Author: Allie

Here we are. October

I don’t know which season is crazier. Spring, where everything bursts on the scene, or Fall, where deadlines loom. Right now, I am feeling the rush of deadlines. Crazy I know. So bring it on.

The eight Cotinus quart pots arrived last week. October 1 to be exact. Are they planted? Nope, I have to do some serious jiggering in the twiggery. Where I was going to put them I decided not to, so now I have to create a new row, but before I create a new row, I have to shift some plants, and I need help with this project. Cue in Steve. It is a bigger project than a one eyed farmer can do right now. Hopefully it will be done this week. Because….

The first shipment of tulips arrives tomorrow. Unfortunately not the ones that get forced but the in ground ones, so they will just be stored in the cooler until I am ready for them. The forcing tulips hopefully will be here in another week so I can get them planted up so I will have tulips for Valentine’s day. If not, well, it would be the following week in February. I have cleaned all the crates that I will need for the forcing tulips and I think I am ready. Just waiting.

Meanwhile, a frost is in the forecast for Wednesday morning, so the next two days will be spent prepping for that. I do have elevation helping me, but I still have to be prepared. Getting the frost cloth out to protect the chrysanthemums, harvesting everything that is worth harvesting and seriously hoping for the best because I have some big flower orders going out in the next two weeks.

To be perfectly honest, this flower farmer is ready for the season to end. Well, sorta. I’m tired and my @$^*(! eye isn’t helping matters.

Here I am labeling the dahlias, on my hands and knees

because I really am not supposed to be upside down yet. I think I did OK. I think I only have two or three that are questionable, so they are labeled, unknown A,B and C. It was a beautiful day and it has to get done before the freeze turns everything to a black mush. Then I have absolutely no idea what is what. By they way, they are still looking absolutely beautiful.

Flowers operate on their own schedule, not mine so while I am madly waiting for my chrysanthemums to flowers, they are just taking their sweet time. In my opinion. But here is what I do have showing color and looking good.

Apparently I need to work better on my labeling system. I say this every year, and yet every year I wonder what I have. Ugh.

I still have beautiful flowers, the shed will continue to be open on Fridays until it isn’t. That date has yet to be determined. I am going to send this off to Steve and hopefully he will make sense of it.

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

A Rainy Sunday in September

Hello rain, and welcome to the garden. While the rest of the east coast is getting pummeled with a mighty nor’easter, we here are getting gentle waves of rain, which I am grateful for. The wind is blowing but so far for us this nor’easter is a calm one, which is good. I am just wicked grateful this isn’t winter and all this isn’t snow.

The gardens are looking good and that makes me happy. The dahlias are going strong, the asters are coming into flower and the chrysanthemums are in serious bud. There will be flowers well into October if the weather cooperates, and it looks like it will in the long range forecast.

It is going to be an interesting October this year. I have just spread a cover crop on the beds are are mostly clear of plants, yes, clean up is slowly happening. I am limiting myself to two to three hours in the garden until I get the “you can do more” on Oct 8. Keep your fingers crossed. I have eight quart cotinus arriving this week, and yes, I know where they are going. The tulips should be getting shipped in a week or two, Yay? Garden clean up in earnest after the freeze whenever that will be, everything goes on the compost pile. Dahlias cut back and lifted, twenty five peonies need to get dug and planted where the short row of dahlias will be vacating, the the tulips get planted, and the narcissus that I have forced the last two years need to go into the ground down by the new crabapples. I sure hope I get the “you can do more now.”

I still am not doing much playing with flowers because honestly I’m being challenged with the lack of light coming through the gas bubble and color, probably because of the same reason. I did make this bouquet at the end of the day Friday with the remaining flowers, which wasn’t many, thank you flower people. I think it turned out nicely, (from what I can see).

While I think of it, there are no more Tuesday flower shed until May? All depends on the flowers and spring, which I have no control over. Friday’s shed will still be open hopefully for another four to six weeks. I can still do special orders if you like.

I am going to pass this off to Steve, but before I go I thought you might like this photo.

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

Mid September, ish

Here we are at mid September and the flowers are still going strong. Not the flowers of high summer, but the flowers of late summer, and as of tomorrow, fall! Yikes.

As you can tell, the wagon load of flowers is very different from last month. Yes, there are zinnias and celosia, both high summer flowers, but going strong are the dahlias and the beginning of the chrysanthemums. Yes, right now the mums are just white, but very soon dark purple buttons will be joining them and soon after that, all sorts of mums. The amaranth hanging off the right side of the wagon is also going strong, so until we have a freeze, there will be flowers.

