Seed Starting for a Second Planting: Brightening Up Your Summer Garden

Second succession planting for flowers involves strategically sowing seeds at a later time to make sure there’s a constant supply of stunning blooms to be used for gorgeous bouquets. For our second planting, we start seeds on or around the first of May, which will eventually be planted out on or around the first of June.

Beginning seed starting in May for a June planting is crucial, as it allows for the seeds to germinate in their seed starting medium to develop into healthy seedlings in time for the warmer months. This timeline helps to make sure the flowers will flourish during the peak of summer, filling the garden with an array of bright, cheery, and colorful blooms. By taking this approach, gardeners can enjoy an extended period of floral beauty and create a visually stunning outdoor space that uplifts the spirit throughout the season.

Some of our favorite seeds for a second planting include:

Zinnias

Zinnias are a must have at our farm because of how tough and productive they are. Once established, this flower just keeps giving blooms. Benary’s Giant provides a bloom large enough to work as a focal flower for our season bouquets. Oftentimes they help us through times when there aren’t any other focal flowers to pick from to use in bouquets, which makes them a nice bridge flower to use during seasonal transitions.

Strawflowers

Strawflower is one of our favorite flowers to use in fresh flower bouquets, in flower crowns, or dried and used in dried flower bouquets. The interesting color and texture makes them even more valuable to grow in the cut flower garden.

Gomphrena

Gomphrena has been a favorite dried flower we grow season after season, but this color specifically is one we absolutely love. The color of the bloom has a lovely muted color that lands somewhere between pink and purple, but is more muted, which makes also makes this flower perfect for an addition into fresh mixed bouquets.

Celosia

This is the most beautiful plumed celosia. It celosia produces the most beautiful mix of hot pink, orangey peach crested blooms. This bloom is incredibly long lasting, a valuable cut flower and it also dries beautifully and retains its color well. Simply hang upside down and let dry fully.

Statice

These flowers boast sturdy stems and compact, vivid blooms, making them an ideal addition to sun-drenched flower beds and gardens. Thanks to modern hybridization, statice varieties now offer extended longevity, allowing for their versatile use throughout the season. Their popularity as cut flowers remains steadfast, adding a touch of elegance to any floral arrangement.

What You’ll Need for Seed Starting:

Now that you are equipped with the knowledge of extending the beauty of your blooms further into the flower growing season, the next step covers materials you’ll need. Get ready for seed starting by gathering some of these essential supplies to for seed starting for your second round of blooms.

72 Cell Tray - Perfect for Starting Seeds

We love seed starting in these trays, because we can plan exactly how many plants we’re going to have to plant.

Cell Tray

Organic Seed Starter Soil Mix

The #1 question we’re asked is what we use here to start seeds. Using a seed starter mix helps to make sure you have a higher success rate with starting your seeds.

Seed Starting Mix

And seeds, of course! We have seeds available online from February-April online or any time after that at the farm. You can find seeds pretty much anywhere! Check your local nurseries, farm or hardware stores.

Seeds

Are you curious about succession planting and want more information? Check out our YouTube video on how we do multiple successions at our flower farm from early spring through early July to have vibrant, beautiful blooms until our first frost in mid-October.

As you dive into your second round of planting for a vibrant summer garden, get ready for the excitement of watching those seeds burst into a riot of colors! With just the right timing and a little TLC, your garden will soon be a lively tapestry of blooms. Armed with your seed starting essentials, you're all set to make magic happen. Get ready to get your hands dirty, have fun, and here's to a summer filled with blossoming garden beauty!

5 Easy House Plants We Grow (and 3 challenging ones)

We're diving into the world of houseplants that are not only easy to grow but also bring a touch of nature's beauty into your home. Whether you're a seasoned plant enthusiast or a beginner looking to greenify your space, we've curated a list of 5 easy-to-grow house plants and 3 more challenging varieties to test your green thumb.

1. Pothos

Known for its resilience and low-maintenance nature, Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is an excellent choice for any indoor gardener. Its heart-shaped leaves and trailing vines add a touch of elegance to your living space, thriving in various light conditions.

2. Inch Plant (Wandering Dude):

The Inch Plant (Tradescantia zebrina), often referred to as Wandering Dude, is a vibrant and dynamic houseplant. With striking purple and silver-striped leaves, it's not only visually appealing but also adaptable to different environments, making it a great addition to your indoor garden.

