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Growing Flowers
A CUTTING GARDEN
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This year as you select annual flowers to add color and fragrance to your
garden, consider ones that will do double duty -- in the garden and inside
your home. Growing a cutting garden allows you to enjoy your flowers up
close every time you pass the vase, which is apt to be more often than
you get out into the garden. Here are some wonderful choices for cut
flowers, including a few perennials. Choose medium to tall varieties and
plan on growing at least six of each type to ensure an abundance of
blooms.
* Asters (Callistephus chinensis)
* Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta; perennial)
* Cockscomb (Celosia)
* Coreopsis (Coreopsis; perennial)
* Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
* Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena)
* Larkspur (Consolida ambigua)
* Lavatera (Lavatera)
* Scabiosa (Scabiosa)
* Snapdragons (Antirrhinum)
* Sunflower (Helianthus)
* Zinnia (Zinnia)
Annual Vines
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As you are planning your summer garden, be sure to include some
annual flowering vines. Whether climbing up a trellis, a fence, or a
tree, or sprawling over a slope, these vines can add whimsy, bold
color, and interesting texture to your garden in a very short time.
Try some of these easy-to-grow choices: twining snapdragon
(Asarina), Love-in-a-puff or balloon vine (Cardiospermum halicacabum),
cup-and-saucer vine or mountain glory vine (Cobaea scandens),
hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab), morning glory, (Ipomoea), cardinal
climber (Ipomoea multifida), sweet pea (Lathyrus odorata), black-eyed
Susan (Thungergia alata), and nasturtium (Tropaeolum). Here are some
guidelines to growing them:
* Most vines can be sown directly into the garden as soon as the danger
of frost has passed. Keep the seeds moist.
* Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil of moderate fertility.
Add some compost to improve drainage if needed.
* Avoid overfertilizing with nitrogen, which will encourage foliage at
the expense of flowers. Use a fertilizer that has a higher percentage of
phosphorus than nitrogen, such as a 5-10-5 (nitrogen is the first number,
phosphorus is the second, potassium is the third).
* Provide support for the vines when you plant the seeds. Some plants
will climb up a stake, but many (such as sweet peas) prefer to cling to a
trellis or netting or string. Place the supports close to the seeds so the
vines can easily reach them. You may need to help them get started
upwards.
* You can also grow these vines in containers. Use a well-draining potting
soil and provide a trellis for the vines to climb. These movable gardens
work especially well with fragrant flowers, which you can locate next to
sitting areas on the deck or patio.
Seed Annuals Outdoors
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One of the easiest flower gardens to grow is one comprised of annual
flowers that can be sowed directly into the ground. In this newsletter,
we'll focus on some all-time favorites: cleome, cosmos, larkspur,
sunflowers, and zinnias. Here are some general tips for growing these
reliable beauties:
1. Choose a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sun per day.
Prepare your soil for planting by incorporating aged manure or
decomposed compost, removing rocks, and raking the soil to form a
smooth, level surface.
2. Plant larger seeds, such as sunflowers, directly where you want them
to grow. Sow smaller seeds, such as larkspur, by shaking the seed
packet over the surface of the soil. The seed packet contains guidelines
for how deeply to plant the seeds and whether or not to cover them with
soil. Even if the seeds are left uncovered, be sure to gently press them
into the soil.
3. Water with a misting or sprinkling nozzle on your garden hose or
watering can. Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate.
4. When seedlings develop their second set of true leaves, you may
need to remove some of the seedlings to achieve proper spacing
between plants. Try to leave the largest, most vigorous plants.
Snip the stems with small scissors. (I know this is hard, but it's got
to be done!)
5. If you plan to cut most of the flowers, sow some seeds every two
weeks for as long as your growing season will permit. This will
ensure more continuous flowering.
Here are some specific recommendations for these annuals:
Cleome
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Cleome seeds need a cold treatment before germination, so place
your seed packet in the refrigerator for 2 weeks before planting.
Cosmos
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Cosmos tolerate dry, sandy soils and will flower better if they are not
fertilized. Pinch back young plants to encourage branching.
Larkspur
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Larkspur seeds need a cold treatment before germination, so place
your seed packet in the refrigerator for 2 weeks prior to planting.
Sunflowers
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If your garden is just for cut flowers, you can space the sunflowers
closer together and skip the fertilizer. Rich soils and wide spacing
encourage the plants to produce flowers that may be too large for
bouquets.
Zinnias
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Pinch back young plants to encourage branching.
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