Anyone who engages in gardening will tell you that it is among the most wonderful pursuits in their lives!
Think about it, is there anything better than putting your hands in the soil and watching life thrive right in your backyard?
But if your precious buds aren't flourishing into lush blooms, then you could be disregarding a few crucial factors that are vital to growing a full, amazing garden.
Don't worry; even the most skillful gardeners slip up in ways they don't even notice.
Let's explore six of the most common missteps people make in flower gardening. But we won't stop at the problems. We'll look into six quick fixes you can do to remedy them!
Interested in a formal course? Want to get certified as a gardening specialist? Look into associations offering classes in gardening and floristry, like:
National Gardening Organization
American Floral Endowment
American Horticultural Society
Many flower lovers take the value of seasons for granted. For instance, it's easy to get excited planting spring flowers early as soon as winter begins to clear.
On the other side, planting spring flowers too late leaves them open to rising heat. This could inhibit their growth and keep them from flowering.
Follow a flower calendar that corresponds to your area. Stick to it and plant flowers at the suggested times.
Don't hesitate to ask fellow gardeners about the right time to plant certain flowers in your area. You can also contact your local extension service for questions about weather issues and gardening tips.
Most gardeners love to water their plants. It's a ritual that helps you feel deeply connected to your plants. It also presents the opportunity for you to assess if they have any issues or diseases.
Under-watering can also be a huge concern! Certain blooms need moisture that go down deep into the roots. Indicators of under-watering include slow growth, and falling leaves or flowers.
Look up the distinct watering needs of every plant you have. Blossoms like yarrows, lavenders, lantanas, and russian sages don't need a lot of water. By comparison, cannas, elephant's ears, callas, and turtleheads, absolutely love wet feet.
To make things much easier for you, put the plants with the same needs together. This also lowers your chances of over- or under-watering your plants.
If you only have a modest garden or a few plants, hand watering is certainly the way to go. But if you have plants that need a lot of water, an irrigation system could be a huge help for deep watering! This would encourage better growth with a lot less headache for you.
Begin your design by putting accent flowers into your bouquet in groups of three. Make sure to turn your vase as you work. This will help you create a pleasant and eye-catching look.
Every gardener's slogan should be: take care of your soil! It's the foundation for any plant's health and growth, so it also needs a lot of treatment and care.
When soil is rocky and low in quality, it can have critical repercussions on how successfully your flowers flourish. Another factor to consider is whether the soil in your garden is well-suited for the kind of blossoms you want to grow.
Testing your soil is the very first step. Soil tests will give you vital info on its pH level and nutritional composition. It helps you detect nutrient deficiencies. It also lets you determine whether your soil is compatible with the flower types of your choice.
You can do this by reaching out to your trusted nursery or sending it out to a lab. There are also home kits you can buy for soil testing.
The next step is to get your soil in good shape. One of the simplest ways to do this is composting!
You can buy compost, but it's easy to make at home! Compost is usually made up of leaves, clippings, manure, hay, straw, and other organic matter. Make note of the right composting strategies and soil-to-compost ratios for particular buds.
For accent flowers, florists love baby's breath and chrysanthemums. These soft blooms add a tasteful wildflower note into the mix.
As florists, we have our favorites. But above all else, our top priority is ensuring clients get the perfect arrangement they want! This depends on their taste and the event they wish to use it for. Our job is to guarantee they get the most lovely, special bouquets!
Much like in real estate, "location, location, location" is key to flower gardening! Your flowers' growth, health, and vigor depend a lot on where you put them.
Giving them too much or too little sunlight can lead to pest infestations, heat damage, health issues, and other nasty effects.
Another problem is falling for an out-of-state plant and purchasing it, only to learn that it just won't thrive in your home town's environment!
If you're unsure about how much light your plant needs, go to your nearby nursery and see where it's planted. Sun-loving plants may be in much brighter sections than those that favor shade.
Figure out the amount of light your plant needs and, when possible, how much light your home is facing. It can help you put your plants in the best possible area where they'll get the appropriate amount of light they need.
As tempting as it is, try to refrain from buying plants that aren't within your area. Seek advice from local gardening professionals about the flowers that grow best in your region. You can also take a look around your local botanical gardens for ideas on what other plants you can cultivate.
Pruning is one of the most important things your blossoming buds need. They keep flowers free from dead or diseased branches and encourage them to bloom healthily and wonderfully.
But this particular gardening task can be tricky. This is why some gardeners often take on the wrong techniques!
The first is pruning too hard. Some flowering plants produce flowers on old branches or have dormant buds that bloom much later. Cutting all old branches off won't allow them to bloom well.
Next is pruning too early. Flowering plants that blossom late in their growing season should be pruned when they go into dormancy. If you prune too early, they may yield new shoots that are vulnerable to frost damage.
Last on the list is not pruning enough. It's essential to prune dead branches. They suck up all the energy from your plant, which can influence its health and bloom production.
Study the blooming pattern of your plant and create a pruning calendar based on what you study. If you have several blooming plants or shrubs, this calendar will likely vary according to their specific needs.
Take time to learn more about and use the correct pruning strategies for each plant you have!
There may be moments when you'll ask yourself if it's time to nip your gardening dreams in the bud. When you keep finding lifeless or wilting flowers in your browning backyard, it can get quite discouraging.
Remember what attracts you to gardening in the first place. Whether it's the exercise, the peace of mind, the stress relief, or all the above, there's a reason you keep doing it. Going back to square one comes with the process that gives you those wonderful experiences.
Keep trying and keep learning! It doesn't always go right, but when it does, it'll be worth it! With persistence, passion, and care, you can get the garden of your dreams in time.