Weeding your way to beautiful blooms: Inspiration from Zellers Beautiful Blooms on National Weed Your Garden Day

Friday, June 14, 2024 at 1:50 AM

Thursday's National Weed Your Garden Day serves as a reminder for gardeners to take an extra 5 or 10 minutes to weed their gardens.

The National Day is not only used as a reminder, but also used to inspire people to keep their garden free of weeds to allow for a healthier crop.

For DeAnn Zellers, who owner of the local U-Pick flower field, Zellers Beautiful Blooms, 878 N 200 W, outside of Rochester, weeding is part of everyday life.

Zeller said the main problem with weeds is that they hog many of the nutrients and resources from the soil that the flower needs to grow. A flower row full of weeds, Zellers says, won't grow as tall or lush compared to a row that is weed-free.

Zeller said she tries to set a dedicated time for weeding her field either in the morning, or evening, when it's not so hot, and the soil isn't as dry.

On average, Zellers said she spends, at least, two or more hours a day working in her flower field.

Catching the weeds before they get too grown makes it easier to control. Zellers says the three main things she fights around her flower beds is grass, lambsquarters and nettles.

Zellers said prepping ahead of the summer season is a huge key-factor in keeping her sanity, and flower beds in tip-top shape each season.

At Zellers Beautiful Blooms, prepping season tends to be during late winter, or early spring.

Although weeds are typically unwelcome at Zellers Beautiful Blooms, one weed they do welcome on the property is milkweed. An essential plant for monarch butterflies, milkweed is the only host plant for the iconic butterfly species.

Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on the leaves of milkweed, making it critical for the monarch's survival.

Zellers Beautiful Blooms will be open for self-service starting July 1. Their opening day for full-service will be July 13.

On June 30, the business will have its first workshop. That workshop's sign-up link is available on their business Facebook page. Zellers says they plan on doing at least one workshop a month for fun group activites that teach about arranging plants.

Zellers said they've already started getting calls about booking groups and parties for the summer. For more information on the U-Pick flower field, you can call Zellers at 260-215-1054.