That being said, this Tuesday, Sept 22 will be the last of the Tuesday flower shed days until next June? Yes, there are still plenty of flowers but not enough to warrant being open on Tuesday. It is also because the daylight is rapidly decreasing and the light isn’t good enough to see the beautiful colors. If you need a special order, that isn’t a problem, it is just that the shed won’t be open on Tuesdays after the 22nd.

One of my fellow flower farmers has been harvesting flowers for the wedding she was doing. Since I couldn’t harvest that day, Beth harvested what she needed. This handful of amaranth is a bouquet in itself. I have been given the all clear from my Dr. for harvesting flowers now so I am a much happier flower farmer. Not easy with the vision, but at least I am allowed to harvest. I might be slower than normal but at least I can do it now. That, is a big yay!

I did my first creation in a month. It isn’t big or glam, but heck, I did it.

The pot is holding dahlias, celosia, zinnias, japanese anemone and some self sown ageratum.

I am going to give this to Steve now for some major proofreading. So, until next week,

Allie. I dream of flowers, do you?

PS.. Tuesday, Sept 22 is the last Tuesday flower shed. Sad I know, but Fridays will still be going strong until mid October.

The One Eyed Blogger

I am essentially typing this blog with one eye so pardon the typos. Hopefully Steve will clean them up for me.

It has been a whirlwind two weeks regarding the ole eyeball, Rushing here and there, but last Thursday I had vitrectomy surgery. So far things are good post surgery. I can see light, colors and shapes, mostly blobs but I think the most important right now is the light part. Recovery is going to be long, six to eight weeks. Ugh. At least after next Thursday I can lift more than 15 pounds. No gardening for a while, so it will be what it will be. Hopefully we will have a long indian summer so I will be able to get things done. At least the critical things like getting the dahlias dug and the tulips planted. My mantra now is patience, and don’t be stupid, Kerwin.

But to the most important thing that you want to know. The flowers, especially the dahlias are looking stupendous.

You know how I feel about dahlias. The are the swan song of the season. The most beautiful colors, shapes and forms, nothing is more beautiful. Except the tulips that enter in the season with their colors and forms. What better floral bookends can there possibly be?

Now I don’t want to give the chrysanthemums the short end of the floral stick because they are stunning in their own way, and may I just say that they are budding up beautifully. It is just the dahlias have a much bigger wow factor. They each have their own season though and that is what makes flower farming so interesting. Each major crop really has its own season.

The flower shed will continue with its summer hours for a few weeks more, then I think we will switch to late summer fall hours which will just be Fridays. This has nothing to do with my eye, it’s just that the flower variety will be a lot less and the daylight will be a lot less. I will let you know when that happens don’t worry. The weather looks as though we are going to be frost free for a few more weeks, fingers crossed, so there will still be plenty of flowers for you to enjoy.

I am going to stop here. Going a bit crossed eye. Just remember to tell me, patience, and don’t be stupid, Kerwin.

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

Happy September! Just can’t believe it.

I find it so hard to believe that we are in September but boy does it feel like it and sound like it. The swamp maples are starting to change color, the golds are becoming more prominent, the dahlias are going full tilt and the chrysanthemums are looking quite good.

The chrysanthemums are daylight sensitive so as the days get shorter, and they certainly are, the flower buds develop. Kinda like pointsettias, they also need short day length to redden the bracts.

I am already going through next year’s grow list, or what not to grow list precisely. On the chopping block, cosmos, I love them but… they are a pain. If I do grow them they will be started and planted out later and maybe fewer. Another one. Marigolds. I love them, and they do well, but as soon as the evenings start to cool and the morning dew gets going they turn to trash. That frees up some space for more perennials, not much, but some. I will probably plant more dusty miller, various basils and scented geraniums for filler/greens but out with the mahogany splendor. As much as I love its form and color it just doesn’t condition well. Period.

I get my best flower thinking time sitting on the tractor outside the garden, looking over the garden and making notes. And the view from there is spectacular as well, especially at the end of a long day in the garden. Since I never take time to sit in the gardens to enjoy them i find sitting in the tractor seat just as fine.

While I think of it, there is a slim possibility the flower shed will be closed or late on Tuesday but I wont know until it happens. I am just giving a heads up. I plan to be here, but I could be late.

Do come by the flower shed, the flowers are spectacular, if I must say so, and sit on the tractor seat for the view and relax. So until next week..

Allie. I dream of flowers, do you?

