Spring is here, and perhaps the springiest thing out there are flowers. Flowers have many uses other than just looking pretty, like restoring the environment, helping bring pollinators to the area, and even being edible. This brief guide will help you decide which native Ohio flowers you should plant in your flower garden this spring.
Marigolds
Marigolds are very resilient flowers, able to bounce back from getting cut by the lawn mower. Spring is the optimal time to plant them, but the seeds won’t blossom until mid summer and fall.
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Spacing: Plant seeds 8-12 inches apart (depending on size), and roughly a ¼ inch under the soil’s surface.
Planting: Plant seeds when all danger of frost is gone. Can be continually planted throughout the season.
Watering: Water at base of plant; water when soil gets dry.
Cosmos
Cosmos are multicolored annual flowers that can grow up to 6 feet high and will bloom all summer long!
Light: Full sun
Spacing: Shorter types prefer 10-12 inches of space, taller varieties prefer 1-2 feet. (If they grow too tall and start to fall over, gently tie the stem to a thin stake to keep it upright.)
Planting: Scatter seeds on soil after all danger of frost is gone. Keep protected from wind.
Watering: Young plants need more moisture, older plants prefer less.
Petunias
These are one of the most popular garden flowers out there, and are usually bought and planted as seedlings, rather than started from seed. They come in dozens of varieties and will bloom until late summer or early fall.
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Spacing: Depending on the type of petunia, plant 4-12 inches apart. (Spreading ground-covering types will need at least 1 ½ feet of space.)
Planting: Plant in mid to late spring, after there is certain to be no more cold. Plant in well-drained soil.
Watering: Water weekly or when dry until the top 1-2 inches of soil is soaked. (In extreme heat, you may need to increase watering.)
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