Written by Paige Vandiver
If you are looking for big splashes of color in your garden, bedding plants are the way to go! Bedding plants – marigolds, celosia, petunias, and pansies, just to name a few – are budget-friendly and easy-to-care-for plants that provide the vibrant blooms that get your garden noticed!
What’s Exactly Are Bedding Plants?
Bedding plants are flowers that are purchased and planted in bulk to add color to your flower beds, pots, or hanging baskets. They are a cost effective option that are mostly sold in “flats” containing 6 bedding plants each. They are used often when designing the landscape for office buildings, and also for providing instant gratification for home flower gardens.
Most bedding plants are annuals, meaning they only last one season. They are commonly short flowers that are used to fill in the gaps between your already-established perennial plants. They are easy to care for and are a great choice for the novice gardener!
How Do I Plant My Bedding Flowers?
Planting your bedding flowers is easy! Follow these tips and you’ll see the color in your garden continue to “spring up” and expand all summer long and last even into fall:
- Prepare your beds before planting your bedding flowers. Pull up any dead plants from last season, and add fertilizer to your soil before planting. This way your new flowers have all the nutrients they need to establish a good root system.
- Before pulling your plants out of the trays, water them thoroughly and make sure the water soaks the root bulb completely.
- It’s a good idea to set all your plants on top of the soil first, so that you can move them around to get the design and placement that you want. To ensure there is enough room in between plants for them to grow to maturity, leave about 6-8 inches between short flowers and 12-14 inches between the taller plants.
- Dig a hole that is big enough for the entire root ball. If the roots are packed into the soil when you pull them out of the tray, use your fingers to loosen them a bit. Once you have planted each flower, lightly pack the dirt back around the plant.
- Once all your bedding plants are in the ground, give them a good and thorough watering.
How Do I Care for Them to Keep Them Flowering All Season Long?
Follow these guidelines to keep your bedding flowers happy and continue to watch the explosion of color in your garden as they thrive:
- Give your bedding flowers plenty of water, especially during the hottest months of the season. Make sure you give them a good soak at least every couple of days. If your flowers are in a pot or hanging basket, they will dry out more quickly, so you will need to water them daily.
- Feed your bedding plants every few weeks with a liquid plant food to get the optimum amount of growth from your flowers.
- Pick off or “dead-head” the dead blooms from your plants to ensure all your plant’s energy is put toward new growth.
Where Can I Get Bedding Plants Near Dayton Ohio?
Stockslagers Greenhouse, of course! We have a huge selection of bedding plants in any color your heart desires, including:
- Marigolds
- Begonias
- Celosias
- Angelonia Serenitas
- Gazanias
- Nicotiana Starmakers
- Pansies
- Pentas
- Petunias
- Salvia
- Snapdragons
- Periwinkles
- Violas
- Zinnias
- Coleus
- Geraniums
(Geraniums are buy one, get one free all season long while they last!)
- Impatiens
- Lantanas
Bedding plants are the best and most cost effective way to add bold colors to your gardens, pots, and hanging baskets! And we’d love to see pics of your gorgeous, colorful gardens!