The Last Sunday of August

It is hard to believe that August is over after tomorrow. I wonder how that happened, but as I look out into the gardens I can certainly believe it. The late summer flowers are going crazy, as are the crickets.

The zinnias, celosia are also adding their bursts of vivid color and the chrysanthemums are budding up, hard to believe I know.

For those of you not in the know, I am going to give a quick little update here. On Tuesday Aug 18 I noticed something was off with my vision, so I called my optometrist who quickly made an appt for me at the local Medical Eye Center in Peterborough. Like an immediate appointment. Steve drove me directly to the office were I was immediately seen. Detached retina and tear. They immediately sent me to their office in Manchester where a gas bubble was injected in to push the retina back in place. I then had to spend the next eight days like this.

Then last Wednesday I had a laser treatment, very interesting as well, to stitch the retina back into place. So now, I can have my head upright in it’s normal position, but if I am resting, I need to have it sideways. All my remaining summer sports are done for the year. No swimming, no nothing. Rest is required. That means that no weeding, but I can harvest and create, so my world is still good. In three weeks I go back for a check up. The gas they injected should dissipate in another six weeks? Fingers crossed. It is also interesting, like looking through a big water bubble. Anyway, as long as I am mindful and don’t do anything stupid, I should be good to go and not require surgery.

So. Now back to flowers. Which are looking fantastic if I must say so. I mean just look at these.

I had a floral commission for this past Saturday for an amazing birthday celebration. These are just some of the many table flowers…

Then I was asked to make a posey as a gift to the same birthday girl..

To round out your viewing pleasure? The last photo is of the twiggery, looking up the hill.

I am going to send this off to Steve now for some massive spelling checks. I will be back next week to welcome in September. Yikes!

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

Now the Calendar says August…

It says August on the calendar, August 15th to be precise, but I swear it feels like mid September. Coolish days, low humidity and nighttime temperatures? Seriously? Low 50’s top high 40’s! Not that I am complaining one bit, but it does get me thinking about what is in our future weather-wise.

The flowers aren’t complaining. They are looking fantastic. I am noticing the marigolds are starting to liking these night temperatures and the dewey mornings, they are starting to go off, at least the foliage is, but who needs the foliage once the flower is cut, most of it is taken off anyway, so now all of it is removed. As long as the flowers look good I say.

The dahlias are coming in quite nicely. I’m not harvesting bucketfuls yet, but there are plenty to go around for everyone to have their share.

One of my flower people and I were talking the other day about how the colors are changing, we are now going into the jewel tones in the flower world, so I mentioned the 24 Japanese seasons. In a quick synopsis: the Japanese recognize 24 seasons, each about 15 days long noting subtle changes in the weather and agriculture.

I, as a flower farmer, notice it in what flowers are coming in and out of season. I am sure you remembers me saying that the iris are ready, and will be gone soon, or the roses are in season, but will be gone soon. The changes are very small, but if you spend enough time in the gardens, or at the flower shed you will also see it by what I have available. Some are short lived seasons, some are longer but they all have their season. And that is what makes locally grown flowers so magnificent because the truly speak of the season and of the time.

If you were to compare an arrangement from say May, to now, the container and mechanics are the same, but the flowers are completely different.

The May photo is not the one I wanted, but you get the gist. Every 15 day season is different. If I was to do another photo at the end of the month, you will see how different it would be.

But, I did take a lot of photos of Fridays arrangement, from all angles…

Sadie is telling me it’s time to do chores so she can have dinner so I will pass this off to Steve.

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

The Days of August…

To be honest, I am starting to feel a little weary. August does that. It could be last week’s heat and humidity that slammed me, or just August. I’m certainly not bored, just weary. The gardens aren’t weary though. They are still going strong, as they should be.

Speaking of dahlias….they are on their way to your homes…

I didn’t note the variety names when I took the photos, but here they come!

Speaking of coming…I received notification from UPS that the 60 iris (10 of six varieties) that I ordered will be delivered tomorrow. No, I am not ready for them, but I will put them in the cooler for a week or two until I am. I am in the throes of ripping out plants that are not earning their space, grouping things together, moving things completely because of the voles… you know how it goes. Gardens are not static.

Rain, it is always a topic here. How much did we get this week? How dry is it? and so forth, I thought I would give you last Thursday’s drought map.

As you might remember, Steve and I are off to Austin TX for a whiskey class so the flower shed will be CLOSED on Tuesday. I will not be taking my laptop with me so I will not be able to send out a reminder that we will be closed. We WILL BE OPEN ON FRIDAY though, but again, I won’t be able to send a reminder unless I send it out at 11:00 Thursday night. That will depend on my energy level. I will try to post something on Instagram but no promise.

