5 Essential Tips for Growing Beautiful Flowers: A Beginner’s Guide to Flower Gardening

Growing flowers can be so much fun! Throw some seeds in a pot with some dirt, water it and get that party started in the pot! I can say that growing flowers can be a wonderful and rewarding experience, especially for beginners. It is such a joy watching your first seed, germinate, and pop out of the dirt with a little piece of green growth! Flowers add beauty, color, and fragrance to any garden. And with the right care and attention, they can transform your garden space and make it absolutely stunning. So, let's get down to my five tips to get you started in growing flowers.

Choose the Right Location

The first step in growing flowers is to choose the right location. Flowers need plenty of sunlight to grow and bloom. It's essential to choose a spot that gets the amount of sunlight needed for your specific flower. Check the back of your seed packet, or the tag in the pot when you bought the flower. If you have a shaded area, you can still grow particular flowers that tolerate less sun, such as impatiens or begonias. You'll also need to make sure that the soil is well-drained, as standing water can lead to root rot.

Prepare the Soil

The next step in growing flowers is to prepare the soil. Flowers need well-draining soil. If you are planting directly in the ground, you may want to test your soil before you begin. If planting in a pot, you can use a potting soil especially formulated for flowers. However, the regular potting soil from Dollar General is just fine for growing flowers and vegetables. You will also need to add slow-release fertilizer to help provide nutrients for the flowers throughout the growing season.

Choose the Right Plants

Choosing the right plants is critical for success when growing flowers. Some flowers are easier to grow than others, so it's essential to choose plants that are well-suited to your climate and growing conditions. I like to check my Garden Zone and research which flowers grow well in my particular zone. I recommend easy-to-grow flowers for beginners that include marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, and petunias. These plants are hardy and can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, making them a great choice for novice gardeners. Before you fill up that cart with a bunch of flowers, make sure you have the right location picked out according to the needed sunlight amount the planting instructions call for.

Water Properly

Watering is critical for the health and growth of your flowers. Flowers need regular watering to stay healthy, but it's essential not to overwater them. I do the finger test, I poke my finger down in the dirt up to the first knuckle, if it's dry, give it a drink. But be careful not to overwater, as this can lead to root rot. The best way to water flowers is to water deeply and infrequently. This means watering the soil around the plants rather than the plants themselves. You can use one of these plant watering globes to allow the plant to receive water slowly over a longer period of time. You can also use a drip irrigation system or a soaker hose, if your flowers are in a bed, to water your flowers. Any of the above mentioned are easy ways to provide a slow, steady supply of water to the plants' roots.

Deadhead Regularly

Finally, one of the most critical aspects of growing flowers is deadheading. Deadheading means to remove the dead, spent blooms from your plants to encourage new growth and more blooms. This practice also helps to keep your flowers looking neat and tidy, but it also helps to prolong the flowering season. Deadheading is easy to do – simply pinch off the dead blooms or use a pair of scissors to cut them off. I also take time to sort of pick through the plant if needed to remove any yellowing or damaged leaves. Removing damaged leaves helps the plant to devote more nutrients to the actual growing parts of the plant and keeps the plant healthy and vibrant.

Mama Knows Best: Mama says when you are pruning or deadheading you should cut about 1/3 of the growth of the plant. For example, if your rose bush is 9 feet tall you can cut 3 feet.

MAMA'S BONUS TIP:

After you are finished deadheading, take the remnants and put in a brown paper bag. Put the paper bag in a cool, dark, place. This allows them to dry out properly and you can use them the following year!

Growing flowers is a wonderful and rewarding experience that can bring beauty, color, and fragrance to your garden. These simple tips will help you get started on the right foot and ensure that your flowers create a beautiful garden space for you. If you have questions or need help, shoot me an email, [email protected], or join my Facebook Group, Beginner Gardeners Start Here.