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