How to Garden with Flowers
It's springtime in the Northwest and it's time to nuture those flowers in your yard. Here's some expert tips on how to garden with flowers.
Planting flowers is easy if you know how. For transplants:
l Dig a hole just slightly bigger than the plant's rootball.
l Tap each side of the container to loosen the rootball.
l Place one hand over the top of the rootball and turn the container upside down, so the rootball is resting on your hand.
l Pull the container off with the other hand.
l Set the rootball in the hole right side up.
l Cover the rootball with loose soil and press down firmly.
l Water the rootball thoroughly.
For seeds: l Prepare your soil by scraping off the top layer of soil with a shovel and rake it to gently loosen.
l Sprinkle the seeds liberally around the planting area.
l Sprinkle potting soil over the top.
l Water thoroughly.
Bulbs: l Plant bulbs in areas with good drainage.
l Don’t use commercial fertilizer or fresh manure when planting.
l When cutting flowers, cut as little foliage as possible because that’s where food is stored for next year's blooming.
l Let foliage die on its own before trimming it back or digging up bulbs. Don’t trim back healthy green foliage or the bulb will not perform well next year.