Imagine a garden where your flowers never stop blooming, no matter how much you snip a few stems for a bouquet. Welcome to the world of cut and come again flowers! These remarkable plants keep producing new blooms even after you cut them, making them a must-have for gardeners who love fresh flowers all season long and a staple crops for all flower farmers.
What Are Cut and Come Again Flowers?
"Cut and come again" flowers refer to plants that produce new blooms after being harvested, allowing for multiple cuts throughout the growing season. These flowers regenerate more buds after each cutting, giving gardeners a continuous supply of fresh flowers without replanting. Unlike many other plants that slow down after their first bloom, these keep going, often until the first frost.
Why Grow Cut and Come Again Flowers?
Extended Bloom Time: Cut and come again flowers allow farmers to harvest repeatedly from the same plants throughout the season. Instead of a one-time investment , these flowers produce new blooms after each cutting, increasing overall yield without the need for constant replanting.
Low Maintenance: Farmers save time and resources because these flowers don’t require frequent replanting. Once the plants are established, minimal intervention is needed beyond regular watering, fertilization, and harvesting. This reduces the overall labour costs associated with re-seeding or transplanting new flowers. Once established, these plants generally require minimal care. As long as you water, fertilize, and regularly cut the blooms, they’ll keep growing and thriving.
Maximising Profit: Since these flowers continuously regenerate, farmers get more flowers per square foot of growing space. This boosts profitability by maximizing production from a single investment in seeds, soil preparation, and labour. More blooms also mean more bouquets or bunches to sell over time, increasing revenue streams.
My top 10 Best Cut & Come Again Flowers
Zinnias: One of the easiest flowers to grow, they will pump out blooms in mid to late summer up until the first frosts
Snapdragons: A favourite for bouquets, they will continue producing flowers if you cut them regularly and can also be over wintered to produce more blooms the following year
Sweet Peas: Famous for their fragrance, the more you pick, the more blooms they will produce
Dahlias: These lush, showy blooms are a total showstooper but vase life can be short
Strawflower: Will bloom all summer long and produce masses of branching stems which will dry well for winter storage
Statice : With papery petals lots of branching stems whoch dry very well for use in winter
Amaranthus : From dangling to poker varieties, they will happy last weeks out of water if the leaves are removed, they will re bloom once cut but depending on the weather they may only have time to re bloom once in the UK
Scabious : My favourite filler with thin stems which sway and add movement to bouquets. Keep cutting and they will keep producing blooms. The seed heads also look great in arrangements
Hesperis: A perennial rather than an annual but once cut will gently re bloom throughout the summer a couple of times
Cleome: Cut hard back and the stems will re grow with gorgeously light airly blooms pavked with vibancy. Expect 2 or 3 cuts per season
Tips for Growing and Harvesting Cut and Come Again Flowers
Start with Healthy Soil: Like all plants, cut and come again flowers thrive in nutrient-rich soil. Add compost or organic matter to ensure they have plenty of nutrients to keep blooming.
Water Regularly: To encourage continuous flowering, make sure your plants are well-watered, especially during hot, dry weather. Consistent moisture is key to keeping the blooms coming.
Harvest Often: The more you cut, the more flowers will grow. When you see blooms at their peak, don’t hesitate to snip them! Cutting flowers before they go to seed encourages the plant to produce more buds.
Fertilize for Success: Use a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every few weeks to provide the plants with the necessary nutrients to keep growing strong and vibrant.
Cut in the Morning: When harvesting flowers, cut them in the early morning when the stems are full of water. This helps the flowers stay fresh longer after cutting.
Proper Cutting Technique: Use sharp, clean scissors or pruning shears to avoid damaging the plant. Cut stems at an angle to allow for better water absorption when placing them in a vase.
Designing a Cut and Come Again Flower Garden
Creating a garden that continuously blooms is all about thoughtful planning. Consider mixing different flower varieties and staggering the cutting so that they bloom at different times for an ever-changing display. Combine tall plants like sunflowers with shorter varieties like zinnias and snapdragons to create depth and visual interest. You can also plant in waves, adding seeds every couple of weeks for a staggered bloom time.
A dedicated cut flower bed is another great option if you’re serious about harvesting flowers throughout the season. You can grow flowers specifically for cutting without worrying about disturbing a carefully landscaped garden.
コメント