Plants for a Fall Cutting Garden

Dahlias are the divas of the fall garden, bringing explosive color to autumn bouquets. For longest vase life, pick blooms when they’re three-quarters to fully open—but before any outer petals start to fade. Take water to the garden and plunge stems into it immediately after cutting. Research shows that professional floral preservative in the vase is the secret to long life. Packets are available from any florist. Average vase life: 5 to 11 days.

Add goldenrod to arrangements for a cheery pop of filler color. Use a wide mouth vase or Mason-type jar to counterbalance the strong horizontal flower form. Harvest stems when half of the blooms on the entire flower stalk are open. Average vase life: 7 to 10 days.

Few flowers signal fall like pretty garden mums. Plant a variety of types in a rainbow of bold hues for easy-to-create bouquets. Cut daisy-type mums (shown) when flowers are fully open but before petals start to fade. The center disk should be tight when you harvest. Average vase life: 7 to 21 days.

You’ll have bouquets for sharing when you include swamp sunflower in your cutting garden. This perennial opens blossoms all autumn long. Pick stems as long as you want, but aim to harvest flowers just as they’re almost fully open—but before pollen grains appear in centers. Average vase life: 6 to 14 days—or more.