Our Green Winter Oasis

The ground may be frozen and covered with snow, but inside our propagation house, it’s filled with lush, verdant plants. It’s our oasis while we wait for the spring to really start going. Can you imagine the warm, moisture rich, plant smell as you walk into this place? It’s the stuff dreams are made of!

What do we have growing right now, you ask? So much! Admittedly, we kept some of our dahlias from going into hibernation. We grabbed 10 tubers (or more) from each variety we wanted to build more stock from, potted them up and started the process as of November 1st. We’ve been taking cuttings all winter! Shown below is just a few of the cuttings that we have in the prop house. We have so many now, we had to send some to an overflow space. Just awesome!

If you’re curious about what I’m talking about, or how to do this, check out our YouTube video for more information: Taking Dahlia Cuttings

We also have tons of seeds started, but mostly seeds that can take a bit of cold. Flowers like snapdragons, statice, strawflower, and agrostemma are great for this. They don’t mind getting a little chilled, as long as there’s not direct frost hitting them. They’re perfect for early season, because we can stash them in our unheated greenhouses.

Some of the new seeds we’re trying this year are these hollyhocks. I’m in love with their pretty little frills and the colors are gorgeous. We’re planning on adding these by the Flower Cottage to add a cottage garden effect. I can’t wait to see how they turn out.

Another new variety of flower we’re growing this year is sapponaria. This dainty annual will add a little extra sparkle to bouquets we sell this year. I just love the airiness and pretty color it’ll add. From all indications, it’s going to be a smashing success, but you’ll have to tell us what you think!

Our friends, the Hong-Elder Boys, prompted us to try out love grass this year. We sowed the seeds and it’s starting to come up! It seems to be pretty slow growing at the moment, but I’m hoping to give it plenty of time to grow before putting in the ground.

Below is a picture of the seed starts in the prop house. We observed that seeds germinate a little more sporadically, because the temperature in there isn’t regulated as easily and can generally has a pretty wild fluctuation of temperature…anywhere between 65-85 degrees. The seedlings prefer to be around 70 degrees or so for best germination. However, I just visited the prop house again tonight and saw many, many new little seedlings popping up. I have to keep reminding myself to practice patience, which really isn’t be strong suit.

We’ve been starting seeds day and night and it’ll be this way until the end of June. It’s officially growing season time for our flower farm! I can hardly wait to have flowers again to bring into the house, share with friends, and to work with for floral design. Although it’s only been a few short months, it feels like forever ago that we had flowers.

Happy growing, our friends and feel free to let us know what special things you might be growing this year. We’ve already found so much inspiration in what people have shared with us already! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and for following along with us.

Jenn XX

Flower Farmer Winter Activities

People have been asking us, what does a flower farmer do during the winter on the farm? Most think we’re just relaxing, resting and preparing for the coming year, which does have a little truth to it. It’s been a little nice to get some extra sleep and not have to bust our tails from early morning to late at night. It’s certainly a welcome reprieve from the craziness of the typical growing season in all its bountiful glory.

Seed and Dahlia Ordering

It’s so invigorating and magical to sit down and look through seed catalogs and dream about the amazing flowers your’re going to grow the following growing season. I compare it to reading a great book, which I may also be doing a bit of at the moment. It takes me away from reality and let’s me have a little slice of the dream. This is a little part of my bliss during the winter, sitting back and picking out the most interesting, beautiful flowers that I want to grow. There are so many different ones to choose from and they’re all so wonderful in their own way. Many times I have to have Adam come in behind me and take some out, because admittedly, I get a little out of control. I want them all!

I look at ordering flower seeds and dahlias a differently than most (I think, anyway). I tend to look at the type of flower seeds would add a little sparkle or something unique to a bridal bouquet or in massive floral installation. Typically, I know the event work that I already have planned for 2019, so I start growing special little floral details that will enhance what I have planned to put together.

Who do we order seeds from? Retail seeds places I order from include: Renee’s Garden, Swallow Tail Gardens, Botanical Interests, Select Seeds (love their heirloom varieties), Johnny’s Select Seeds, Seed Saver’s Exchange and Baker Creek.

Who do I order dahlias from? Well, we have our own stock and sell tubers online, but for new ones I look to add, I generally to to: K Connell’s, Kelly Flower Farm, Little Farm House Flowers, Summer Dreams Farm, Swan Island Dahlias, SkyFall Flowers, Hidden Hive Flowers, and so many more. Someone needs to stop me! If Adam only knew how much money I’ve dropped on adding new, beautiful varieties to our farm…

Dahlia, Chrysanthemum, and Scented Geranium Cuttings

I have a little secret. Is it okay that I tell you this? I couldn’t completely let go and relax too much over the winter. I had to have some green plant goodness in my life to get through the winter. It just gets too brown and gray here and I need something to keep myself occupied and also something to keep my spirits uplifted. It works!

Every year we dig up our dahlias and I always keep a few back to put up and keep inside under grow lights. Same thing holds true with our heirloom chrysanthemums (mums), and scented geranium. I just dig them up, stick them in pots and put them under grow lights. They keep growing their little hearts out, while I trim them back and take a little cuttings off, sticking them in soil and keeping the soil moist. I have hundreds of little babies growing and it just makes me so darn happy!

Planning and Setting Goals for the Growing Season

This is the time we take to re-align and re-set ourselves on what priorities will be for the next year and how we want to grow our business and focus our time for 2019. Unfortunately, this is tied heavily to the business side of the farm, including the dreaded taxes. One of my least favorite, but necessary tasks.

The garden bed mapping and seed schedule is setup and planned out during this time. This helps keep us on task with the plants that need to be started and when. Harder than you would think during the height of our growing season, especially as we get into the June seed sowing.

We also use this time to meet with other creatives to stir up new ideas and work on possible collaborations, set our class schedule for the year, speak with a lot of prospective brides and hold several consultations, and participate in speaking engagements at area garden clubs. These activities are some of my favorite, because I love classes and I love speaking with others about things I’m passionate about.

Floral Design and Photography

Winter time is when I really have some great opportunity to play with flowers. Even though I’m not growing them at this time, I indulge myself by buying them from our local florist and put together beautiful designs, bouquets, flay lays, etc. This gives me a great opportunity to be creative and to also play with my camera as I’m taking photos of the things I make.

I use this time to brush up on my photography skills, playing with my ‘good’ camera. Adam and I shoot with a Cannon Digital Rebel. We love it, but we get a little rusty during the summer and often are busy, so we just use our iPhones for quick pics.

Farm Clean-up and Organization

Occasionally we get a very warm day in the middle of winter. It’s always a fluke and we never know when it’s going to happen, but it always does. A few weeks ago, over holiday break, we had a warm, 50 degree day. We used it as an opportunity to clean-up our seed starting area, pick up tools that were left around the farm before the first snow hit, and also tidy up the event space. Not gonna lie, it was a mess, but from what I hear, we’re not alone.

It’s crazy how little things laying around in a disorganized manner can make you mentally feel untidy. Such a great feeling to get it all neatly arranged and little bits of things picked up. We also use this as a ‘family day’ and get the kids in on the action too. Not saying the kids like it, but lots of hands make the the work light and it actually turned out to be a great way to spend time together. Who knew!?

XX Jenn