Fall Planting for Years of Cut-Flower Abundance

The Dream: Buckets of Blooms April–October

Bud Stuckey, Sunset's test garden coordinator (Menlo Park, CA), carved out an 18×25 ft cut-flower bed seven years ago. After deep tilling and amending, he planted roses, perennials, and seasonal tubers (dahlias, tuberoses). The return: daily armloads of flowers for six years running.

The Secret: Autumn Renewal

Each October, Stuckey refreshes the bed with a simple ritual — cutting back, pruning, weeding, mulching. Adapt his routine to your climate and watch the bed rebound stronger each spring.

Why Fall Planting Works

• Roots establish in cool, moist soil without top-growth stress.
• Winter rain does the irrigating.
• Plants hit the ground running at first warmth.

Get Started

Choose a sunny, well-drained spot. Amend deeply with compost. Plant roses, long-blooming perennials (phlox, catmint, buddleja, dahlias), and spring bulbs for early color. Install soaker hoses. Mulch. Then — as Stuckey says — "get out of the way and watch the plants grow."

Note: This article continues on page 2.