When April showers bring May flowers, you'll need to take proper care so that they bloom through June. This guide will teach you all of the different ways to properly care for and maintain your flower garden. With our gardening tips, you can achieve a yard that is the envy of the entire neighborhood.
Essential Gardening Tips for Beginner Gardeners
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be an expert gardener or have a green thumb to have a blooming and beautiful flower garden. With a few gardening tips and tricks up your sleeve, you can wow friends, family, and even onlookers from the neighborhood with your flowering garden and luscious lawn.
Here are a few easy gardening tips to help you get started:
- Start seedlings indoors in small containers and transfer once two inches of roots have grown
- Prune and pick off dead or dying leaves and blooms
- Choose the right garden mulch
- Set up a watering schedule
With gardening, there is always so much to learn. You don’t have to overwhelm yourself with complex care routines—start with the basics and progress as you see fit. We can help you get started!
Where to Plant a Flower Garden in Your Yard
Planting a flower garden is the first step to establishing the right home for the flowers of your choice. The location of your flower garden can play a significant role in how the flowers grow. You want to make sure it is an area with partial sun and shade and that the soil in that location has optimal moisture conditions.
You don't want guests to step on your flower garden accidentally, so it's best to choose a spot that is out of the way from regular foot traffic. This spot should also be accessible by a garden hose or whichever watering method you choose for your flower garden.
Once you know where to start in your yard, it's time to lay down the soil, mulch, and, of course, pick the flowers you want to plant.
Choosing Blooms for Your Flower Garden
You may want to find flowers for your garden with the aesthetic, color, or design you desire, but it's essential to make sure that those flowers will do well in your region and climate. Finding the right flowers for your garden can depend on several factors.
Factors that Affect What Flowers Will Grow in Your Yard
- Climate
- Soil pH
- Sunlight
- Existing plants
Unfortunately, with all of the best gardening tips in the world, you can’t help a plant grow that was not meant to thrive in your specific climate.
The United States Department of Agriculture uses a plant hardiness zone map that gives the standard for which types of plants can thrive in a given location. So, when you want to choose flowers or any plants, you can start by studying this map to determine which types of plants will thrive in your region.
Before you start buying flats and digging, remember this gardening tip: check which flowers are local to your area and have a reputation for blooming in your region and climate. This guide to planting flowers by zone can help simplify the zone map even more.
For example, if you live in the southwest, you may need plants that withstand high temperatures and don't require much water. In contrast, if you live in an area with harsh winters, you may want to look for flowers that can withstand cold temperatures and frost.
You also want to consider whether you want annuals or perennials in your flower garden. Annual flowers will only last one growing season and then die, while perennial flowers return every spring. Perennials tend to have a shorter period in which flowers are in bloom. You’re not limited to either type of flower life cycle - you can mix both annual and perennial plants into your flower garden.
Easy to Grow Flowers for Beginner Gardeners
Novice gardeners may be looking for all of the gardening tips they can to start a flower garden in their yard. If that’s you, stay tuned for our next gardening tip to help you choose easy-to-grow flowers.
Whether you're a beginner planter or a low-maintenance gardener, you may opt for flowers that require very little care. Luckily, there are plenty of flower types that lend themselves well to a low-maintenance lifestyle.
Low Maintenance and Easy to Grow Flowers
- Sunflowers
- Marigolds
- Begonias
- Daffodils
- Daylilies
- Morning glories
Whether you're starting from seed or transplanting your flowers from a nursery, it's critical to care for your flowers in these early days. Newly planted flowers need adequate nutrients and moisture which come from the soil. So, stay tuned for our next gardening tip on caring for your soil. But first, let's start by learning why soil health matters when growing durable, healthy plants.
Why Healthy Soil Matters
You cannot have healthy, thriving plants without a good foundation. Healthy soil is essential for all plant life, even grass, to grow durable and tall. If you notice that your plants are not growing, are starting to yellow, or are otherwise looking worse for the wear, it might be a sign of nutrient imbalance in the soil.
You don't have to dig up your plants to nourish your soil. With lawn fertilizer, you can quickly treat and condition the soil. With some fertilizers, you can even begin to see results in the first two weeks.
Gardening Tip: Ground Preparation
Our next gardening tip covers ground preparation when planting a new flower garden, flower bed, or new plant. New plants require adequate space in the ground to grow and spread their roots. Well-established plants will have roots that are several inches long, and those roots will need plenty of space to grow under the ground. Though you can't always dig up several inches of the ground to make sure it's clear, you can clear the surface of the soil with ease.
You can prepare the ground of your flower garden for new plants by taking these steps:
- Clear rocks, dead plants, and other debris from the soil
- Rake soil to loosen it for planting
- Fertilize soil that is nutrient imbalanced
This ground preparation is the same for transplanting sod or planting new grass seeds, too. No matter what type of plants are going into the ground, it's essential to make sure the ground will help them develop their roots and give these plants the ability to properly uptake nutrition and hydration.
