Success in many projects depends heavily on preparation. Flower beds fall into this category. Preparation for beautiful annual flower displays must take into account soil preparation, color design, weed control, fertilization and irrigation.
We take a straight-forward approach to creating beds we know will succeed and provide eye-catching color all season long. Preparation starts with planning which varieties of flowers to plant the following year. We consider the amount of light each bed will receive when choosing the flower varieties to be grown, as well as ensuring common water needs of the pallet chosen for a particular bed. Each December, we book our greenhouses to custom grow up to 6,000 flats of the most popular, colorful, robust varieties to fill our customers’ beds in May – the prime bed planting month.
We have learned over the years the importance of initial bed preparation each May. The beds are first cleared of debris, weeds or spent bulbs. In order to promote vibrant and vigorous summer annual flowers we add fresh compost, along with tilling the soil thoroughly to create a mounded flower bed. This gives the roots room to roam amongst the loose soil mixture. Next, the highest quality quick-release fertilizer product is applied to the prepared bed. This aids in adding nutrients to the plants’ roots to promote a quick establishment. After this in-depth preparation, the flowers are planted in each bed, with proper spacing for each flower type considered. The correct spacing will allow the flowers to grow up and out to fill in the entire bed rather than only upward, which creates “leggy” flowers that can break or be unsightly toward the end of the season. Regular watering begins immediately after planting and continues until the flowers are established, then it is reduced. Irrigation systems are closely monitored so as to not overwater during springs rains. As the season progresses, we supplement with a second fertilizer when needed to help the flowers grow to their full potential.
Throughout the season, we continually assess the flower beds to plan for the following year, documenting what is working well, and what issues arise. We visit flower trial sites each year to learn about the best practices and see new varieties. Flowers are a beautiful part of many properties’ landscapes, and we enjoy the opportunity to serve our clients by giving them the best possible product!
**Each of our contracts is customized to meet the needs of each individual property. Services detailed above are included in a standard full-service contract. If your contract does not include any of these steps, please contact your Account Manager to discuss how to have them added.