So, I’ve been messing around in my garden lately, trying to figure out ways to make the soil healthier. And I stumbled upon this idea that some flowers, when they die, can actually be good for the soil. Sounds kinda weird, right? But I thought, why not give it a shot?
I started by picking out some flowers that are supposed to be good for this kind of thing. I chose marigolds and borage. I heard they’re like the superheroes of the flower world when it comes to soil improvement.
Then, I planted them in different parts of my garden. I wanted to see if different spots would get different results, you know, like a little experiment. I made sure to space them out a bit so they wouldn’t be all crowded and fighting for sunlight and water.
- Water them like normal flowers.
- Let them grow and bloom.
- Don’t deadhead them – just let them do their thing.
After that, it was just a waiting game. I kept an eye on them, watered them when needed, and just let them do their thing. They grew, they bloomed, and then, as all flowers do, they started to wilt and die.
Now, here’s the interesting part. Instead of pulling them out, I left the dead flowers right there in the soil. I even chopped up some of them and mixed them into the soil around the other plants. It felt a bit wrong at first, like I was making a mess, but I trusted the process.
Over the next few weeks, I started noticing a change. The soil where I left the flowers seemed richer and darker, The plants around those areas seemed happier too, growing stronger and looking healthier. It was like those dying flowers gave the soil a boost!
I also did some digging around—literally. I wanted to see what was happening under the surface. And guess what? The soil structure seemed better, like it was holding onto moisture better but also draining well. Plus, I saw more earthworms, which is always a good sign, right?
My conclusion
So, yeah, it turns out that letting some flowers die and decompose in your garden can actually be a good thing. They add organic matter to the soil, which helps improve its structure and fertility. It’s like a natural way of composting, right there in your garden beds. Pretty cool, huh?
I’ll definitely be doing this again next year. It’s an easy and natural way to keep my garden soil happy and healthy. If you’re into gardening, you might wanna try this out too. Just remember, not all flowers are great at this, so do a bit of research before you start!
