All articles

Everything on The Petal Ledger, organised by topic.

Garden Maintenance

• How to Deadhead Annual Flowers Without Overcutting — Deadhead an annual by following the faded flower stem down to a healthy leaf, side shoot, or branch junction and making a clean cut just above it.

Seed to Bloom

• How to Grow Zinnias From Seed Without Guesswork — Grow zinnias from seed in full sun and well-drained soil after frost danger has passed and conditions have warmed, following the packet's sowing depth and…
• Why Cosmos Aren't Blooming: Diagnose the Leaves — Cosmos with abundant foliage but few flowers are often getting too little direct sun, too much nitrogen, excessive water, or simply have not reached their…

Cut-Flower Beds

• Small Cut-Flower Garden Layout: A 4-by-8 Plan — For a small 4-by-8-foot cut-flower bed, keep the long sides reachable and arrange flowers in reachable short blocks across the four-foot width.