How to Plant a Cut Flower Garden

The best time to plant a cut flower garden is late spring, but it’s never too early to start planning. 

The first step is to decide which flowers you want to grow. The plants that’ll thrive in your cutting garden depend on your hardiness zone. Once you figure out which zone you live in, look for your zone number on the back of most seed packets and plant tags. 

Some of the best flowers for a cutting garden include:

• Zinnias
• Marigolds
• Sunflowers
• Cosmos
• Roses 
• Tulips

Set yourself up for success and pick the best location for your flower garden. Don’t be afraid to consider other areas besides the backyard. A flower garden in front of your house can add a pop of color and boost curb appeal. Or use a few pots if you're short on space. 

Here are a some things to consider:

• Daily Sun Exposure – Observe your yard on a sunny day and take note on which parts receive the most sun, which are shaded for part of the day and which parts receive little to no sun. You can also use a light meter to take away the guesswork. 
• Soil Quality – Take a closer look at your soil. Is it sandy? Mostly clay? Full of rocks? If you don’t have experience successfully growing anything in your yard, use a soil test kit to find out things like the pH, micro-nutrients and nitrogen levels in your soil. 
• Raised Flower Bed vs. In-Ground Planting – Decide if you’d rather plant your garden directly in the ground or prefer a raised flower bed. A raised flower bed allows you to control the exact mix of soil used. You can still add your own soil if you plant in-ground, just lay down a layer of landscape fabric first to keep weeds and grass from invading your garden. A border keeps plants from spreading and makes it easier to mow around.

Once you pick your plants and decided on a location, the next step is to come up with a few flower bed ideas. The way you arrange the flowers within your garden area will make cutting bouquets easier and let you enjoy flowers longer.

Plant your seeds in wide rows so you have enough space to cut the blooms without stepping on or leaning over the other plants. Factor in walkways to give yourself enough room to navigate around your garden. Even the order you plant your flowers makes a difference in your garden's success. 

Group flowers by things like:

• Water Requirement – Some flowers like to be watered more frequently than others. Separating them ensures each part of your garden gets the right amount of water. 
• Height – Arrange your flowers by height to easily see what’s in bloom. Doing this helps ensure the shorter flowers get enough sunlight too.   
• Bloom Schedule – This helps you easily replace or prune your flowers without having dead patches in the middle of your garden.

• Spread Seeds Throughout the Season – Annuals like marigolds and zinnias won’t last an entire growing season. Continue to add new seeds as plants begin to die off so you always have flowers to cut. 
• Add Mulch – Mulch helps keep weeds away and retains moisture. 
• Cut Flowers Regularly – Cutting your flowers encourages more to grow. So, clip often.