Flowers are grown almost identically to vegetables, the only difference being that the object is to remove the product from the field before pollination and fruit development. When siting the cut flower plot, give it the same considerations you would give to a vegetable garden -- full sun, good soil, adequate drainage and access to a water source. Use standard vegetable production techniques (i.e., grown at close spacing in raised beds or rows) in full sun. Most of the farm implements used for vegetable production may be used for cut flowers. While raised beds are important for drainage, be sure to follow standard soil conservation practices, constructing rows across slopes and laying mulch or a permanent cover crop between beds to minimize soil washing and muddy harvesting conditions. Placing mulch around plants also reduces the incidence of leaf spot diseases caused by soilborne fungi that have been splashed up onto the leaves. The benefits of a mulch for weed reduction may be the difference between a 36" larkspur worth 75 cents per stem and an 18" larkspur worth 25 cents.
If land is not well drained, construct ditching first of all to lead water out of the growing area. Many winter cut-flower crops produce poorly or die if water stands in the rows.
Have a soil test done by the local extension service, the best seven dollars you’ll ever spend. Flowers grow best at a pH between 6 and 6.8. Some Gulf Coast soils will easily fall within this range, but some will be considerably more acidic and require the addition of lime. Use a preplant fertilizer with N, P and K like 13-13-13 or 8-8-8, about 1 pint (2 cups) per 20 ft. of row. Regular soil testing will allow further fine tuning of fertilizer applications; some years only requiring the use of nitrogen fertilizer. Don’t be shy about asking the local extension agent for assistance with soil test results interpretation; that’s his job. Organic production (no chemical fertilizer) of any crop (flower or vegetable) is easily achieved on soils that have been highly improved with organic matter or covercropped before each planting. If organic matter such as composted manure or compost is available, add it even for non-organic production. Incorporate it before adding the fertilizer and then rake the fertilizer into the top of the prepared row. Soils with high organic-matter content typically produce superior flowers in size and quality, which translates into a higher selling price.
Cover cropping can increase soil organic matter and nutrient content when added into the crop rotation scheme. Good cool-season cover crops are Austrian winter peas and crimson clover. Buckwheat and south[Image: Buckwheat]ern peas are good hot-weather covers. While rye grass is a good green manure crop for winter, it has an allelopathic affect, causing very poor germination in the month following its use as a cover crop. If ryegrass is used as a cover crop, plan to plant transplants rather than seeded crops in those rows. Grow cover crops to the flowering stage, cut them and turn them in immediately. Wait several weeks before planting your crop, to enable the green material breakdown phase to pass.