Summer Flower Care Tips For Beginners

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Having actively worked on the garden bed in the spring and autumn, in the summer, some, especially inexperienced summer residents forget about their flower garden, throwing their main strength into caring for fruit and vegetable crops. But flowers need to be taken care of throughout the garden season

Sometimes, it seems that in the summer, flower growers can relax a little, leaving only watering and weeding the flower beds in their attention. But both annual and perennial flowers need proper care throughout the garden season. Of course, each variety of plants has its own nuances in development, which it is advisable to familiarize with even before planting. But there are several general universal rules and measures that must not be forgotten to maintain the beauty and health of garden flowers.

1. Timely pruning

Summer bouquets perfectly decorate the interior of the house. In addition, regular pruning is beneficial for the development of most flowers. This procedure helps them to grow, increase the number of flowers and seeds. The decayed heads of a perennial plant must be removed, as they contribute to the uncontrolled spread of seeds.

2. Proper watering of plants

If the plants have taken root, there is no need to water them often and abundantly. However, the soil under them should not be allowed to dry out on sunny, dry days. Flowering plants should receive a sufficient amount of moisture, but pouring water directly onto their leaves and petals should not be, it is better to water under their root. To do this, you can run a garden hose to the base of the plants.

3. Getting rid of weeds

Weeds in the form of the ubiquitous dandelions, burdocks, loaches and thistles can significantly spoil the appearance of a flower garden and interfere with the development of flowering plants. Weed grasses should be removed together with the root system. It is better to do this after watering so that the roots can be pulled out more easily without damaging the flowers. To prevent weed infestation, you can use mulch, covering material, or just a piece of cardboard.

4. Disease control

By mid-summer, warm and humid nights can cause flowers to ache more often. Mold, powdery mildew, black spots, etc. appear on their leaves and stems. It is recommended to water the plants in the morning to give the leaves time to dry under the sun during the day. It is important to ensure that during watering, water does not fall on foliage and petals.

To protect plants from diseases, you can use organic fungicides with sulfur and copper in the composition. It is advisable to use fungicides in the evenings to avoid leaf burns. Dead flowers and foliage can be buried to decompose in the soil, or placed in a compost pit.

5. Regular mulching

The thick layer of mulch that protects the plants that have not yet matured in spring can be noticeably smaller in the summer. It is advisable to maintain it throughout the entire gardening season. Tall flowers can be mulched with a layer up to 7 cm. Medium-sized plants are smaller (up to 3-4 cm). But with creeping flowers on the alpine slides, you need to be especially careful. Do not spread the mulch too close to them, as it can lead to root rot.

6. Application of fertilizers

In the middle of summer, it is useful to apply fertilizer under the root of the flowers in order to maintain their flowering until the very frost. For plants to develop well and bloom profusely, you need to add fertilizers rich in potassium to the soil.

Nitrogen fertilizers are more conducive to the rapid growth of leaves, rather than flowers. Adding liquid algae-derived products to the soil increases the potassium content. Plants with large flowers (dahlias, chamomile, chrysanthemums, lilies) are useful to feed once every two weeks with liquid fertilizers. It is better to do this in the morning, while the sun is just rising, or in the evening after sunset.

7. Timely collection of seeds

Traditionally, seeds are harvested towards the end of August in dry, sunny weather. It should be borne in mind that not all the inhabitants of the flower bed are suitable for collecting seeds. For example, hybrids marked F1 (for example, hybrid petunias) do not inherit parental traits at all, and if you sow them next year, you can get completely new varieties. In this case, the most suitable breeding method is by cuttings. We must not forget that some plants can be pollinated. To prevent this, protective gauze caps are put on the flowers intended for collecting seeds. And they are pollinated by hand.