Frostmass has Arrived
Well it happened. Last Friday morning we had our hard freeze. There is nothing like going from the 80’s the week before, to a hard freeze the next week. Not only is it a shock to the plants but the poor flower farmer. At least we had been given a heads up a day earlier so measures could be taken.
The Thursday that the warnings were coming through I harvested flowers three times. The first pass was in the morning before the sun hit the flowers, then again after lunch, then again around 4:00. I think four or five buckets of dahlias were harvested, all the cosmos, zinnias, a bunch of chrysanthemums that I couldn’t get under cover so by Thursday night the flower cooler was full of beautiful flowers.
I am glad I harvested and I also covered the chrysanthemums that I had started from cuttings, the others I left to chance and they all came out beautifully. Yay.
The next morning, we had this.
Despite the summer flowers being smelt, the autumn flowers sailed through the freeze and we should have flowers for at least the next two weeks. Hurrah! Everything is safely tucked in the cooler staying “warm” and I say that because most mornings now the cooler is warmer than the outside air.
Last week was week 41 in the flower farmer’s world, and I should have received my first shipment of tulips. Nothing. I sent an email to the bulb company wondering where they are. No panic yet. The worst thing is I probably have tulips available for Valentines week…but we will still have them when we need them the most which is February, March, April and May. I will let you know when I start to panic.
I have gotten confirmation that the narcissus that I couldn’t resist, iris and hyacinths for forcing have been shipped as well as nine more peony roots. I thought I had only ordered six, apparently I got slightly carried away. Hard to believe, I know.
Other happenings on the farm? The last of the dividing of the perennials, dividing and planting the plants for the shade flowers, finish cutting down the summer annuals and digging the dahlias. Not all will get accomplished this week by any means, but it is on the to-do list. And when the tulips arrive, get them crated up ASAP so they can go into the cooler.
I am enjoying tonight’s rain and sitting by the wood stove, first fire of the season. I will leave you here so Steve can finish up and get this published.
So until next week. Allie. I dream of flowers, do you?