Finding a Routine That Works
When you have a new flower garden or are working on maintaining your existing flower garden, establishing a care routine that works for you and your plants is vital and one of the best gardening tips we can offer. When you have a go-to routine to take care of your plants, you don't have to spend as much time thinking and planning out exactly what needs to be done.
In addition, a proper maintenance and care routine ensures all tasks will be complete because you've already predetermined the work and frequency of completion. As you find a yard care routine that works for you, you can always work to simplify and perfect it for your yard's ever-changing needs. Think about what your plants require daily, weekly, monthly, and per season basis to get started. Then, once you understand these needs, jot down how you can break up these tasks.
Not sure what your routine for proper plant care should be? We’ve got you covered! Let’s learn how to rid your flower garden of pesky, unsightly weeds.
Weeding Your Flower Garden
Weeds in your flower garden can quickly crowd the soil. Not only are they competing for nutrients and water, but weeds are also an eyesore and can potentially carry pests and diseases. To prevent weeds from popping up in your flower garden, we recommend laying down garden mulch. If weeds have taken over, we can help you develop a plan of attack to eradicate them.
Follow these gardening tips to tackle overgrown and out of control weeds:
Step 1: Remove weeds from the root
Step 2: Carefully and quickly discard weeds into a plastic bag or container that will prohibit the weeds from seeding and spreading when moved
Step 3: Cover large patches of soil that weeds can grow in with flowers or grass seed
If your garden or grass weeds are far too overgrown, you can weed your yard in sections so that the task is more manageable.
How Much Water Do Flowers Need?
When it comes to watering your yard, different plants require different amounts. Whether you're using a manual garden hose, sprinkler attachment, or an underground sprinkler system, you can plan for different parts of your yard to be watered differently by measuring the amount of time and, therefore, water, that area will receive. The best way to make sure your flower garden is receiving enough water is to set up a watering schedule to follow.
If you’re using an automated sprinkler system, you can adjust the sprinkler zone near your flower garden to more or less than other areas of your yard. Whichever method you prefer, it's critical to plant growth to receive proper hydration, especially in the scorching summer months.
Gardening Tip: Ground Fertilizer
As we've mentioned before, healthy soil plays a huge role in helping plants to grow strong. When your soil is out of balance, you can quickly correct the ratio of soil nutrients by applying a lawn fertilizer to the ground. With so many different blends of critical macronutrients, you will be sure to find a product that your yard will appreciate.
Our liquid lawn fertilizer products have an easy-to-use application that allows you to get the job done in minutes. Unlike granular fertilizers, liquid lawn fertilizers absorb quickly and act fast. Compare and contrast granular fertilizers and liquid fertilizers so you can learn which one is best for your yard.
If you are hosting an event at your home and are looking for green plants and grass in a hurry, we have an excellent gardening tip for last-minute fertilization with our green boosters. So whether you need a green booster for your grass, flower garden, or even food for houseplants, we have you covered.
Reviving Your Flower Garden from Winter Garden Damage
If you live in an area with harsh winters, this season of frost and freeze can take a toll on your flower garden. If you think your plants didn't make it through the winter weather, you may be surprised by these gardening tips to revive your flowers.
The first gardening tip we have post-winter is to look for any green. Gently scrape back any leaves or stems to check for green color without causing further damage to your plant. If this test gives you hope that your plant is still alive, take the necessary steps to prune any dead leaves and stems and decide whether you want to re-pot the plant or let it warm up in its current environment.
Remember, many of the plants in your flower garden can still be in their season of dormancy, and, with patience, you may be able to revive even more of your favorite flowers. Check out these tips to prepare your flower garden for the winter weather to reduce the plants' damage.
Flower Gardening Tips for Every Season
It's hard to think that we need to take care of our garden in the winter, but in reality, there are specific gardening tips that can help your plants stay stronger and not only survive but thrive through every season. Caring for your garden doesn't have to be a full-time job.
With the proper techniques and products, you can simplify your garden care routine. Every season, there are a few aspects of gardening that you can focus on to make sure your flowers are growing strong and healthy.
You want to ensure your plants receive enough hydration in the summer seasons so that they don't dry out in the hot sun. The full sun and high temperatures can take a negative toll on delicate plants. Your flower garden must have the proper shade they need to avoid overheating and sunburns.
When fall comes around, it's likely time for another fertilization. Fall is also a great time to plant perennial bulbs for spring sprouting. In winter, it's crucial to protect your plants as much as possible from frost and freeze. This could mean using plant covers or transplanting them to a warmer place. In the spring, it's crucial to clean up the flower garden of any old and dead debris and add some fertilization.
Now that you are well on your way to growing a healthy flower garden, check out how you can get your lawn spring-ready in just seven tips!
