It’s Spring in Columbus, Ohio! April is Lawn And Garden Month, and it’s a great time to start gardening.
If you love having fresh flowers indoors and out, plant a cutting garden! Columbus is a great place to grow a variety of flowers for cutting. Starting a cut flower garden may seem intimidating, but with the right planning and preparation, you can have a beautiful and bountiful garden in no time.
- Choose a location: The first step in starting a cut flower garden is choosing the right location. Look for an area in your yard that receives at least six hours of sunlight each day. Make sure the soil is well-drained and fertile. If you have clay soil, consider amending it with organic matter such as compost or peat moss. If you don’t have enough sunny locations, look for flowers and greenery that does well in part shade.
- Decide on the flowers: The next step is deciding on the flowers you want to grow. Consider choosing a mix of annuals and perennials so that you have blooms throughout the growing season. Some popular cut flowers that grow well in Columbus include zinnias, sunflowers, daisies, asters, and dahlias. You may also want to consider adding foliage plants such as ferns and ornamental grasses for added texture and interest.
- Start seeds or buy plants: Once you have decided on the flowers you want to grow, you can start seeds indoors or buy plants from a local nursery. Starting seeds indoors allows you to get a head start on the growing season, but buying plants can save you time and ensure that you have healthy plants to start with.
- Prepare the soil: Before planting your flowers, prepare the soil by removing any weeds and adding compost or other organic matter. You may also want to test your soil pH to make sure it is within the appropriate range for the plants you want to grow.
- Plant your flowers: Once the soil is prepared, it’s time to plant your flowers. Follow the planting instructions for each type of flower, taking care to space them appropriately and water them well after planting.
- Maintain your garden: To keep your cut flower garden looking its best, it’s important to maintain it throughout the growing season. This includes watering regularly, fertilizing as needed, and deadheading spent blooms to encourage more flowers to grow.
- Harvest your flowers: Finally, it’s time to harvest your flowers. When harvesting, choose blooms that are just starting to open and cut them early in the morning when they are the freshest. Use sharp, clean scissors or shears and cut the stems at an angle to ensure they can take up water easily.
Starting a cut flower garden in Columbus, Ohio, can be a fun and rewarding experience. With a little planning and preparation, you can have a beautiful garden that provides you with fresh flowers all season long.
Need Some Help?
Of course, there are many Lowe’s and Home Depot locations across Central Ohio. We’ve also got local garden centers including Strader’s, Oakland Nurseries, and Hoover Gardens in Westerville. If you haven’t had a chance yet, check out these garden centers and #supportlocal.
