Month: January 2025

But…spring is slowly happening here at Lottarock. Oh yes. How do it know that? Because the days are getting longer thank goodness, I had a bluebird on the arbor outside the kitchen window the other day and I have flowers. Yup. Flowers.

Here you go, the first crate of Narcissus, don’t know the variety because it is one of the few things I didn’t label. I won’t do that again. I try to name and date everything that is forced and seeded, and in the case of peonies, labeled and dated as well.

Next up in the spring lie up is this. Muscari.

So these Muscari are from the first tiny crate that I pulled at the end of December. Actually looking at my notes it was December 13, so it has been 43 days out. A bit longer than I had anticipated, especially when those narcissus above has been two weeks. Live and learn. But my, aren’t they a feast to behold.

The dusty miller in the arrangement is what I had but out of the high tunnel back in December when I was creating a memorial bouquet. I had needed to condition it because that tunnel hadn’t had water since June? but it still looked good, good enough to harvest anyway. Well when I went to compose this arrangement I pulled out the stems from water and they have roots! Go figure. They were just sitting on the floor in the dirty room, under the workbench totally forgotten. Tomorrow they will get potted up and maybe cuttings taken. I always can use filler early in the season. The branches are ones in my winter arrangement that sprouted so I just cut off the green bits for a bit of height and contrast. Honestly, I am quite proud of it, if I must say so.

The first batch of seeds that went down early January have germinated. Well most of them have anyway. The ones that you are looking at are yarrow and they are ready to be transplanted into soil blocks this week.

So by now I am sure you are wondering what about the tulips? Well, I am not making many guarantees, but if you have a birthday in February, you will be receiving tulips. I will have tulips for my birthday anyway. They are coming along. I still hope to have by the middle of February a decent amount to offer to all.

Now is the time to start paying attention to the newsletters that will be coming out in the next week or two. The newsletter will tell you when and where the tulips and other flowers will be offered and the times. The flower shed is only open on Fridays until May? and the hours will vary. If you know anyone who would be interested in local, farm fresh flowers, have them sign up for the newsletter. Flowers-at-lottarock.com or flowersatlottarock@gmail.com will get them there as well. Better yet, bring them along so they can get the floral experience.

It is so exciting to have flowers again.

Until next week, Allie. I dream of flowers do you?

Oh the forecast doesn’t look very warming this week coming. Down right frigid they say. My only worry is the little heater in the bulb room not keeping up to the sub zero temperatures but the temperature alarm is set and can only hope the temperatures don’t dip below 35. I’m not worried about the bulbs dipping below that, in fact after this cold spell we are going to drop the temperature down to 40, it is at 45 right now. What I am worried about is all the dahlias that are stored in there that shouldn’t dip below 40.

Last Monday was the first day of tulip crate hauling. The first 4 crates are in as well as a crate of narcissus. They are all looking really good, especially the narcissus that I can see the flower buds and they are putting on growth.

Because if the frigid cold temps forecasted I hauled in tomorrows crates in this afternoon. It is better for the bulbs, better for me and better for the house because I didn’t have a door opener, he was busy scraping ice off the driveway before tonights snow.

Some of the seeds have started to germinate which is always exciting. The red tone yarrow is up, the pink shades not so much, but it was old seed so I need to get some more in my travels. The eucalyptus is up, pansies starting and the echinops looks like I will really be able to see it versus thinking I am seeing it start to germinate. It is a very fine line. Later this week I will start the cool annuals.

Remember I told you all last week that I was bad because I hadn’t pulled the ranunculus and anemone out of the high tunnel and and I was lamenting their death? Well the other day I went in and pulled the corms. They look good! I think that because the soil was soooo dry that they somehow survived. The real test will be when I soak them to sprout in the middle of next month but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

That is about all that is happening here at Lottarock at the moment. I will be back next week with more tales to tell I am sure. Until then,

Allie. I dream of flowers, do you?

Yay! It is nearly here, the day that the first crates of tulips get pulled out of the cooler and into the dirty room. I have been slaving away the last two days tidying up, making space and just getting ready. Besides the four weekly crates that will be getting pulled, I will also be pulling a crate of narcissus and eventually crates of hyacinths. The hyacinths need a few more weeks of chill time but soon.

So this is an experiment this year forcing narcissus and hyacinths. First it depends if I can pull this off. No reason I shouldn’t be able to but I always worry, and the biggest question how will they be received by my lovely flower people. The cost of tulip bulbs is just going up and up, and I want to be able to offer other spring flowers to help relieve the winter blues, or whites depending on the day.

The perennials have been sown, now it’s a waiting game for germination. They do take their time it seems. The cool annuals get sown the week after next. I still have to get the tunnel ready for those seedlings but I have time yet. My first oops of the year is not cleaning the tunnel back in November when I had nice weather because the ranunculus and anemone corms are still in the beds and with all this cold weather they more than likely are smelt. Damn. Luckily I have enough I had saved from last year that were in crates, but the nice ones in the tunnel…well…It is supposed to be above freezing this week for a few days so I guess I will dig around and see if I can salvage anything. Ugh.

Everything is ordered for this year’s growing. All the seeds are here, the shrubs have been ordered, chrysanthemums ordered, willows ordered and the last? of the perennials have been ordered. It is going to be one busy spring. It will be an exciting and busy spring. Bring it on, I am ready!

That is enough for now, I will be back next week to regale you with more happenings at Lottarock. Until then,

Allie

I dream of flowers, do you?

As I sit here writing this the snow is flying outside and it is hard to imagine that spring is “right around the corner”, but in reality here at Lottarock, it is right around the corner. True.

Remember that litle wooden crate I brought in back on Dec. 15? It is the one on the left.

If you look carefully at the pic on the right, you will see flower buds! See, spring is right arond the corner. This means that I can start to pull another crate or two of muscari to have flowers soon, how soon I don’t know. Pretty damn exciting if you ask me. Add some greens, a few branches and viola! a posey. Who has a birthday coming up in a week or two?

The other reason that spring is around the corner is that a week from tomorrow, the first crates of tulips and a crate of narcissus will be coming out of the cooler and into the dirty room. My goal is to have tulips and mixed bouquets for Valentines day but who knows. I will keep you posted.

The seeding bench is cleared off and tomorrow the seeding of the perennials, pansies and eucalyptus will be sown. Yes, my vacation is over and back to flower work.

Since it is a new year, I guess I should have 2025 flower goals. It is already going to be a busy year with everything that I have ordered. New beds have to get dug, but first a donkey shelter has to be moved, stumps pulled and rows made before I can and get everything in the ground. I would love to have more flower lovers joining us here at Lottarock so if you know anyone who loves flowers and would like to join us, send them along, or better yet, bring them along and get a floral gift. My last goal is figuring out how to add photos to the newsletters that I send out to really pique your interest the night before open shed day. Technology, argh.

I will pass you off to Steve now, so until next week,

Allie, I dream about flowers, do you?