Are growing flowers for extra cash really worth it? You may be surprised to find out that it is not. While flowers can be very rewarding, you will only get a true appreciation from those who care about flowers. If you intend on selling your flower garden to a florist, think carefully about planting other flowers along with your prized tulips. This way, you not only get your flower garden to sell, you also ensure that other gardens and landscapes are not damaged in the process.
Many people assume that if they plant a flower garden and allow it to grow wild, they will reap the rewards by planting more flowers. They also expect that they will never have any problems with pests or poor quality plants. The truth of the matter is that most flower gardens require a significant amount of maintenance. Even those that are grown organically need to be weeded and watered often. If you are growing flowers for profit, you are likely already aware of this.
However, growing flowers for profit does have some advantages. The first advantage is that you don’t have to leave your flower garden to the florist when the flowers are ready. You can prune, harvest, and store your plants in your home. This means that you do not have to make return visits to the garden nor do you have to worry about transporting your plants.
Another advantage of growing flowers is that you can plant as much or as little as you want. If you have a small flower garden and you are just starting out, then you might opt to plant a few herbs and vegetables in addition to a few annuals. If you are growing flowers in a large flower garden and you intend on selling them, you might choose to plant a wide variety of annuals, perennials, biennials, bulbs and fruit trees.
How do you know what are the best plants to plant? Many flower gardeners will tell you that the best plants are the ones that are hardy, disease resistant and grow slowly. These are known as “hardy” flowers and they should be planted where they will get enough sun, shade and moisture. Some of the best hardy flowers are: St. Augustine, Canterbury bells, and bluebells. However, the best way to find hardy flowers is to ask other flower gardeners and to look online.
What if I get a lot of shade during a certain part of the year and I cannot plant the best plants to fill the space. Don’t fret because you can always grow other plants that will help you fill in the areas that you cannot plant. For example, you might want to use red peppers, onions, garlic and strawberries to fill in your flower garden spaces that are too small. It just takes a little imagination and some patience, but the results can be great.
When are growing flowers worth it? For flower gardeners that value beauty and want to plant flowers that bloom year-round, annuals are a great way to go. Annual flowers such as tulips, daffodils and violets are easy to take care of and bloom year-round. You can even plant some annual flowers in potting soil so they can still be enjoyed by you after the flowers have bloomed.
Most flower gardeners also are interested in perennials. Perennials make a great low maintenance garden because they rarely need to be replanted. Some perennials require minimal weeding, but most can be left alone to grow without any attention for several years. Some popular perennial plants are African Violets, Easter lily, Dogbane, Hawaiian Papaya, Japanese Anemone, Pigtail Umbrellas, Pink Amaryllis, Sedum Autumn Joy and Winter White. The list of perennials is almost endless, and most are great plants for both inside and outside flower gardens.