Quick Tips for Caring for Your Flowers
When you have flowers on your property, you want to make sure that you properly care for them - This is a key element of landscaping in Boulder and Jefferson County. This ensures that they not only grow, but that they will remain in good condition long-term. There are a number of things you have to know when it comes to flower care that will ensure that your flowers thrive. We can do this for you. Call Jesse . . . 24/7 . . . at 575-313-4756
You Have to Use the Right Soil
This is one of the most important parts of the process, and in most cases, you will need to get soil to add to your garden. Once you have a good soil, you have to tend to it each year to keep it in good condition. Make sure that you are adding organic matter so that your flowers have something to feed off of. You can use leaf mold, compost or manure for this purpose as all will contain what your flowers need.
Add Mulch to Your Flower Beds
Mulch can give your flower beds a clean and finished look, but it also has a functional purpose. First, mulch will help to keep the soil moist so that your flowers have the water they require for proper growth and development. It will also help to keep your soil temperatures proper for plant growth and maintenance. When you are putting down mulch, you have to use the right amount so that it functions properly. Ideally, your layer of mulch should be about three layers deep. This will provide the functions stated above and help to protect flower roots.
Make Sure That You Water Properly
How and when you water plays a major role in the health of your flowers. If you are not using enough water, you risk your flower drying out and dying. However, if you use too much, this can drown your flowers and cause them to rot. You also want to use the right watering technique. The water needs to be focused on the soil. Never water your flowers overhead and this can actually result in any disease that might be present spreading. Instead of light watering daily, consider deeply watering your soil two to three times a week, depending on weather conditions.
Use the Right Fertilizer
Fertilizer supplies critical nutrients to your flowers and you need the right ratio of nutrients for your fertilizer to be effective. Flowers require phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium at the right levels. The following is generally how flowers will use these nutrients:
Flower formation is encouraged by potassium
Root system development is encouraged by phosphorus
Foliage growth is encouraged by nitrogen
Using this information, you can see that higher levels of phosphorus are most important when you first plant the flowers. You still want some nitrogen at this point too, but at a lower amount than the phosphorus. As your flowers start to grow and it is time for flower formation, you want to put some more focus on the potassium content of your fertilizer.
Make sure that you fertilize per the instructions that come with the fertilizer. Negative issues can result if you do not fertilize enough and if you fertilize too much. In fact, using too much fertilizer can actually result in your plants experiencing burns. It is critical to follow the directions and measure out the fertilizer exactly for the best results.
Make Sure to Control the Wrong Pests and Allow Good Insects to Thrive
Your flower garden will need certain insects in order to thrive, but other insects can destroy your flowers. You want to know which ones are bad and how to control them. This will differ depend on what area of the country you live in. When you are looking for pest control products, you want to find the one that will impact your flowers the least while killing the most pests possible. You also want to make sure that the solution will have little to no impact on beneficial insects that your flowers require, such as bees.
Properly Control Weeds
When you use mulch, this will help to control some of the weeds in your flower beds. However, you might have to also use a weed killer and pull any sprays that pop up. Weeds will serve as a place for pests to live and they will also steal some of the nutrients and water from your flowers. At least once a week, you want to take the time to look for weeds and take care of weed removal. This will prevent the number of weeds in your flower beds from multiplying too much. It will also make the process of weed removal much faster since you will remove them as you see them sprout.
Know When Disease is Present
Disease can spread quickly and completely destroy your flower beds. If you suspect a disease, you want to identify which one it is and take the time to get rid of it. One way to prevent disease from taking over in the first place is to ensure you are watering correctly and that your plants are properly spaced. There are pruning techniques and fungicides you can use once disease starts to help get rid of it.
You know that you put a lot of work and time into planting your flowers. Now you know what it takes to care for them. This will make sure that your garden remains in good condition and that your flowers grow well.