Flower Planting Tips
by Kevin Soergel

First, pick a style. It could be English, cottage, Asian, formal, etc. Next, design the space to put the flowers in. If you need assistance with style and design, you can schedule a consultation or attend one of my courses and seminars at CCAC and Soergel Orchards and Greenhouses. After you have the style and the design set, you need to begin the Threes. The old plant in threes rule need not apply here, but I do have three things to impart.

Plan, Purchase, and Plant.
Planning is the most important part of any project. Carefully measure, draw, and plan your attack. You can use the three rule if you want, 3 of this, 9 of that, or the classic golden means from art class, 1 to 1.3 ratio or 3 to 4, 6 to 8, etc. Or you can do what I do. Don’t be so scientific, and throw all the rules out the window. Approach a project as art, not science. Paint your canvas with flowers, rocks and ornaments to your own taste. You must pay attention to size and growth, as well as sun and shade requirements, and colors. Consider all the seasons.

Purchasing is easy, and fun. Go to Soergel Orchards and Greenhouses with your plan and they can help select the right plants for your design. They can deliver if you can’t fit it all in.

Planting. There are three parts to successful planting. Soil Preparation, Plant Arrangement,
and Planting the Flowers. Without great soil, everything you do will be wasted. Plan on spending as much on soil as on plants, and if you pay someone to do it for you, labor will also equal the other two parts. Soil should contain three equal parts of good topsoil, sand, and compost mixed. The compost can be a mixture of (other than horse) manure, rotten old mulch, and garden compost. You could make it yourself, or call it in from my supplier, Gleason Landscape Supply, 724 625 4545. Ask for Soergel Special Soil and they can deliver everything you need, ready mixed to your driveway. Dig down 6 inches, and remove the old soil unless it is good topsoil and it can be mixed in with the new soil. Layer in the new soil, planting bulbs and rooted perennials at the proper depths as you lay in the soil mix. Add soil until it is mounded up about 6 inches to one foot high. A new 100 square foot garden bed will take about 4 cubic yards of soil mix to do right. You should replenish the soil every year with about a two to three inch covering of soil mix in spring, or about one cubic yard per 100 square foot bed. With proper soil preparation, planting is a breeze.

Arrange your plants according to your style and design. Remember to pay attention to mature sizes and color combinations. There are three ways to use flowers, as background (tall and fat), foreground (low or ground covering), and focal point. For cottage and informal style, you can really mix your plants together. Formal styles require a more systematic arrangement. You can create monochrome waves, or carefree pastel borders. Let your artist out. Pack the plants in tight. Don’t give weeds any room to get started. There is no wrong in gardening. There are no rules. Just have fun and do it.

Now, the fun part. Plant the flowers. Spread the roots as you remove the pots, move soil aside with the other hand, and firmly push the plant into the soft soil and compact. Water everything in when you are done.

Now reward yourself with something nice, sit back and enjoy your new garden paradise.