Starting your own flower-picking garden, who doesn't dream of it? And I can't blame you, because it's fantastic. Sowing, planting, and eventually picking a bouquet. I can recommend it to everyone. But what should you keep in mind when you start?
The right spot
The vast majority of popular picking flowers need sun, lots of sun. They grow best where the sun shines all day long. A few hours of shade aren't a problem, but you want at least 5 to 6 hours of sunlight per day.
The soil
There's a lot said and written about the ideal soil for your flowers. And of course, we all want the best, that's logical. But the reality is that we don't have much choice. Whether you have sandy or clay soil, compost is the solution. Compost retains moisture longer and ultimately improves your soil. Adding it at least once a year is ideal.A good layer of 5 to 10 centimeters will do the trick. If you have very heavy clay soil, then the combination of compost and sand is surprisingly good for the structure of your soil.
Fertilizers
Don't go overboard with fertilizers. Many cut flowers like Cosmea or cosmos will grow very large and mainly produce a lot of leaves, with few or no flowers. If you cover the soil well with compost and replenish it annually, everything will grow just fine. And if you do decide to use fertilizers – that's fine, just choose organic fertilizers and ignore the chemical ones.
Start indoors or sow directly in the ground?
That depends on the flower/plant and what type of gardener you are. There's nothing wrong with the 'lazy gardener' who lets nature do its work and prefers to sow directly in the ground. But it's also perfectly fine if you prefer to start indoors. I'm an indoor starter.Starting in pots and containers, transplanting, and giving each little plant its own pot: I think it mainly gives me a sense of control. It's often quite a hassle, but I still enjoy being busy during the sowing season. I also get to decide where everything goes, which is another big advantage in my opinion. Well, I guess I have a bit of OCD.
Just know that pre-sowing is a bit more complicated, but it also has benefits like creating a connection with the whole sowing process and the plants in your garden.
Annuals, biennials, and perennials
The ideal cutting garden, in my opinion, doesn't consist only of annuals. That way, there's always something happening. Sow and plant biennials, but also perennials, and you'll enjoy them for years. And the ultimate tip? Also plant shrubs and bushes to have plenty of cutting greens to fill your bouquets.Cornus is always a great idea because of its beautiful branches, but Chaenomeles or Japanese quince is also a winner in the spring.
