Do you like having bushels of flowers decorating your home? If you enjoy filling vases with colorful combinations of blooms, you can do so almost year-round by planting annuals that lend themselves well to cutting. The great thing about annuals is that they keep producing more flowers after each pruning.
For big, bold, rounded blooms from spring through fall, consider annual carnations, calendula, dahlia, marigold, and zinnia. For longer plumes, use annual phlox, celosia, larkspur, snapdragon, and stock. To add texture to your vases, use cornflower, cosmos, or statice. Last, make sure to grow some sweet peas. They make great filler and smell wonderful, too.
Most annuals will last 3-5 days in a vase if properly handled. The key is to have your vase ready and filled with water. Bring your flowers in immediately after cutting and re-cut under cold running water. Adding a teaspoon of sugar or a few tablespoons of Sprite or 7-Up to the water will also help the flowers to last longer.
An annuals cutting garden allows you to enjoy beautiful blooms indoors and outdoors-all season long.