Maintaining your Flower Garden
With the arrival of summer, we are all escaping to our outdoor oases – backyards, patios, or even balconies. One thing that can not only improve but bring life, beauty, and that special and unique atmosphere to all of these spaces is a flower garden. If you want some tips and tricks on how to maintain yours and make it last for years to come, keep reading this article.
Perennial Flowers
Perennial flowers live for two or more seasons. Some of them may last only for 3, while others will stay alive for decades. Here's how to make that happen:
The most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to perennials is that they need well-drained, fertile soil with a PH of 6.0 to 7.0.
Water them weekly, adding an inch of water for established plants. Less frequent but deep watering encourages perennials to root deeply. Even though they are said to tolerate drought – they need to become established first. Add some mulch to help prevent too frequent watering.
Annual Flowers
Annual flowers are really just perennials that are not resilient outside of tropical climates. Most gardeners opt for them because they bloom for months and provide a bright and beautiful touch to their gardens all season.
To make sure your annuals are as taken care of as they can be, it is important to plant them as soon as you can after purchase, and not to let them outgrow their pots.
Water them immediately after planting, and do it often – whenever the soil feels dry.
Even if they are in soil rich in organic matter, it helps to feed them with a water-soluble fertilizer every three to six weeks.
And lastly, groom the plants regularly – deadhead, remove faded flowers, don't let seed pods form, and don't be afraid to pinch or prune.
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Rose Bushes
With approximately 150 types of roses, their specific needs may vary from type to type. However, some of their cultural requirements remain consistent:
You will need to water them frequently and deeply while focusing on roots and keeping the leaves dry to prevent any diseases.
Apply some mulch around 3 inches thick around the rose bush base, but keep it away from the stem, and fertilize them every 6 weeks during the growing season, beginning after the last frost.
Do not forget to check for pests as roses attract a variety of them, and be mindful of pruning your roses, as all of the types require it.
Phlox
Phlox are perennials and an all-time favorite – their beautiful colorful flowers, lovely fragrance, and low maintenance make them a frequent guest in almost every garden.
The best time and place to plant them is any place with rich, evenly moist, well-draining soil, in the spring, with some space between them. They are also easier to grow from cuttings or transplants than from seeds.
The rest is fairly easy: water them regularly, put a thin layer of compost and mulch around them each spring, remove the dead or faded flowers, and cut the stems if you have tall phlox.
With this, your flowers will decorate your garden for many years to come!
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