Whether you’re snipping roses for a sweetheart, turning hydrangeas into a wedding bouquet or arranging tulips into a classy centerpiece, there are few things as fulfilling for a gardener than presenting your work for all to see. But then there’s the dilemma of choosing to cut from your plants and leave them naked or keep the blooms intact outside while your indoors stays drab and flower-less. Why choose when you can have both? Plant a separate garden specifically for cutting and then snip away! Here are some pro tips to a get started on turning your space into a personal flower factory.
Beauty of Spring Tulip looks dazzling in garden and vase.
- Don’t worry about design: This kind of garden is focused on production overall, so don’t fret about keeping to a certain style like in ordinary viewing gardens. Just plant your favorite varieties en masse to get the most out of your garden during the season.
- Veggie Garden Layout: Plant in large plots with spacious rows that allow you easy access to your plants for harvesting and maintenance.
- Maximize space and save time by planting flowers with similar care needs in the same area
- Plant annuals in successions based on their bloom time. Remove finished annuals immediately after their final flush so you can take advantage of the available space
- Modify your plants for your precise needs: Do you want fewer but larger flowers or many smaller ones? The way you prune and train your plants makes all the difference!
‘Mt Aso’ Salix grcilistyla flaunting its fuzzy catkins. Gives arrangements an extra kick!
- Don’t forget foliage! Colorful and interesting foliage amplifies the beauty of any flower arrangement so don’t leave out this important element.
- The easier to cut, the better: Long, single stems with few to no leaves are ideal for cutting (think Amaryllis, tulips, Muscari etc.)
- Choose plants with a longer vase life whenever possible
- Fertilize before planting for best results
- Timing is everything: Some flowers are best cut before they fully open so they can reach maturity after cutting. Pick ones that are just about to bloom and watch then transform your living space with their beauty and fragrance.
- Watch for pollen: if you’re making bouquets for formal events like weddings and proms remember that no one looks good covered in pollen except bees. Choose pollen-free flowers for cleaner, hassle-free bouquets.
- Use the right tools: sharp, high quality sheers make the job of harvesting quick, easy, and fun!
- Bee careful! Bees and other pollinators will flock to your cutting garden just as they would any field of flowers so take caution when collecting your blooms. Harvest during the times that bees are less frequent to avoid unwanted contact, and always wear gloves to prevents bites, stings, and pricks from thorny plants.