How to Choose and Plant Flowers

All it takes is a little time and preparation when planning your landscaping. Get tips on how to choose and plant flowers in this video by The Home Depot:

Choose flowers that work best where you live. Before getting any annuals, perennials or biennials, do your research online before you purchase. You’ll save time and money and get more done.

Plant labels provide information on soil and sunlight requirements and other factors. They will also tell you how tall the plant will get. This is important because you don’t want to plant taller plants in front of shorter ones.

Soil amendments may be required to provide nutrients or texture. Natural compost is a great way to get both. Other amendments include sphagnum peatmoss, perlite and sand. Ask a neighbor or consult an expert regarding which amendments will work best with your soil

Soil acidity is another important factor when choosing plants. You may want to invest in a pH meter and test your soil directly.

Pick colors that will complement your home and surrounding foliage. If you will be planting near shrubbery, pick flowers that will look best next to that shrubbery.

Garden tools you will want to invest in include a shovel, spade or garden fork, hoe or cultivator, and garden rake.

When planting flowers, dig a hols a few inches wider and deeper than the flower pot. Loosen the plant from the pot; if the pot is biodegradable, remove the wrapper and the bottom. Loosen the roots with your fingers to stimulate new root growth. Set the plant in the ground; the base of the plant should be level with the surrounding soil. Pat the soil gently with your hands, add mulch and water thoroughly. Keep the soil evenly moist for the next several weeks.

Container flowers are a great way to add beauty to your patio or deck. Use colorful annuals such as impatiens, begonias and marygolds. Containers come in a variety of materials; whatever you choose should be able to hold soil and have drainage. Use high quality potting soil; avoid regular garden soil as it is too heavy and lacks the necessary combination of richness and good drainage.

Here’s how to plant container flowers:

• Take the flowers out of the pot and loosen the roots.
• Place the flowers in the container and add soil. Leave about 1/2″ to 1″ from the top of the container for water to collect.
• Water it well.