If you love bouquets of fresh-cut flowers around the house, why not grow your own cutting garden? A cutting garden is a flower garden full of flowers perfect for bouquets and other cut-arrangements! How incredible would it be to go to the backyard for fresh-cut flowers instead of to a local nursery or grocery store? Though the name sounds intimidating, it’s actually relatively simple to start your own cutting garden. Keep reading below for a list of easy to grow cutting flowers that are gorgeous. I’ll even share my tried and true tricks to keeping your cutting garden producing all year long.
Allium
I’ll never forget when my eldest found out that Allium plants are really part of the onion family, she couldn’t believe it! This tall, gorgeous flower blooms in bursts of purple, blue, or white, depending on the variety. Because of their long stems, these flowers are great for cutting. You can cut them to a variety of lengths without sacrificing any of the bright bloom. Alliums are a must in any cutting garden.
Zinnia
If you cut deadhead Zinnias correctly, these stunning flowers will bloom consistently all summer long. Zinnias are considered one of the easiest flowers to grow because they require little maintenance, and they bloom rapidly. Expect to see large blooms with a delightful fragrance throughout your garden if you decide to grow these easy flowers this season. Gardeners should remember that Zinnias are annuals and therefore only live one growing season.
Hydrangea
Ask nearly any gardener and we will all rave about how incredible a Hydrangea bush is in any cutting garden. If you get the bush into the ground in early Spring (ideally, this should be done in the fall of the year prior) you can enjoy beautiful blooms starting in mid to late June. Though your hydrangea bush may stop blooming during the heat of the summer months, it will be back in the Fall to go out with a bang. Make sure to plant large plants like this is the back of your cutting garden so it doesn’t drown out the smaller features like Bee Balm or Sweet Pea. Even better, hydrangeas are perennials! Learn more about hydrangeas here.
Bee Balm
Not only are cutting gardens aesthetically pleasing, but they can be great for little creatures like bees, who are growing extinct. They come in a variety of gorgeous colors and their delicious scent is also irresistible to butterflies. Start seeds in the spring or fall, thoroughly watering after sowing. Stick this plant in a corner of your cutting garden that receives full sun, they love it there! Bee balm will also bloom regularly all year long.
Roses
Though they can be finicky to grow and tricky to maintain, there’s nothing like fresh-cut roses from your cutting garden out back! They just smell better than the store bought ones, I think! To keep roses in your cutting garden healthy, happy, and beautiful, place them in well-draining oil in an area that gets 6 hours of full sunlight every day. Gardeners should apply mulch to the base of the rose bushes and avoid splashing the leaves when watering as this causes fungal diseases. Rose bushes do need regular pruning (which often equals tons of beautiful roses to fill a vase or two!) gardeners should read this article for tips.
How To Keep Your Flowers Blooming All Year Long
To keep your cutting garden full of beautiful blooms all year long, there are a few tips and tricks that can help your flower garden produce more. Check them out below:
1. If you have a cutting flower garden, you must harvest once a week, even if you don’t need flowers. The second you stop harvesting, your plant sends the signal to stop blooming. Always cut on a regular schedule.
2.When harvesting, take a container full of cold water and flower preservative out with you. Put the blooms directly in here after cutting.
3. Always use sharp, clean shears.
4. Cut at the base of the stem, even if you don’t need a long flower. Where you cut determines where the next flower grows! You can clean up your cut flowers later.
5. All flower stems should be cut to a 45-degree angle to stimulate future growth.
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