Growing Cut Flowers at Home: A Beginner’s Guide
Home gardeners interested in growing their own cut flowers can start with a range of easy-to-grow annuals, suitable for various conditions and seasons. For beginners, annuals are a practical starting point because they can be grown from seed and some can be planted directly into the garden. It’s helpful to group these plants into cool-season and warm-season categories, based on their tolerance to frost and temperature preferences.
For cool-season flowers, snapdragons and sweet William are strong options. These are often started indoors as transplants. Seedlings should be planted out in the garden when they have at least two sets of true leaves. These cool-season annuals can be planted in the fall and overwintered, particularly in Zone 7 and warmer climates. They won’t grow much in the winter, but they resume active growth in early spring, producing blooms early in the season. Additionally, some cultivars of these flowers can be planted in the spring for summer blooms. For instance, snapdragons in groups 3 and 4, such as the Rocket series, tolerate summer heat. Certain cultivars of sweet William, like the Sweet and Amazon series, do not require a cold period, making them suitable for spring planting as well.
Warm-season annuals, such as sunflowers and zinnias, are ideal for beginners. These should be planted after the last frost, either by direct seeding or starting in the house as transplants. Starting with transplants offers greater control over spacing and plant placement. Sunflowers and zinnias both grow well in plug trays and can be planted when their roots are well developed, and the risk of frost has passed. Hardening off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions helps prepare them for transplanting.
Other warm-season flowers include celosia and cosmos. These offer visual interest and blend well in arrangements. For filler foliage try basil. It is a practical and fragrant option. It can be harvested multiple times and even produces attractive blooms, and you can use some in the kitchen too. Basil seeds are smaller, so planting in a tray and transplanting is generally preferred.
Starting seeds indoors about four weeks before the last frost can extend the blooming period. Transplants will flower earlier than direct-seeded plants, allowing for a natural succession of blooms throughout the growing season.
When planning a cut flower garden, giving flowers their own designated space can encourage cutting for indoor arrangements. Alternatively, flowers can be mixed into existing landscape beds for aesthetic value, though this may make it harder to harvest them, because they look so good where they are. Regardless of layout, cut flowers generally perform best in full sun with access to water.
Related Videos:
Boost Your Bloom: How to Pinch Cosmos for More Flowers!
Flower Seed Passalong Favorites
Collecting Flower Seeds
Related Resources:
Growing Cut Flowers for Joy
Start to Finish: Growing a Cut Flower Garden
For cool-season flowers, snapdragons and sweet William are strong options. These are often started indoors as transplants. Seedlings should be planted out in the garden when they have at least two sets of true leaves. These cool-season annuals can be planted in the fall and overwintered, particularly in Zone 7 and warmer climates. They won’t grow much in the winter, but they resume active growth in early spring, producing blooms early in the season. Additionally, some cultivars of these flowers can be planted in the spring for summer blooms. For instance, snapdragons in groups 3 and 4, such as the Rocket series, tolerate summer heat. Certain cultivars of sweet William, like the Sweet and Amazon series, do not require a cold period, making them suitable for spring planting as well.
Warm-season annuals, such as sunflowers and zinnias, are ideal for beginners. These should be planted after the last frost, either by direct seeding or starting in the house as transplants. Starting with transplants offers greater control over spacing and plant placement. Sunflowers and zinnias both grow well in plug trays and can be planted when their roots are well developed, and the risk of frost has passed. Hardening off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions helps prepare them for transplanting.
Other warm-season flowers include celosia and cosmos. These offer visual interest and blend well in arrangements. For filler foliage try basil. It is a practical and fragrant option. It can be harvested multiple times and even produces attractive blooms, and you can use some in the kitchen too. Basil seeds are smaller, so planting in a tray and transplanting is generally preferred.
Starting seeds indoors about four weeks before the last frost can extend the blooming period. Transplants will flower earlier than direct-seeded plants, allowing for a natural succession of blooms throughout the growing season.
When planning a cut flower garden, giving flowers their own designated space can encourage cutting for indoor arrangements. Alternatively, flowers can be mixed into existing landscape beds for aesthetic value, though this may make it harder to harvest them, because they look so good where they are. Regardless of layout, cut flowers generally perform best in full sun with access to water.
Related Videos:
Boost Your Bloom: How to Pinch Cosmos for More Flowers!
Flower Seed Passalong Favorites
Collecting Flower Seeds
Related Resources:
Growing Cut Flowers for Joy
Start to Finish: Growing a Cut Flower Garden