Author: Allie

Can one have enough of tulips? I know I certainly can’t, especially when it is cold, gray, muddy, and everything else that March brings with it. Even today, with the sun going full bore, and the snow melting, the color and brightness of the flowers can’t be beat.

You fabulous flower people are taking every tulip I can produce and I love it. It makes me so excited, believe you me. So now that I nearly have a year of forcing tulips under my belt, (I will have forced tulips into April, then the in ground tulips will take over) I am making plans for next year. I have figured out where I can do another 1000 bulbs, and I am planning to have far more varieties. It is all in that leaning curve.

The ranunculus and anemones have all now been planted in crates, with the last ones going into the high tunnel in the ground during our thaw this week. They will be joined with some cool season flowers. Yes, they will need protection from our most bitter nights but I honestly hope that the single digit nights are behind us now.

The next big batch of seeding will start, and the plant shuffle begins. One never has enough room for tulips and seedling this time of year, and it is only going to get worse.

I have had a couple of questions about tulip growing so, if you are interested, here goes. The ones that you are getting now are what is called pre-cooled, they have had their “winter” coming over on the ship. I plant them up, get the roots going, which takes about 4-5 weeks, then bring them into the growing space. There are also the tulips that are planted in the ground that are treated just like any other in ground spring plant. At harvest time, I pull the tulip bulb and all out of the ground, keep the tulip and toss the bulb. Ahhh, I hear a collective gasp. Yes. All of their energy has been used up being forced and I treat them as annuals. And when one does the math, they are about the same price of a six pac of annuals that you put in the garden in the summer, and those get tossed don’t they?

There is one main issue that I am having, along with all other tulip growers and that is stem topple. I know a few of you have mentioned it so I will do my best to explain it. It can be caused by fusarium, which tulips are very, very prone to, but it is also linked to high humidity. If the crates in the bulb room get too dry, and then given a lot of water when they are in the grow room, the water causes the cells to burst, hence the topple. It also happens to a lot of growers in the spring when they can’t vet the grow spaces enough and the temperatures and the humidity build up. I think the underlying problem is the fusarium, then the humidity just adds to it. The flowers themselves are fine, so I just cut them above the necrosis and put them in a bud vase.

I will still be dreaming tulips, so until nest week. Allie

In case you didn’t know from all my excitement, right now it is all about tulips and I am loving it despite all the angst. What better flower is there that will get us though these remaining winter weeks? Brightly colored, vibrant and locally grown tulips!

I have been harvesting tulips for a few weeks now and each batch seems to be getting better. Each week I find I have about 4 crates worth of tulips ready for the flower club. That can range from 100-120 tulips a week, and you lovely people are wanting them all. Thank you. So four crates go into the very dirty dirty room each week. When the flowering crates are finished. I am certainly getting a workout between shifting crates back and forth from the bulb cooler to the dirty room and then back to the dirty room if I need to hold the blossoms. Good weight lifting with stairs.

If you think that all I am doing is tulips you are oh so wrong. I have crated up the last of the ranunculus and they are now in the greenhouse growing on. Seeds that have germinated and are ready to be bumped up are going into the next size soil block. More seeding will commence by the middle of the month, then we will really be busy.

At the moment, we will only be having the flower shed day 1 day a week. It worked out really well last week changing the date to Thursday because of Friday’s snow storm. The best I can say is for the time being, pay attention to the newsletter so you know what, when and where the flower shed will be. I want to thank you for your patience on this. We could still be at Main Street Cheese where it is much warmer, but it is awfully nice to be here at the farm so I can get some things done. So. Stay tuned.

I will leave you with one more tulip image for the week, then I have to go out and cover up the babies in the greenhouse to protect them from the cold.

Until next week, dream and think tulips. Allie

February 13, Valentines Day eve. Oh St. Valentine, do you know what you stir in people? It’s the day that everyone rushes out and buys a box of chocolates for their darling and a bunch of roses. Who decided that Valentines day had to be in February when local, farm fresh flowers are but a figment of our imagination? Why couldn’t you be celebrated in April even, but no, February. Are you and that groundhog in cahoots leading us all astray?

Seriously though. Do you know where those very expensive flowers come from at this time of year? Probably not your local grower. They are shipped from South America, Israel, the Netherlands, possibly California. Do you know how those flowers are grown? Are they grown with a multitude of chemicals to give you the perfect bloom? How many days are they harvested before they reach you? Hmmmm. Interesting.

I had my first batch of tulips in time for Valentines Day, and I am so sorry but they went like hotcakes. But….you can always tell your sweetie that the perfect gift would be a subscription to Flowers At Lottarock and you can have fresh, one mile traveled if that, sustainably grown flowers for at least 10 months out of the year.

The good news is. I should have plenty of tulips now until the end of the tulip season in early June. I always cross my fingers saying things like that because it’s farming and there are just some things, actually a lot of things I have no control over.

I figure, again, fingers crossed that I should have about 100 tulips if not more, available for your pleasure on Friday. They are starting to come in fast and furious now, well, for my first year doing this it seems that way. So. Come get your fresh, just harvested, locally grown, chemically free tulips.

This is what the first harvest looked like last week.

Beside the tulips, the ranunculus in the greenhouse are happy to have more space to grow and they will soon be joined with the anemones. The cool crops have been seeded and some have already started to germinate. I checked on the dahlias that are in storage in the basement and they are looking good. The days are getting longer and the plants in the dirty room are taking notice.

For the time being, the flowers will be on offer on at MAIN STREET CHEESE, in Hancock, on Friday mornings from 9-12. Sarah has been gracious to let me use her warmer space than my flower shed that is still put away for winter. If your card has expired, or used up, don’t worry, you can always get a new one. Remember, you can use the card when you want (during flower club days) and it is good for two years.

