| Knowing the proper way to care for your flower | | | | it sounds like. By clipping wilting or dead flower heads |
| garden can be the difference between a beautiful | | | | from the main plant you will encourage the growth of |
| swath of flowers that everyone makes glowing | | | | more flowers. Be sure to pick up any deadheads and |
| comments on or a so-so garden that seems on the | | | | put them in your compost pile. Leaving them in the |
| verge of dying all the time. As with all things learning | | | | garden can attract bugs or cause plant diseases to |
| the how to care for your garden can take time , but | | | | attack your healthy plants. |
| if you follow some of these basic tips you will be well | | | | 4. Learn about bugs. Most garden insects do more |
| on your way to having beautiful blooms all summer | | | | good than harm. Butterflies, beetles and bees are |
| long. | | | | known pollinators. They fertilize plants through |
| 1. Do you have the essentials covered? Just like any | | | | unintentional transfer of pollen from one plant to |
| other plant, flowers are living growing organisms and | | | | another. 80% of flowering plants rely on insects for |
| without the proper necessities they will wither and | | | | survival. |
| die. They need a consistent water supply, varying | | | | Sowbugs and dung beetles together with fungi, |
| amounts of sunlight depending on the plant, and rich | | | | bacteria and other microorganisms are necessary to |
| fertile soil. The more pampered and cared for they | | | | help in the decomposition of dead plant material, thus |
| are the better they will respond. During times of | | | | enriching the soil and making more nutrients available |
| intense heat and little rain be sure to water more | | | | to growing plants. |
| often. | | | | Other insects like lacewings and dragonflies are |
| When planting you new flowers it is important to | | | | natural predators of those insects that do the real |
| follow the directions on the packaging they came in. | | | | damage, like aphids. |
| Bulbs need to be planted at the correct depth. | | | | Be sure to give your flower garden a shot of |
| Shrubs, perennials, and annuals can't be planted to | | | | fertilizer every few weeks to keep the flowers |
| deep or to shallow. Try to keep mulch and soil from | | | | blooming longer. It is important to not over fertilize |
| around the stems to allow for proper water drainage. | | | | because this can cause the plants to burn. |
| 2. Mix perennials and annuals. Perennials will return | | | | Following these few simple tips will get anyone novice |
| year after year, at least for a few years after | | | | started on their way to becoming a well rounded |
| planting. Annuals will usually only last for one growing | | | | gardener. Building on these tips will keep you garden |
| season. By mixing annuals in with the perennials you | | | | blooming and bringing great satisfaction all growing |
| will be assured of always having flowers in bloom. | | | | season long. |
| 3. Deadhead your flowers. Deadheading is just what | | | | |