The Questions People Ask Most About Flower Gardening

What are the best flowers to plant in a garden?

There are so many flowers, and they're all beautiful! Before you start planting, it's important to figure out what will grow well in your garden. Remember that you can always check with your local garden center for recommendations. Here's what you need to consider when choosing flowers for your garden:

• Your Planting Zone: First, find out your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. From there, you can check plant tags or research online for plants that will perform well in your zone.
• Sunlight in your Garden: Look for plants that match the amount of light your garden gets. You don't want to grow a shade plant in full sun and vice versa.
• Potential Pests: You may need plants with deer resistance or resistance to certain diseases if you've had problems in the past.
• Flowers You Like: Most importantly, make sure to grow flowers you like!

Should I plant annuals, perennials, or both?

Why choose? Annuals and perennials both add beauty and color to flower gardens, but each comes with its own set of pros and cons. In short, we think good gardens contain a mix of both. Annuals tend to bloom for a longer period of time but only for a single growing season. This means you'll have to repurchase and replant next year. Perennials, on the other hand, come back year after year but usually only bloom for a portion of the growing season. They may require some pruning, too. Perennials can make excellent foundational plants for your flower garden while annuals add lots of color and texture that you can change out easily. Learn more about the difference between annual and perennial flowers.

How do I make sure I have flowers growing all season?

It's a common error. You snap up a bunch of beautiful, flowering plants on your first plant-buying trip of the year, but then find yourself bloomless by the Fourth of July. With proper planning and good garden care, you can have flowers from early spring until the first hard freeze in fall.

When planting seeds or purchasing plants, opt for long-blooming annuals such as petunias, impatiens, and geraniums. Even with those picks, you'll probably still need to swap out tired annuals during the season. For example, replace spring pansies with lantana for summer, then switch over to ornamental kale come fall.

When it comes to perennials, plant varieties with staggered bloom times so that you're never without color. For example, as spring peonies fade, summer daylilies come into bloom, then as they wind down, fall-blooming hydrangeas take over. You can also maximize your plants' bloom times through proper feeding—see the plant care section below.

What flowers should I plant for summer color?

If you were entranced by all of the blooming plants at the garden center on Mother's Day weekend but now find yourself with a flower garden full of foliage, don't despair. There are many flowering plants that hit their stride amid summer's heat. For instant color, look to summer annuals like marigolds, zinnias, and geraniums. For a more permanent solution, seek out perennials with summer staying power, like coneflowers, black-eyed Susan, bee balm, and Russian sage.

What flowers should I plant for fall color?

As days shorten and temps cool, those gorgeous flowers that turned heads in the summer heat will likely begin to fizzle. Around Labor Day, swap them out for the botanical version of a pumpkin spice latte: fall annuals. But don't limit yourself to those grocery store mums! Fall ornamentals such as kale and cabbage, and lesser-used autumn flowers like asters, can make your containers one-of-a-kind.

When should I plant flowers?

In general, let your first and last frost dates be your guide. Some annuals, such as pansies and violas, can tolerate a light frost, but you should keep tender, tropical annuals indoors until the threat of frost has passed. When it comes to perennials, spring and fall are usually the best times to plant. Bulbs, on the other hand, operate on their own schedule—spring flowering bulbs should be planted in the fall, while summer flowering bulbs should be planted in the early spring. Learn more about when to plant spring-blooming bulbs.

Should I start with seeds or buy established plants?

This answer will vary by the type of plant. Many perennials can technically be grown from seed, but the majority of gardeners find it easier to purchase established plants, especially shrubs. When it comes to annuals, many gardeners love the winter ritual of starting seeds indoors, but seed-starting comes with the need for knowledge, planning, and patience. If you're lacking one or more of those (no judgment, of course), we recommend opting for already established annuals. If you're ready to try a new challenge with seed starting, check out this guide to seed starting indoors.

Should I plant flowers in containers or in-ground?

It's up to you! Containers are a great way to grow flowers if you're low on space or have a garden that doesn't get enough or too much sunlight for the flowers you want to plant. Planting in-ground gives your plants more room to grow and access to more nutrients in the soil. You can also use your plant tags as a reference—some plants love container life while others prefer to set roots deep down in the ground.

How do I prepare soil for planting flowers?

First, clear the area of any existing weeds, rocks, or other debris and loosen the soil about a foot down to ensure new roots receive air and nutrients. Then, mix 3 inches of new soil, such as Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil All Purpose, in with the top 6 inches of native soil. If you prefer an organic option, Miracle-Gro Organic™ Raised Bed & Garden Soil contains aged compost. Fresh soils add nutrients and improve soil texture and drainage, which means your new flowers have the best possible environment to grow. Learn more about preparing your garden beds for planting.

If you're planting in containers, don't use garden soil or whatever soil you have left over from last year. Start with fresh potting mix, which is lighter than garden soil and provides drainage and air circulation to your flower's roots. Which potting soil you need depends on whether your containers will be indoors or outdoors:

• For outdoor containers: Miracle-Gro® Moisture Control® Potting Mix to help prevent over- and under-watering your plants, or Miracle-Gro Organic™ Outdoor Potting Mix if you prefer an organic soil.
• For indoor containers: Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix is a great option that doesn't contain compost or bark, which can shelter pesky fungus gnats. For organic gardeners, Miracle-Gro Organic™ Indoor Potting Mix protects against over- and under-watering.

What is the best way to plant flowers?

