Flower Gardening Basics

1. • Planting flowers can be a relaxing and satisfying hobby. Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images

     Flower gardening will add color to your yard, garden, balcony or window. The different requirements of various flower plants can make it seem overwhelming at first, but knowing the features of your planned flower garden's location and choosing flowers that are easy to take care of will help you get started.

   Light Requirements

   • Plants require different amounts of shade, ranging from full sun to very dense shade lacking even reflected or indirect light. Most plant nurseries will provide you with information about the light requirements of the plants you are buying; if you are unsure about what the terminology means and whether a certain plant would be suitable, describe your planned garden location to the nursery staff.

   Watering

   • Much like light conditions, water requirements differ from plant to plant. Flowers generally require about one inch of water per week, states Dennis Patton of Kansas State University. Although any required water should be provided naturally, you may have to supplement rainfall by watering. Soaking the soil thoroughly and watering infrequently, about one or two times per week, helps your plants to develop a strong root system; light, frequent applications encourage shallow rooting and can weaken or kill plants. The best time to water is in the morning or early afternoon; higher afternoon temperatures will waste water due to evaporation, while watering in the evening or at night can cause water to stagnate and increase the likelihood of disease.

   Soil

   • Soil provides your plants with the nutrients it needs to grow healthy and strong. A soil test is the best way to learn more about the type of soil in your garden and what type of fertilizer, if any, it needs. Prepare soil for planting by removing weeds, sod, trash and rocks; add compost yearly to increase the nutrient content. Avoid compacting your soil. Compacted soil is harder for roots to penetrate and may lead to shallow root growth and weaker plants. Layer your soil with 2 to 3 inches of natural mulch to increase water retention, moderate soil temperature and prevent the growth of weeds.

   Selecting Flowers

   • Select flower plants for your garden based on the average, maximum and minimum annual temperatures in your area. Flowers planted in conditions that do not match the optimal ones for the species will be subject to additional stress and may not grow as well as you would hope. Select plants with a different blooming period to have flowers available throughout the year.
     You should also consider the plants' life cycle. Annual plants are easy to take care of but will complete their entire life cycles in one year, and you must then buy them again. Biennial plants require more care and patience, and will provide no flowers for the first year, as they require two full growing seasons to complete their life cycle. Perennial plants are relatively hardy and usually require only minimal care.

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