3. ZZ Plant

Zamioculcas zamiifolia, or the ZZ Plant, is a hardy and virtually indestructible houseplant. Its glossy, dark green leaves add a modern touch to your decor while requiring minimal attention. Perfect for those with a busy lifestyle, the ZZ Plant is a resilient and stylish choice.

4. Dracaena

With its diverse species, the Dracaena family offers an array of stunning houseplants. Known for their air-purifying qualities, these plants come in various shapes and sizes. From the striking red edges of Dracaena marginata to the vibrant greenery of Dracaena fragrans, there's a Dracaena for every indoor garden.

5. Philodendron

Philodendrons are classic and versatile houseplants with heart-shaped leaves. They come in various species, such as the popular Philodendron scandens or the heartleaf variety, known for its adaptability and forgiving nature. These plants thrive in moderate light and are perfect for beginners.

For the more advanced green thumbs out there, here’s a few we’re growing that you should check out!

6. Callisia

Challenge yourself with the unique Callisia, a plant that boasts trailing vines and delicate leaves. This lesser-known gem adds a touch of whimsy to your indoor garden while rewarding you with its resilience and adaptability.

7. Monstera Deliciosa

Embrace the tropical vibes with the iconic Monstera deliciosa. Known for its distinctive split leaves, this plant is a statement piece that requires a bit more care but promises a visually stunning payoff.

8. Monstera adansonii

Take on the challenge of nurturing the Monstera adansonii, also known as the Swiss Cheese Plant. With its intricately perforated leaves, this variety adds an artistic touch to your indoor oasis, demanding a bit more attention but offering a uniquely beautiful aesthetic.

Whether you're opting for the tried-and-true easy growers or venturing into the realm of more challenging house plants, cultivating a diverse indoor garden is a rewarding journey. These plants not only enhance your living space but also bring joy to your daily routine.

Join us on March 23rd, 2024, from 10:00AM to 4:00PM for our House Plant Pop-Up Shop at the farm! Grab your own house plant to either start or add to your collection. We’ll see you there!

Easiest Flowers to Plant to Start a Cutting Garden

Cutting gardens are a great way to grow a variety of flowers specifically for cutting and bringing indoors to enjoy. If you are considering starting a cutting garden, you may be wondering which flowers are the easiest to grow, most popular and reliable for the home garden.

Here are some of the most popular types of flowers for cutting gardens:

1. Celosia - Chester Copperpot

We’ve been working on Chester over the last 6 growing seasons, perfecting the color and texture. Colors in this mix range from coppery orange, soft gold, muted orange, to deep magenta red. This is the perfect celosia variety if you’re looking for more muted fall colors for your design work, or for fall bouquets. It’s an easy seed to get started and often likes to self seed from season to season, which is an added bonus!

2. Scabiosa

Scabiosa is a delicate, lovely flower that adds a soft, airy detail to a bouquet. We grow these beautiful flowers in succession, so we always have a few in bloom to make beautiful bouquets. We also love this flower, because it’s perfect to use for botanical dyeing. It makes a lovely periwinkle blue color as a botanical dye.

3. Zinnia Benary's Giant

Zinnias are a must have at our farm because of how tough and productive they are. They love the intolerable heat and humidity of a midwest summer. Once established, this flower just keeps giving blooms. Benary’s Giant provides a bloom large enough to work as a focal flower for our season bouquets. Oftentimes they help us through times when there aren’t any other focal flowers to pick from to use in bouquets, which makes them a nice bridge flower to use during seasonal

4. Strawflower

Strawflower is gorgeous in bouquets any time of year. The fun straw-like texture of the blooms is a fun tactile experience. Strawflower adds airiness into mixed bouquets, or for design work for weddings and other events. It’s also great as a dried flower to be used for various crafts. This is a must-have addition to the cut flower garden.

5. Sunflower

Sunflowers forever! There’s something so cheerful about sunflowers in a bouquet. They’ve been a true customer favorite for several years, whether they’re bunched into a bouquet by themselves, or added to mixed bouquets. Vincent’s Choice & Vincent’s Fresh is a favorite for later season bouquets, typically after July 1st.

6. Salvia

Salvia is one of our favorite pops of color in our seasonal mixed bouquets. The little pops of vibrant blue/purple add a lot of contrast of color and interest with their shape and texture. It’s a flower we consider a ‘sparkle’ addition that seems to be the perfect finishing touch.

By choosing a variety of these popular flowers, you can create a cutting garden that will provide you with a beautiful and abundant supply of flowers to enjoy all season long. Happy gardening!

