Decorating your back backyard area with gorgeous seasonal bouquets is a fantastic idea. You can transform your backyard into a cutting garden this spring. With the presence of flowers, your backyard will become your favorite place in your house.
By growing attractive flowers you will field a sense of peace and satisfaction. I know you are thinking about where to begin. Planning is very important, so you should make a perfect strategy.
Reading gardening books to expand your thinking can be helpful but it may happen that you feel more confused than ever. This article can be helpful and guide you to what you need to know for designing a backyard cutting garden.
Growing flowers in your backyard can be more challenging than it seems. There are many natural elements that you have to control. A perfect plan will increase your chances of success. I will share with you some tips and secrets to avoid many time-consuming mistakes.
Planning A Backyard Cutting Garden
Before deciding which blooms you want to grow in your cut flower garden you must think about some important elements such as size, shape, and position.
1- How Do You Map A Backyard Cutting Garden
You can draw a map on paper very easily. This is a rough draft that will help you to visualize your backyard cutting garden. Make sure the compost heap and water supply are nearby so you can easily access them.
You should design your cutting garden so that you can easily access all the plants. Build your beds in such a way that you can easily walk around your beds.
This will help you to take flowers from all sides of the beds. You must select a sunny area for the flowering plants that need more sunlight. There are some plants that can grow well in the shade so you can grow them in your shaded area. A good strategy will help your plants to thrive well.
2- How Much Space Do You Need For A Backyard Cutting Garden?
There are no fixed rules about the space you need for a backyard cutting garden. You can grow your cutting garden on any size of spot. You can design your garden according to the area you have.
You should select plants that can easily adjust to the size of your backyard. If you are growing plants in pots then you should keep in mind the mature size of plants. If you have a small space in your backyard
3- How To Choose The Best Cut Flowers?
After preparing your site for your backyard cutting garden. The next step is choosing the right cut flowers. There are different types of flowering plants that make your flowering arrangement wonderful. During the selection of flowering plants, you must be very careful.
1- GLADIOLUS
You can plant this adorable beautiful flowering plant in spring. Gladiolus produces blooms during the summer. This is a taller plant so you should give it a place in the back.
2- SUNFLOWERS
Your cutting garden will become more beautiful after the addition of sunflowers. They are wonderful cut flowers so you must add them to your list for planting in your backyard garden.
You can select taller or medium-height varieties. Sunflower Sunshine and Teddy Bears Sunflowers are wonderful varieties.
3- HOLLYHOCKS
This is a perennial flowering plant as it will come back every year you can easily grow it from seeds. Although it is not a great cut flowering plant the look of the blooms is so attractive.
4- ZINNIAS
These are very easy-to-grow cut flowers. Their appearance in your backyard garden will enhance the view. If you are a beginner then you must select zinnias. The popular varieties of zinnias are Envy, Big Red, and Dancing Girls.
5- CONEFLOWERS
Coneflowers are heat and drought-tolerant. They need a little maintenance and bloom for months. These unique perennial flowers come in different shades such as red, yellow, orange, and pink.
You must choose a sunny spot for growing coneflowers because too much shade causes powdery mildew. To make your soil richer, you must add 2 to 4 inches of compost at the top. If you grow cornflowers from seeds then the germination process will take 3 to 4 weeks.
6- SNAPDRAGON
The flower heads resemble the snout of a dragon, that’s why we called it snapdragon. You can choose tall or dwarf varieties for your backyard cutting garden. Use rich, well-drained, and acidic soil.
Keep the soil moist with regular watering. Snapdragon can tolerate partial shade and flowers come in purple, orange, yellow, white, red, and pink. This is a slow grower so it is better to buy plants from any local nursery or gardening store.
7- AMARANTHUS
You can easily start amaranthus from seeds with sufficient light and heat. You should not cover the seeds of amaranthus with soil because they need light for the germination process.
The suitable temperature for the germination process is above 70° Fahrenheit. Make sure this amazing cutting flowering plant receives full sun otherwise it will end up with leggy sprouts.
If you are living in a warm climate then amaranthus will be the perfect choice for you. 12 to 18 inches of spacing is recommended so each plant will get room to grow. For floral designs, you can take off the top of the growing tip of the young plant.
8- ROSES
Roses are fragrant flowers that are used in floral designs. There are over 150 varieties of roses found in the world. The famous varieties are Alba, Floribundas, Grandifloras, Bourbons, Rugosas, Hybrid Tea, Damask, and miniature roses.
If you want blooms sooner from your roses plants then you must buy large potted plants. The best time to plant roses is in fall or spring. For planting roses, you dig a hole twice as deep and wide as the plant you bought. A newly planted rose plant needs water to adjust to the new environment.
Read More:
- 20 Self-Seeding Flowers, Herbs & Veggies You Will Never Have To Plant Again
- Flowering Plants For Very Small Pots
- 20 Shade-Loving Flowering Plants
- How To Make Flower Bed Out Of Deck?
4- Planting Your Flowers
You can plant cut flowers from seeds easily. The other easy way is to buy young plants from any local nursery or gardening store. So you don’t have to wait for the germination of seeds and the development of your plants.
Although it can be costly to buy plants it is an easy way for beginners to start their backyard cutting garden.
If you are an experienced gardener and know about many flowering plants then growing from seeds can also be chosen. Weather conditions play a very important role in the germination process of your seeds.
It is better to start your seeds indoors and transplant them outside when the seedlings are ready. You can also sow seeds directly in the ground of your cutting garden. It is an inexpensive way of growing your favorite cut flowers.
4- Best Practices For Beautiful Blooms
- Whether you’re planting the seeds or transplanting the seedlings they don’t need water. Keep the soil moist but avoid overwatering. When you see the seedlings turn into bigger and stronger plants then you can increase the frequency of water according to their need.
- When your seedlings have grown stronger and taller than you must apply mulch around them to keep the soil moist. Mulching also helps to prevent your plants from weeds. Weeds are unwanted plants that can steal nutrients from the soil and there is a competition between your favorite flowering plants and weeds for food.
- If weeds are becoming a problem for you then hand pulling is the best way to get rid of them. But if the weeds get bigger and stronger then you can use a hoe or any other tool for serious weeding.
5- Harvesting And Arranging
Your hard work pays off when you fill your vase with freshly cut colorful flowers. Creating your own flower arrangements is a good hobby with gardening.
You must have knowledge and consideration about the harvesting of cutting flowers for a successful arrangement. Delicate flowers need special care at the time of harvesting.
You should be careful about the plant type and weather conditions because they can influence the presentation of your cut flowers.
Before harvesting, you should prepare your tools. Before using you must clean gardening shears and buckets so the bacteria will not introduce into the stems.
The best time of picking the flowers is when you see the flowers showing colors. Make sure you pick the flowers in the morning because at that time their stems are fully turgid.
Never pick the flowers when it’s too hot. Before arranging the flowers, you should put the stems in a bucket of water.
You must cut the stems at a 45-degree angle. After harvesting, put the flowers into a bucket filled with water. Make sure the stems don’t have leaves because they will be set below the water level of the bucket.
If you add floral preservatives to the water then it will help flowers to draw water and rehydrate.
