Spring is the busiest planting season in the cutting garden. Cool-season flowers are blooming and warm-season flowers are going in the ground. Here is what to focus on.
Transplant snapdragons and stock. Direct sow sweet peas (if not fall-sown), larkspur, and nigella. These all handle light frost.
Direct sow zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, and marigolds. Transplant celosia, lisianthus, ageratum, and eucalyptus. Plant dahlia tubers. Set out basil and dusty miller.
Pinch transplanted seedlings as they establish. Install support netting. Begin succession sowing of fast crops. Harvest spring blooms: tulips, daffodils, ranunculus, anemones, peonies.
In warm zones (8+), some of these steps happen earlier or in fall. See zone-specific planting and the monthly calendar.