How to Plant Flowers

The first step in planting flowers is deciding on factors such as the climate, amount of sunlight, soil type, and available space when making your selection. Think about what kind of look and feel you’re going for. Do you prefer colorful wildflowers or a more structured garden with uniform blooms?

Be sure to select flowers that can flourish in the the amount of sunlight that your garden bed receives. You can start your new flower garden from seeds or, for a faster result, buy plants with few flowers and leaves that aren't wilted.

Tip: All the plants available from your local garden center are specifically selected to grow in your climate.

Soil preparation is an important step before planting flowers. First, test your soil’s pH to measure its acidity or alkalinity. Flowers prefer an acidic to neutral soil. Depending on your findings, you can lower your soil’s pH by adding sulfur or increase it by adding lime.

Next, remove any weeds and loosen up the soil with a garden rake or shovel. After loosening the soil, add nutrients to the soil such as a good compost or organic fertilizer. Make sure to spread it evenly around the area and mix it into the soil well.

Hold the base of the plant with one hand and the sides of the pot with the other. Carefully, tap and squeeze the seedling pot. This will help loosen the plant’s roots and soil. Gently, knock the plant from its pot and keep as much of the root ball as possible.

If the plant remains stuck in the pot, slide a garden trowel around the inside edges of the pot and try knocking it out again. Examine the root ball. If the plant’s roots are heavily entwined, cut through them with a knife or pull them apart with your hands.

Knowing how to plant flowers begins with having a well-prepared garden bed. Use a spade to loosen and dig up the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches for annuals and 18 inches for perennials. Smooth the soil with a ground rake.

Tip: Each year add more organic matter to the soil or top a bed each year with a 2-inch layer of compost.

Use a trowel to dig a hole deep enough to plant for the flower’s root ball. Place them at the same soil level as they were in their containers. Cover the roots with soil and gently press the soil around the plant. Plan out where to put your flowers as you plant. Think about coordinating colors. Place taller plants in the rear and shorter ones in the front.

After planting flowers, mulch the garden bed with 1- to 3-inches of aged wood chips, bark, grass clippings, pine needles or any other organic mulch. This will help keep weeds under control, conserve moisture and prevent soil-borne diseases. Mulching is especially beneficial for perennials because it can protect their roots during colder months.

Tip: For a different aesthetic look, you can also layer gravel or stone around your flowers to control weeds.