperature zone if you want plants to return
and thrive every year. Some perennials can be planted
as annuals in cooler climates. |
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