Tips for Blooming Flowers in Spring

Tips for Blooming Flowers in Spring

Tip 1: Deadheading

In simple terms, deadheading is the process of removing wilted flowers that can harm new blooms and buds. This activity, performed during the growing season, is one of the most beneficial tasks for your garden. It allows you to engage more closely with your plants, appreciate their intricate forms and fragrances, and detect any potential problems. Unremoved wilted flowers can become a source of disease in plants. If you are not growing flowers for their decorative seed heads or to harvest seeds, remove the developing flower heads while deadheading. This is one of the most critical tips for blooming flowers in spring because plants tend to redirect their energy from flowering to seed production, which can hinder further blooming.

How to Deadhead Annual Plants
Many annual plants wilt and die after going to seed. To ensure they bloom throughout summer, regularly deadhead them using your thumb and forefinger to pinch off the flower head just above the seed pod. For plants with tougher stems, use kitchen scissors or pruning shears. Avoid leaving long, unbranched stems as they may turn brown and detract from the plant’s overall appearance. Regular deadheading is essential to prolong flowering.

How to Deadhead Perennial Plants
The lifespan of many perennials can be extended with regular deadheading using garden shears, significantly improving their appearance.

• Flowers like Delphinium, Lupine, Mullein (Verbascum), Penstemon, and Bellflower (Campanula): Cut the flowering main stem from the base, just above a side shoot, before all the flowers fade. This encourages secondary flower-bearing shoots to emerge.

• Daisies like Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum), African Daisy (Osteospermum), Oxeye Daisy (Anthemis), and Blanket Flower (Gaillardia): Follow a similar approach.

• Large Single Blooms: Flowers such as Scabiosa, Peonies, Daylilies, Dahlias, and Bearded Irises benefit greatly from timely deadheading.

How to Deadhead Roses
Using pruning shears is one of the key tips for blooming flowers in spring. For all rose varieties, including cluster roses, single roses, and climbers, remove faded leaves. In shrub roses, cut weak branches behind strong buds to encourage regrowth.

Extending the Lifespan of Flowers

Some plants that would typically bloom once or twice will produce successive blooms when pruned and revitalized with proper feeding and watering. Even those that don't flower again will appear rejuvenated, with vibrant leaves and a fresh look. To ensure your flowers last from summer to autumn and to enjoy decorative flower heads, you can undertake various gardening activities with shrubs, climbers, perennials, and annuals.

Tip 2: Energize Your Flowers

One golden rule of gardening is to give your flowers the energy they need. When you cut a stem or leaf, provide the plant with the nutrients required to regrow it. Leaves that thrive in spring rains and warm sunlight may later weaken. However, with a bit of care, including a dose of fertilizer and light pruning, flowers can bloom again. Try this with the following plants:

• Creeping Campanulas

• Geraniums (Cranesbill)

• Spotted Deadnettle (Lamium maculatum)

• Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)

Targeted Feeding and Watering
In these environmentally conscious times, it's crucial to water only where necessary and as effectively as possible. Apply a deep mulch layer to retain moisture in soil already hydrated from winter rains. Avoid over-fertilizing or using incorrect mixtures, which may cause harm. With a well-planned feeding and watering schedule, even poor, water-deficient soils in dry climates can support thriving plants. Keep an eye on the weather, as an unexpected dry spring can impact plant growth. Budding plants in overly dry soil, such as winter- and spring-blooming species, may suffer. For example, wall camellias need frequent watering from autumn to spring to prevent bud drop. In hot summers, water-loving plants like Rudbeckia and Eupatorium may need a little extra hydration to avoid wilting.

Feeding Flowers

Flowers need potassium. The chemical symbol for potassium is K, or it is commonly known as potash. If your plant is reluctant to bloom, it may be experiencing a potassium deficiency or may have been overfed with nitrogen-rich nutrients that encourage lush, leafy growth.

• For Lady’s Mantle: This favorite of floral arrangers (Alchemilla mollis) produces foamy, lemon-colored flowers on its curled, cupped leaves. However, it sets seeds and loses its appeal by mid-summer. Before it goes to seed, cut it back to ground level with pruning shears or a lawn mower. This will prevent unwanted seedlings and encourage new foliage with proper watering and fertilization.

• Keep in Mind: Avoid deadheading plants that produce long-lasting, attractive flower heads, as these extend the display until autumn and are useful for arrangements. Examples include ornamental onions, Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella), Sea Holly (Eryngium), Poppies (Papaver rhoeas), Cardoons, and Globe Thistles (Echinops).

After completing these steps, you now have insights into the tips for blooming flowers in spring and extending their lifespan. Apply what you've learned by tending to your flowers. Remember, fragrant flowers may require different care methods. Don't forget to check out our article titled "Landscape Design" for more inspiration.