When flower gardening you will soon discover that summer plants need a bit of pampering to get the most from them. Regular watering is essential, especially in the early stages when the plants are establishing a root system. In the absence of rain, a thorough watering twice a week is generally sufficient for the plants in the ground, but those in containers may need a daily soaking if the weather is hot and dry. Early evening is the best time for this as less water will evaporate from the compost in the cooler night temperatures.
It is also vital to feed the growing plants regularly – this helps to produce healthier plants and lots more blooms, so it’s well worth the effort.
Dead heading is also vitally important. Most varieties of plants will do their best to produce seed, this diverts the plants energy from budding to seed production and it will, after a while, virtually stop budding. So as soon as you notice fading blooms pinch them off at the base of the stalk.
If you are thinking of planting your flowers in pots take a look at our pot plant section or have a look at these planters: