We get it – growing edible plants, such as fruits, vegetables and herbs, isn’t for everyone. However, non-edible plant varieties offer a viable alternative, especially if you’re someone who just wants to admire their natural beauty or spruce up your space. But before you just buy any flowers and plants, you’ll need to be prepared with the know-how and gardening supplies to help them thrive.
For starters, “Use the right soil, and water your plants or flowers properly,” Keven Shanks with Scotts Miracle-Grow suggests. “Lastly, feed and fertilize them. Your plants need to develop resilience to survive stressors such as drought, frost, insects and diseases. Plant foods and fertilizers may also contain secondary macronutrients and micronutrients.”
Get more expert insights from Shanks below, going into detail about giving your non-edible flowers and plants the best chance for success.
Planning and Spacing Out Flowers and Plants
Setting up your garden space is the most important place to start when growing your own plants and flowers. While you may not think it, where you put your garden and how you plant your flowers can affect how they grow long-term. “Make sure the plants or flowers get adequate sunlight,” says Shanks. This means garden spaces should be in areas that receive at least six hours of sun. However, different plant and flower types have varying sunlight requirements, so you’ll also want to consider this, as well.
Additionally, each flower or plant needs enough room to grow, meaning you must space your plants out appropriately. Whatever you’re planting will require specific amounts of nutrients to stay healthy, and when there are too many plants or flowers sharing one area, they wind up competing for sunlight, airflow, water and soil nutrients. Simply put, they may struggle to grow as large or impressively without adequate soil space.
On the other hand, having too much distance between plants gives weeds the opportunity to thrive, which you don’t want, either. Shanks’ suggestion? “Be sure to follow spacing guidelines found on the plant tag.” This ensures your specific plant or flower has enough room to grow and receive nutrients, and it allows you to better plan your garden spaces.
Spring is the best time of year to start preparing garden beds and potters, especially if you live in colder climates. As soon as the last frost date surpasses and grounds thaw, you should work new soils, soil amendments and slow-release fertilizers into the ground before planting. Other plant fertilizers can be used after planting to give your greenery or blooms a boost in nutrients.
Finding the Proper Soil for Your Garden
When planning your garden, you’ll also need to consider the type of soil you need. “If planting in a container, use a potting mix. If planting in a raised garden bed, use a raised bed soil, and if planting in-ground, use a garden soil,” Shank says.
However, if you plan on starting your plants from seeds versus live plants, you should start them in a different type of soil, called seed starting mix. This is designed to be lighter and airier than traditional soils, giving seeds and roots enough room to grow and germinate in their containers. If planting either live plants or seeds in in-ground gardens, be sure to use a garden soil.
In either case, be sure to start with fresh, new soil each season, avoiding recycling your leftover dirt from last growing season. Soils must be revitalized with new ones before planting, as this will enhance the drainage and soil texture, as well as provide added nutrients to flower and plants.
H4: Special Considerations for In-Ground Gardens
While the ground soils on your land might be suitable for planting, they may not deliver the nutrients your plants require, or do not have the right pH levels for them to thrive. Because of this, start by testing and monitoring your ground soils, allowing you to choose plants that work for your area. For example, if you have soil with higher acidity, Shanks says, “Plants that would do well in acidic soil include azaleas, camellias, gardenias, hibiscus, hydrangeas and orchids.”
Create a Suitable Watering Schedule
After planting, the next key step is establishing a consistent watering schedule. But the amount of water your garden needs can depend on many factors, such as sunlight exposure, humidity levels and soil types. For instance, sandy soils can absorb water quickly, but they won’t be able to retain much to continue feeding plants. Clay soils take time to absorb water, but they also hold it best. The soil you choose should have enough organic matter to hold moisture, while still allowing air to come through and get to the roots.
Shanks also explains that the ideal watering frequency and amount is also based on the types of plants or flowers you’re growing. “Root depths vary greatly. If possible, try to take note of how deep the roots are of your different plants,” Shanks says. “Plants with deeper roots are usually more capable of finding water in the soil.”
Generally, you should water plants in the morning, giving them the afternoon to allow leaves to dry, which helps reduce the chances they develop diseases. You can get your watering done using basic tools, such as a garden hose or watering can. But if you’re looking to give plants consistent sources of water deep into soils, consider installing a drip irrigation system, which is designed as a hose with small holes throughout, sitting near roots to deliver constant hydration.
Feeding Your Plants with Plant Food and Fertilizer
Alongside watering, you should also come up with a good feeding schedule for your plants, which will vary depending on the kind of plant or flower food you use. “If you’re using a water soluble or liquid plant food, you’ll need to feed on a more frequent basis, compared to when feeding one that feeds for an extended period of time,” Shanks advises. “You will want to refer to the plant food label to see how it feeds for – or how often you should feed – to help determine a feeding schedule.”
Fertilizer is a type of plant food that provides a range of benefits, which differ based on its ingredients and what your plant requires. For instance, the nitrogen found in some fertilizers is an essential element plants require – in fact, it is what makes plants green and helps them grow. “From photosynthesis to building cell walls, nitrogen is involved in a lot of your plant’s growth processes,” adds Shanks. “Plants with nitrogen deficiency may have yellow leaves, especially the oldest leaves, and you may also notice that growth has slowed. As nitrogen deficiency continues, more parts of the plant become affected, including yellowing new leaves, smaller or thinner roots or even smaller and reduced numbers of flowers and fruit.”
By adding fertilizers with high contents of nitrogen, you can support the health of your plants and flowers by giving them what they need. The same goes for fertilizers made with potassium, phosphorous or other secondary macronutrients and micronutrients. These ingredients should be delivered to plants when they need added resilience if experiencing stressors, such as diseases, drought, insects or frost, allowing them to survive and thrive even through less-than-ideal conditions.
Tractor Supply’s Selection Can Help Your Gardens Grow
Whether you need gardening gloves to protect hands from dirt and debris or insecticides to ensure pests and flies don’t infest your garden spaces, rely on our gardening tools and products in-store and online. From beginner gardeners to seasoned landscapers, we make it easy to care for your plants and flowers. To learn more about what we offer, visit your local Tractor Supply store today or browse online.