Choosing Flowers

• Choosing the right plants will go a long way toward producing flowers quickly. Choose flowers that are appropriate for your climate zone and have a relatively short interval between planting and blooming. Some flowers bloom once, while others continue to bloom throughout their growing season. If you choose flowers that bloom only once, plant a number of different varieties with staggered blooming times for continual flowers. Generally speaking, annuals bloom the first year they are planted, while biennials may not bloom until the second year. Perennials can take more than a year to begin to produce flowers, although some, black-eyed Susan, for example, will bloom the first year even when started from seed. For quick flowers, take a cue from landscapers and plant annuals that are already blooming or budding.
  
  

Choosing Fertilizer

• Choosing the right fertilizer will help your flowers grow bigger more quickly and produce more blooms. To choose the right fertilizer, consider both your soil and the flowers you have planted; soil testing kits are available at most garden centers. Generally speaking, a fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium will increase the number of flowers produced. Gardening-Advisor.com recommends a 10-10-17 fertilizer mix.
  
  

Choosing Conditions

• For maximum blooming, place your flowers in the right kind of conditions with regard to sun versus shade. While conditions of full sun or full shade are easy to determine, plants that like partial sun or partial shade may require some trial and error. Paying attention to soil type, acidic and sandy, for example, as well as issues of moisture and drainage will also ensure a successful flower garden.
  
  

Garden Maintenance

• Depending on weather conditions, you may need to water your plants. Do not overwater; this will produce shallow root systems. Promptly remove weeds; they will compete with blooming flowers for nutrients. Flowers with long blooming periods may require "dead heading," a process of removing spent blossoms to encourage new blossoms to form, or cutting back to encourage blooming.