Always double check your flowers' plant tag for best planting practices. In general, you can follow these instructions to planting flowers:

Planting Flowers In-Ground

1. Dig holes big enough to accommodate your flowers' root ball. Remember to space plants, especially perennials, so they have enough room to grow.
2. Gently remove flowers from their containers and tease the roots to loosen the root ball.
3. Place in the hole, and fill in with soil.
4. Water thoroughly after planting.

Planting Flowers in Containers

1. Get a container with a drainage hole. Your container should be at least as large as your plant's current container, but ideally will be 1-2 inches larger to accommodate new growth.
2. Fill your container about ⅓ full of potting mix.
3. Gently remove flowers from their containers and tease the roots to loosen the root ball.
4. Place the plant in the container and fill in with more potting mix. Leave at least 1 inch of space between the soil line and the rim of the pot to give yourself room to water.
5. Water thoroughly, let drain, and move your container to its new home.

How should I fertilize my flowers?

Different flowers may need different amounts and types of plant food—be sure to research your plants for specifics. For example, spring-blooming peonies do not need a lot of fertilizer post-flowering, but fall-blooming asters will need nutrition all summer.

For general care and maintenance, we recommend applying a plant food that's designed to help your flowering plants produce more blooms (vs. unfed plants), like Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble Bloom Booster® Flower Food. You can easily apply this plant food every 1 to 2 weeks when you water. For an organic option, use Miracle-Gro Organic™ Plant Food which is made from 94% plant-based fertilizer ingredients. If you prefer a plant food option that feeds for up to 3 months, use Miracle-Gro® Shake 'N Feed® Rose & Bloom Plant Food or Miracle-Gro Organic™ All Purpose Plant Food. To learn more, check out When to Feed Your Plants.

How do I water flowers?

In general, an inch of water per week is enough for in-ground flower gardens. Stick your finger in the soil every day or two and water when you find the top inch of soil dry. Like in-ground gardens, you can water container plants when the top inch of soil is dry, but remember that container plants typically dry out faster and need water more frequently. So do annuals—with their shallow root systems and quick growth, annual flowers will likely need to be watered more often than their deeper-rooted perennial counterparts. Finally, always double check your plant's tag—some flowers are thirsty and need more water while others prefer things on the drier side to prevent root rot.

We can almost guarantee rainfall alone won't be enough for most flowers (sorry to disappoint), so make sure you have a plan for watering from the get-go, such as drip irrigation, hand-watering with a hose and nozzle, or even just a simple watering can if you aren't growing a ton of blooms. You can also use a soaker hose for your in-ground flowers. Avoid sprinklers, which aren't good at reaching the roots and soil under the leaves.

If you're able, watering early in the morning is best because it gives flowers time to soak the water in before the afternoon heat arrives and without leaving them sitting in water during the cooler nights. When you do break out the H2O, make sure to water deeply—don't just sprinkle the soil and call it good! If you're watering flowers in containers, wait until you see water draining from the bottom.

How do you deadhead flowers?

The secret to maximizing blooms is deadheading—and no, it's not as scary as it sounds! Deadheading simply means removing old blooms to encourage the growth of new ones. Just pinch off or cut the old blooms back down to where the flower stalk connects to the main plant or to the cluster for flowers that bloom in clusters. Perform this task regularly and you'll be rewarded with more flowers for longer, not to mention tidier looking plants.

How should I cut my flowers?

There are few things quite as rewarding as creating a one-of-a-kind arrangement with flowers from your very own garden. To keep blooms looking their best in the vase for longer, keep these things in mind:

• Make a clean cut with a sharp, clean knife or shears.
• Cut flowers as early in the morning as possible, when they are the freshest and most hydrated.
• Remove any lower leaves that would otherwise be submerged in the vase or other container, as they can quickly rot underwater.
• Arrange them to your liking, then sit back and admire your homegrown masterpiece.
• Replace the water every 2 to 3 days.

What's chewing on my plants?

Ugh, coming home to find out your flower garden has been turned into a buffet is the worst. There are several potential culprits depending on where you live and the flowers in question. Animals require different deterrents than insects, so it's important to figure out whodunnit before you start spraying everything. Let the size of the damage help you identify the culprit—entire leaves disappearing are likely the handiwork of a larger animal such as a deer. Small holes or chewed ends of leaves are more likely the product of insects like Japanese beetles.

Once you think you've identified the source, check in with your local Extension service for the best ways to get rid of the problem. They can help you with the IDing, too. To keep pests at bay in the future, make a special point of researching plants that animals in your area don't like, consider physical barriers like fencing or netting, and remove unwanted bugs by hand as soon as you see them (so look often!).

What can I do to protect my plants from extreme heat and/or drought?

If you live in a hot, dry climate, begin by making water-wise plant choices that will flourish even in high temps. Learn more about drought-tolerant flowers and xeriscaping, the practice of water-friendly gardening.

For those in more temperate climates enduring a temporary heatwave or drought, continue to practice good plant care, especially those deep, regular waterings. If you haven't already, apply a layer of mulch, such as Miracle-Gro Organic™ All Natural Mulch, around your plants to help the soil retain moisture. Move any containers temporarily into the shade if you can; if that's not possible, consider placing shade fabric (available at garden centers) over your flowers during the hottest parts of the day.

What should I do with my flower plants at the end of the growing season?

As late fall approaches, it's time to make plans for putting your garden to bed for the winter. You'll want to remove any dead or diseased plants if you haven't done so already, and either bring tender annuals inside to overwinter or simply dispose of them after a killing frost. Consider leaving plants, especially those with seed heads, intact over the winter to serve as shelter and food for birds and other animals. Keep an eye on your perennials and the weather, too. Some perennials will need to be covered if temperatures drop below freezing.