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Welcome to Mow's Garden
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SEED STARTING
The biggest cause of failure in seed starting is planting too deeply. If in doubt on the correct depth, cover lightly. In most cases, the larger the seed, the deeper you plant. Many wildflowers prefer to have the soil broken up and the seeds scattered.
Second in importance is keeping the soil moist while germinating and during the seedling stage. Seedlings have shallow root systems. One hot, dry day can kill your plants.
GROWING YOUR FLOWERS
Your flowers will look their best when planted in the right location. While you can have a little leeway in part sun/part shade plants, plants for deep shade or full sun will suffer if exposed to other sites. In most cases, full sun plants located in shade will have fewer blooms and become tall and leggy.
Most flowering plants benefit from deadheading. This is removing the old flowers after they bloom. The plant's mission is to reproduce. When it is heavy with old blooms, which many times are the seed heads, it shuts down production of new blooms. Deadheading once a week can greatly prolong the bloom time and keep your garden looking fresh.
Keep in mind that many of the flower heads contain seeds. You can allow them to dry and save for planting the following year. Many perennial seeds benefit from being planted in the fall. Since many perennials put out only foliage the first year, you can get blooms the following summer by starting them in the fall.
Any plants that die back at frost should be cut back and mulched for the winter. Perennials and Biennials will come back in the Spring. Plants that stay green over the winter should be cut back at least by half after they are done blooming. This helps keep the plant neat and encourages it to thicken up.
Keep in mind that many of the plants I sell are attractive to butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, songbirds and beneficial insects. If you can keep pesticides to a minimum, they will help care for your plants by reducing insect pests.
Please feel free to write anytime if you have a gardening question. I am happy to help!
Happy Gardening!
Doris Mow
kodiboo@cox.net |
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