Fall Gardening

I have always loved gardening. Maybe it’s because I have always LOVED to eat vegetables (seriously, ask anyone who knew me when I was little), or maybe I love it because it brings me so much satisfaction to see the progress made in the plants. Either way, I decided to bring all of you guys along for my gardening adventure! I want to use this chance to not only share what I am doing but also different tips and tricks I will be trying in my own garden!

Before I tell you all about my sad attempt at no-till gardening this past summer, I want to tell you about what I will be doing this fall to prepare for next spring. Along with the weird vegetable obsession, I have also always loved flowers. From getting my first bouquet after a dance recital, to all the flowers dad got me for Valentine’s Day in high school, they were also one of the most special gifts. However, growing up in South Dakota, the harsh weather never seemed completely conducive to growing a large variety of flowers. However, now that I live in Illinois, I saw a chance to finally have the garden of my dreams!

This summer was my first attempt at a garden, and despite my excitement, my garden was pretty sad. That’s why this fall I have decided to take the steps needed to prepare for my summer garden and start a cutting flower garden.

So far, I’ve mostly researched the best types of flowers to plant in cutting gardens and looked at the best growing zones for those flowers. I got a lot of inspiration for flower types from videos on social media. I used the site Eden Brothers to do most of my research. If you are ever in need of any type of flower seed, I would highly recommend using this site. Not only do they have a wide variety of flowers and vegetables, but they also have extensive information on the plants, planting instructions, growing zones, and a lot more. After I put in my order for fall flower bulbs, they even emailed me a personalized message with the planting instructions for each of the specific flower bulbs I had ordered.

Now as I am patiently waiting for my bulbs to come, I’ll tell you a little bit about the flowers I am testing out!

Dahlia Bulbs

This one is really going to be an experiment because Dahlias are not recommended to plant in my heartiness zone. However, I know that other people have had good luck planting them out of their hardiness zones. I’m planning on using a frostcloth to hopefully help with the cold weather.

Peony Roots

I have a little more confidence about this one. Peonies are hardy flowers that grow in a wider variety of zones. They are a full-sun flower that can take a lot of water which will be good for the heavy rains we can get.

Tulip Bulbs

A cutting garden wouldn’t be complete without some tulips. Tulips are another fall planting flower that grow well with full sun to partial shade. Tulips are great for cutting because removing the flower will help the plant produce new bulbs.

Ranunculus Bulbs

This will be another experiment. Generally, ranunculus flowers grow in warmer climates so they may or may not make it in Illinois. However, they are beautiful cutting flowers, and the bulbs were priced low enough that I was willing to experiment with them.

Yarrow Seeds

Yarrow is a little different than the other flowers I will be planting. It’s still a perennial, but rather than growing it from a root, the seeds will be planted this fall. They are amazing for pollinators and even attract hummingbirds. Yarrow flowers are very hardy and grow in a variety of zones.

If you have any advice for me, please feel free to message me! Otherwise, follow my blog to learn along with me!