In this video, we go over the easiest cut flowers to start your flower farm or even just get started growing flowers in your garden. Starting a flower farm can sometimes feel overwhelming. We hope these videos help you simplify the process into bite-size chunks. Learn about the top easy-to-grow cut flowers, such as marigolds, celosia, zinnias, cosmos, basil, etc. Get our advice, and use these stunning blossoms to enrich your arrangements.

Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Garden

Hummingbirds are beloved by many gardeners, and attracting them to your garden to watch them enjoy your flower blooms is absolutely wonderful. However, not all flowers are as attractive to hummingbirds, so it's important to choose the right varieties. Here are some great tips for selecting the best flower varieties and a few other tips and tricks for attracting hummingbirds to your garden.

Nectar Rich Flowers

The first suggestion is pretty straight forward, but maybe not something people think about as much when selecting flower varieties. We recommend choosing flowers that produce a lot of nectar. Hummingbirds are attracted to flowers that produce nectar, as this is their primary source of food. Some good flower varieties we suggest are bee balm, cardinal flower, columbine, and foxglove.

Bright and Bold!

Also consider the color of the flowers you’re choosing. Hummingbirds are attracted to brightly colored flowers, especially red, orange, and pink. These colors stand out to hummingbirds and are easily visible from a distance.

Seeds

Long Bloom Time

Hummingbirds are attracted to flowers that produce a consistent supply of nectar, so it's helpful to choose varieties that bloom for a long period of time. Flowers that we suggest for long bloom time include salvia, coneflower, and black eyed susans.

Seeds

Shape Diversity & Sunny Location

Plant a variety of flower sizes and shapes. Hummingbirds are attracted to different types of flowers, so it's helpful to plant a variety of sizes and shapes to appeal to a wider range of hummingbirds.

Also, grow your flowers in a sunny location. Hummingbirds are more likely to visit flowers that are located in a sunny location, as they prefer to feed in the warmth of the sun.

Best Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds

Here’s a list of some of the best flowers we grow that attract hummingbirds to the garden:

1. Bee Balm

2. Cardinal Flower

3. Columbine

4. Foxglove

5. Black Eyed Susan

6. Trumpet Vine

7. Zinnia

8. Salvia

9. Petunia

10. Penstemon

11. Agastache

12. Mexican Sage

13. Nicotiana

This list of flowers are ones that are not only beautiful, but they also produce lots of nectar, which is the primary source of food for hummingbirds. All of them also have a range of bright, vibrant colors, such as red, orange, and pink, which are especially attractive to hummingbirds. Planting a variety of these flowers in a sunny location will help to attract hummingbirds to your garden to enjoy these amazing birds.

Hummingbird Garden Seed Mix

We hope you learned a few tips you may not have known before about attracting hummingbirds to your garden. By following some of these tips, you’ll pick the best flower varieties for attracting hummingbirds to your garden to enjoy the beauty and charm of these amazing little birds.

Happy gardening!

XX Jenn and Adam

Valentine’s Day Flowers

For Valentine's Day, PepperHarrow headed out for a small adventure, spreading and sharing love through beautiful bouquets and custom pre-order centerpieces throughout Central Iowa. With these beautiful flowers in hand, we spent the day delivering gorgeous bouquets to local shops for them to sell and personal deliveries that were pre-ordered specially for the recipient. We loved spreading joy this Valentine’s Day and we were filled us to the brim with love for our loyal customers. Thank you to all who supported us!

We started the day with a special delivery to Des Moines Mercantile, where we adorned the space with stunning bouquets that captured the essence of love. Each arrangement was hand arranged and wrapped to perfection in pretty tissue paper and paper wrapping. After we dropped them off, it turned the the store into a burst of blooms with an incredible fragrance!

Next, we delivered our custom pre-ordered arrangements to places within a 30-mile radius of Des Moines. This personalized service allowed our customers to gift beautiful floral centerpieces to the special people in their lives. Included was a pretty Valetine’s Day card, which included heartfelt sentiments of the sender. From pink roses to wisps of fragrant stock, the bouquets were romantic, sweet and conveyed love and appreciation to those who received one. Gosh they were sweet!

W'e’re so grateful for the opportunity to have shared in the joy and celebration of love with our vibrant bouquets throughout our community. It was pretty special to be able to share a small part in tokens of appreciation and love. Thank you for making this Valentine's Day truly special with PepperHarrow!

XO,

Adam and Jenn

Jenn shows step by step how to make a simple flower centerpiece.