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

Welcome August! Week 32

So here we are in August, the thick of summer for this flower farmer, and the flowers are coming in thick as well! Just check these out.

My flowers over-floweth! My most exciting news is I pick my first dahlia on Friday! I have a fair few buds coming on so I would say by the middle of August there will be many dahlias to be had. I am enjoying the first one. Miss Brandy I think she is. Don’t worry, you will be getting some soon.

During last week’s very beneficial rain I finished cleaning out the tunnel, making way for the chrysanthemum crates. You know my goal was to get the crates in by Aug 1 and I know its hard to believe but I accomplished that feat. Crates go in, checked for slugs, re-did the irrigation, or should I say replaced the irrigation but it is all set and they are looking good, I think. They need a feed but I can do that this week. I was also able to harvest a few handfuls of flowers which was a bit of a gift.

Now that they are in place I can put the netting back over them so the stems stay straight. I also need to and another layer of netting on the mums in the field, they are growing so fast. I haven’t checked for flower buds yet, but with the days getting shorter the flower bud initiation should be happening shortly.

Last night I ordered the last of the woodies that I want to grow here at the farm. I know, I know but really these are the last. I have no more space unless, like Steve and many of you say, I open up more space, but no. This is it for the woodies. Eight smoke bush quart pots, two varieties, a pink bloom and a red bloom, not that I am growing them for the blooms, more the foliage but I am very excited to add them.

Now I just need to top up my perennials, replacing some that the stink’n voles have eaten, and yes they are going in a different spot and I am pulling some out that are not good sellers and replacing them with what I hopefully think will be.

My biggest news, well, to me anyway is I finished broadforking the aisles between the peonies. Was that a job. Tomorrow getting the buckwheat down and work on getting the perennial rows sorted out before the new perennials, that I haven’t ordered yet by the way, arrive.

I am making note for you, but the week of August 10-13 the flower shed will be closed. I could possibly be open on Friday the 14th? but we don’t return form Austin until late Thursday night so I just don’t know. I will remind you for sure, but just starting to let you know now. All the more important to pay attention to the newsletter and instagram. Steve and I are getting away for a few days, learning about whiskey.

Speaking of Steve, I am going to pass this off to him for his editing and prologue, and I am going to hook up the water.

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

The last Sunday of July! GASP

I just don’t know where the time has flown to, but can you believe that I have been supplying flowers for already for six months? We started with tulips mid February, more or less, and here we are nearly at the end of July. Don’t worry though. There are still three months of flowers to go. Yay for all flower lovers.

I have a half row of back breaking de compacting the row between the peonies to go. I will be glad when that is done for sure. I have to do some measuring this week because the question is, can I feasibly fit a row of peonies between the existing rows. Back when I was recovering from shoulder surgery I planted a bunch of peonies, sorta doubling up the rows, and this just isn’t working. Period. So, if I can fit a row easily between, so everything has space to grow well and the grower can easily get between the rows, I can move many of the peonies now. If not, I will have to wait until the dahlias are dug so I can move them into the short dahlia row. Personally, I would love to get it done now, but it all depends on wether I can get a row in between. I will let you know. I will also be looking at rehoming some peonies so if you are interested, by all means let me know.

I have done the first row of string to hold up the dahlias. I am encouraging them to grow to meet the string and go beyond. Some are setting flower buds, many are struggling because they have been a food group for the voles. Damn voles. They have also taken out the liatris this year. Ugh. So this fall, fingers crossed, when I make some room I will be planting them somewhere else in the garden. Hopefully away from the hungry little basards.

The flowers are coming out of the garden fast and furious.

For all of you asking, Steve’s knee is doing better. TG. Thank you for sending good vibes. He is still icing but he did two dog walks this weekend, so no more couch time Olivia. If Steve walks, you walk. That goes for Jager as well.

Enough about Steve. What is up in the flower world. The summer annuals are here. Cosmos, Zinnias, coreopsis, the celosia, oh the celosia, alas no dahlias yet. I will let you know, don’t worry. We have flowers with color, flowers with texture, flowers with character…sorta like the flower farmer.

I finish off with a welcome baby FlagLeaf Hank bouquet.

Oh, I need a bit of tech support. If anyone out there can help me out I would greatly appreciate it. Won’t take long, promise. I just need to get rid of the spammers who are signing up for the blog and newsletter. I’ve done what I can I think, but I am a bit lost. I never said I was good at tech, but I can grow flowers….Anyway, off to Steve.

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