The Cutting Garden
This is my first year with an area of the garden dedicated to cut flowers. Even with them being specifically planted for this reason, I still have a hard time cutting them. The truth is, I enjoy flowers much more in their garden setting than inside the house. I have been cutting a few bouquets here and there, but for the most part I enjoy them in the flowers. The pollinators are loving them as well!
Adding flowers to the vegetable garden is definitely a wonderful thing to do. Not only does it make the space more colorful, they really attract a wide variety of insects and pollinators. I’ll definitely continue having a cutting garden space, even if I never cut flowers from it.
What’s your favorite cut flower for indoor bouquets?
Filed under Around the Garden | Comments (7)
Beautiful! I’m much like you – I plant flowers in the garden, but rarely cut them. I just enjoy having them brighten up the garden and the pollinators they bring. My kids love watching the butterflies come visit all the blooms!
Zinnias are a favorite, but I also have some cosmos and bachelor’s buttons. I hope to add more in the future, though!
to Beth's comment
Do you direct seed most of your cutting flowers or do you start from seed and transplant?
to Megan's comment
I do both, depends on the variety and if I want successions for cutting. Some are also volunteers that I let self sow here and there around the garden.
to Susy's comment
Your flowers are beautiful, Susy. I would also like to know if you start seeds, direct sow or do you buy your flowers already started? My real question, though, is weed control. How do you possibly keep on top of your many gardens? I know you work from home but you must have a good routine to stay ahead of the weeds. Have you got any tips for some of us who maybe aren’t doing as well? Lol
to Jill's comment
I direct sow a few flowers, the varieties that like heat and don’t bloom until it’s hot anyways, zinnias are a great example of these types of flowers. I also allow some things to self sow here and there, especially fox glove, larkspur, sunflowers, etc. Some I start in flats, like tithonia, salvia, alyssum, snapdragons, etc.
I stay on top of the weeds by not digging or tilling the soil and by using lots of mulch. I really don’t spend much time weeding at all. Each year I expand the garden a bit and try to stay on top of the weeds in a new garden. If weeds aren’t allowed to set seed, eventually you exhaust the seed bank and weed load reduced significantly. It takes a year or two of lots of time to keep things under control. Then after that it’s fairly low work maintenance.
I’ll try writing a blog post about this as I get a lot of questions about how I maintain my gardens.
to Susy's comment
Thank you Susy, my yard is new (third year) so this does make sense. I have 3 areas that stay under control. And now that I think of it those are the 3 that I’ve been able to prevent weeds going to seed. I have one messy area that I need to do better in, and stop tilling :) Thanks for the reply :)
to Jill's comment
Zinnias! Each year my husband buys a few seed packets of flowers for me- it is his way of giving flowers all the time :) I also enjoy my 4 O’Clocks in the garden. I am the opposite- it is harder for me to leave them in the garden than cut them for arrangements and gifts!
to PennyAshevilleNC's comment