Gone are the days when a dozen roses cost $7.50 (in 1960). The days when I remember this distant past are over. Maybe it's true...you get better as the years go by.
So why not grow your own flowers and save a lot of money? You can have the best of both worlds - a "bouquet" in the ground and then harvested (harvested) in a "bouquet" vase.
Plant a garden and fill it with flowers to display in a vase. These plants can be colorful annuals, summer flowering bulbs or perennials.
What is a garden, you ask? Honestly, I've never heard anyone ask this question before, but I know what you're thinking.
The saying "I'd rather have a rose on my table than a diamond around my neck" shows how many people enjoy the simple pleasure of a freshly cut bouquet. I know the 2,000 people in our cul-de-sac will disagree... and maybe they'll say the cheese slipped off the cookie.
Now you are all garden experts...or at least you have seen a garden. So you know the drill. Choose a location with more than 6 hours of sunlight, good drainage (no standing water), fertile soil, functional soil and lots of compost. And a pinch of NPK. And no...milk and cheese together are not effective fertilizers.
Not even a good lunch.
Remember that some plants are harmful to others. Some plants grow quickly, crowding out others and using more water, sun and nutrients than they need. Other plants are good citizens. Plan accordingly.
When choosing flowers, try combinations of colors, shapes, sizes and textures. Then simply click "Add to Cart".
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All you have to do is plant the bulbs upside down in shallow holes in the ground, cover them with soil and wait for them to flower. This is a very cost-effective way to create a year-round garden. You just want to sprinkle the seeds directly into the soil or into a seed tray. Because perennials come back every year, they can take a little more time and patience to care for.
Alstroemeria, also known as Inca Lily, is a cut flower with a shelf life of about 2 weeks. Flowers bloom from late spring to summer and can be orange, pink, purple, red, yellow and white. Each flower stalk is elongated and produces clusters of three or four separate flowers. It is a very good choice for a wedding.
Irises are very fragrant and each color has a unique smell. Individual flowers last only two days, but each stem has many buds. Remove old flowers and cut the stem every two to three days. The blue iris is one of the few true blue flowers in nature, but irises also bloom in other colors such as purple, maroon, yellow and orange. Bearded Iris and Siberian Iris are very popular varieties that produce excellent cut flowers.
Most members of the clove family have an aroma that is a mixture of sweet and spicy. They grow from early to mid summer. Cloves have a shelf life of 5 to 10 days, depending on the loose, cut and variety. For planting, consider "Gina Porto," "Laced Romeo," and "Red Rocket." According to tradition, the first wedding flower is a carnation.
To remind my deceased colleagues, diamonds are again worth mentioning... they are a traditional 60th and 75th wedding anniversary gift. For some of us, it can be a long wait.
For those of you coming up on your diamond anniversary, remember when you wore meat on your lapels to work? Well, actually me too. But I think I'm going to start a revival of the "old world" boutonniere with ripped jeans.
Here's a traditional moment...boutonnieres are French for buttonholes (on the thigh). As Steve Martin once said: “The French: they have a word for everything.
Freesias last seven to ten days in a vase with frequent water changes. If you want to cover the walls of your home with a unique, sweet scent, choose from pink, red, white or yellow.
Guys, if you can't find time for your weekly shower, skip the cologne and keep some freesia in your t-shirt pocket.
The flowers are perfect for making bouquets because they have long stems, large flowers and typically three to 15 buds per stem. Most flowers, oriental lilies and tube lilies also have very strong scents, but too strong for me. The smell fills every corner of your house and the houses around it.
Also consider gladioli (such as "Green Star", "Plum Tart" and "Peter Dean"; vase life: 1 week). Another option is tulips (such as "Angelique", "Princess Irene" and "Daydream"; vase life: 1 week). Rose (such as "Scented Cloud", "Mr. Lincoln" and "Fireman"; vase life: 1 week). Peonies (see 'Sarah Bernhard', 'Felix Crus' and 'Duchess de Nemours', pot life: 1 week).
These fasting time frames are simply accurate guesses based on unreliable information from people with questionable horticultural knowledge.
If you want to grow cut flowers in a shady garden, try astilbe, asters, foxglove and lily of the valley.
Cut the flower when the leaves are full of water in the morning. Cut stems diagonally to facilitate water absorption. Remove any leaves below the vase's waterline to prevent rot and bacterial growth. Cut the stems every few days to extend their life.
Change the water every two days or as needed to help the flowers last longer. Their deformation also helps.
Use flower packets containing pollinators available from your florist. They contain sugar and antibacterial substances that can extend the life of your bouquet.
Coming soon... How to Grow Diamonds. The day before that
A Poway resident, Schmidt has more than 40 years of horticultural experience
