How to Start a Flower Bed in Florida
A flower garden of any type is a joy to see when in full bloom, but requires the right start if it's to be successful. Flowers are hardy only to certain temperatures, grow for specific lengths of time, bloom on specific calendars and need the right timing. All flowers need good, deep and loose growing foundations. If you're planting a flower garden in Florida, you're in luck, as the state's United States Department of Agriculture growing zones 8 to 11 will support almost any flower. Still, you must follow the right timing and preparation guidelines for growing success. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Start flowers based on the season. Bulbs like calla lilies, daffodils and tulips should start in fall, around the first frost. This timing will range from late October in Tallahassee to January in Fort Lauderdale. All other flowers should start in early spring, around the last frost in the area. This timing ranges from early February in Fort Lauderdale to mid-April in Tallahassee.
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Find a site that provides the right conditions for the flowers you choose. Most flowers require up to eight hours of full sun every day, though some do better in partial shade. All flowers require good drainage and enough room to grow. Find a site that offers both sunny and shady sections to give yourself a wide array of flower choice.
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Dig into the top 6 to 10 inches of soil in your garden site to break up the soil and loosen dirt clods. Add 2 inches of quick-draining garden soil and 2 to 3 inches of organic compost to give the flowers a good growing foundation. Dig a deeper bed for larger plants like hydrangeas and roses. Add a starter fertilizer like 5-10-10 to the top 2 inches of soil to increase nutrition at planting.
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Plant a specific garden with one type of flower to produce a uniform rose, hydrangea or tulip garden, or combine flowers to feature annuals and perennials of different types in your garden. Choose specific colors or feature a rainbow of hues in the garden. Always keep tall plants like roses and hydrangeas on one side of the garden, with low-growing plants on the other, to avoid shading the smaller plants.
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Tips & Warnings
Bulb plants like irises, tulips and daffodils bloom in spring, then die back and go dormant over summer and winter. Foliage on these plants dies down after the bloom. Many gardeners double-plant their gardens with annuals to fill the space after bulb perennials go dormant.
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