A Beginner’s Guide for Planting Flowers

With only a couple more weeks of planting season here in northern Utah, I thought I’d share a beginner’s guide for planting flowers. It’s so simple, anyone can do it! Not to mention, the most gorgeous and abundant flower beds are the result. Be cautious when choosing flowers to plant that you get the right type for the right area of your yard. For example- you wouldn’t want a flower that requires mostly shade to be planted in an area that receives sun all day. And don’t worry if you don’t know this information- it will say this on the tags or packaging.

1-Turn your dirt and pull weeds

The first step is to turn the dirt so that it is soft. This will allow for the roots to spread easier and grow. It will also make it easier to pull out any weeds that may have been hard to get because of tough or dry soil. Any kind of garden fork, hoe, or cultivator are great for this. You may also want to take a rake and smooth out the dirt for a level finish so you don’t have mass clumps in random places.

2-Lay your flowers out

Lay your flowers out and put them in a pattern if desired. The tags or packages will usually say how far apart to plant each flower.  I like to plant my flowers a little closer together then specified on the tag to create a more full look.

3-Dig the hole

Use a small hand spade to dig a hole for your plant. Make sure to dig your hole deep enough to cover all your roots.

4-Add fertilizer

Add a small amount of fertilizer at the base of the roots, most packages will tell you how much fertilizer is needed.  I use Doctor Earth Starter Fertilizer (affiliate link here).  It is organic and safe for people and pets!

6-Fill in the hole with dirt

Make sure to fill in enough dirt that all of the roots are covered, leaving just the green stems and flowers showing at the top.

7-Watering and Miracle Gro

Water your flowers daily, especially in the heat of summer. On very hot days I will water a second time by hand later in the day. It’s very hard to overwater plants, especially in summer.

I like to give my flowers a little extra something so I add Miracle Gro once a week. Fertilizing once doesn’t give annuals enough food for their growth cycle. This is why I fertilize once and then use Miracle Gro once a week, so they can get all the nutrients boosts they need.

I hope this beginner’s guide for planting flowers helps you plant your flowers this year!

Happy planting friends!

More on flowers here:

Beginners guide for planting flower pots

8 easy steps to get the most out of your flowers