I look forward to seeing you on Friday morning, at Main St Cheese, 9-12. Wear your grippies for the ice. Until next time. Think tulips….Allie

You might be wondering at the title, well we are six weeks into the new year. Holy Moley. Normally I wouldn’t know this but I have been doing spread sheets for the seed sowing and crop planning and this is an easier way to keep track of the timing,(so they say) so, I am learning weeks. But can you imagine me doing spreed sheets? I didn’t think so.

My big news of the week! Week 5? Ta Da. I have a crate up bulbs blooming!

The first bulb bloomed on my birthday, I couldn’t have had a better gift. Sorry Steve. Talk about psyched. This last week the rest of the crate has bloomed, so they are going back into the bulb cooler to hold until the next crate blooms, and I can see buds….

So. You know what this means….I WILL HAVE TULIPS FOR YOU FLOWER LOVERS! I am shouting it from the roof tops! I won’t have tons just yet but I will have tulips. If you let me know you are interested I will package them accordingly. If three of you show interest, then you will get good bunches. If sixty of you are interested, well them you all might get one or two each to make everyone happy. But know that there are plenty more on the way.

This week the temperatures seem to be getting more moderate, so the ranunculus and the next batch of tulips are going to be going into the greenhouse, with lots of protection. The tulips need more light, as do the ranunculus, and I need the space for seeding. That and our dog Jager thinks that the ranunculus corms are great things to play with, so we have taken a gate from the barn to block off the door to the dirty room to keep him out, but that makes life here more interesting because everything I need to do is on the other side of the gate Argh. So they have to go into the greenhouse, and all will be happier because it will be cooler and we will be warmer. I won’t have to open the door to vent the dirty room to keep it cool.

The days are getting longer, and the action is picking up. Still have lots of classes that I am doing, get the learning in while I have the time, but things are certainly picking up.

I leave you with a picture of moving the flowering crate into cool storage to hold it for you all on Friday.

So remember, if you are interested in tulips on Friday, make sure you let me know. The pick up area will be different, probably Main Street Cheese, but details will follow on Thursday.

I am looking forward to seeing you all, believe you me. Until then think flowers. Allie

You might think that celebrating the arrival of February might not mean much, but to this flower grower it is everything. The two most important things are for my psyche is the days will really start to get longer, yay! and hopefully the temperatures will start to moderate because my dirty room is really starting to get kinda full.

The seed racks at the moment are filled with ranunculus sproutings and the first batch of seedlings, the crates in the middle are transplanted ranunculus and to the left which you can’t see yet are the tulip crates.

Patience isn’t one of my virtues, and am I worrying over these babies. Exciting to be sure, but omg, worrying. I just need the temperatures to moderate so I can get them in the greenhouse and out of the dirty room. I am going to need the space for all the flower seedling babies.

So you are asking, I can hear it cause my ears are burning, “When am I going to have flowers?” I am trying my hardest. At this point, I would like to say before the end of February, but all I can say is, “Stay tuned.” When it happens believe you I will be yelling it form the rooftops because I will be so damn excited. But until then, Patience. I am told it is a virtue.

So. When the flowers happen, know that your flowers are being grown responsibly, have almost zero carbon miles, have been nurtured with love and will last so much longer than flowers that aren’t being grown locally.

So until next time. Allie

To tulip time. Ok I will be honest, I check the bulbs almost hourly, and no, that doesn’t speed up the blooming process anymore than getting a tea kettle to boil. It yields complete frustration, but also so much joy of what is to come.

So this is where we are now. The first three crates were pulled into the dirty room last Tuesday, Have a look at where we are….

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As you can see, we are making progress. Four more crates come out of the bulb room this Tuesday. The dirty room is going to be very very full if the temperatures don’t calm down a bit. I can’t put them into the greenhouse because the nights are just too cold for them. Even with frost cloth, it will be too cold at night. Can you hear me sigh very deeply?

The ranunculus are also really stating to sprout like crazy, so in another week or two they will be potted up in crates and they will go into the unheated greenhouse with frost protection, and into the very open ended high tunnel. The anemones on the other hand are taking their sweet time, but I’m not stressing, much, because they are putting on good root growth.

I am trying to find a solution for my flower club people for flower pick up this February and March. I have a thought but haven’t checked it out yet, but we have a couple weeks yet. I think. I will keep you posted. At the moment our driveway is a giant glacier, and we look like Antrim Lumber South with all the pile of lumber for the still ongoing garage build. Enter another deep sigh. I will certainly let everyone know what transpires. Fingers crossed please.

I know that everyone is as excited about the tulips and the other early spring flowers that will be available this spring. So. Here we go.

To be a member to the Flowers of Lottarock, It is a cost of $100. It acts as a gift card, your purchase is deducted from your balance. Your card is good for two years from the date purchased. If you empty your card it is easily refillable. Flowers from the flower club can be picked up at the farm on Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings. You can buy either by the stem, or I will make a bunch up for you, also priced by the stem. If, and that is a big if, I am organized, I will also have bunches pre-made for you to just grab and go. Organization isn’t my best skill, but I am improving. But I like you flower people to show your creativeness and build your own.

If you would like to purchase a card, a check can be sent to Flowers at Lottarock, PO box 35, Hancock NH 03449, please also send along your address so I can send you your card. You don’t need your card when you come because I do keep track for you but sometimes you might like to know what your balance is.

Stay tuned to the blog for details….very important. I will also post on Instagram if you follow me there…..

I leave you of a photo of two years ago of field grow tulips…oh the joy of what is to come.

Till next time. Allie

If you hadn’t noticed, the days are getting longer in the evening at least. We can go out and do chores at 5:15 now and not need a flashlight to see what we are doing. Progress!

Did you know that yesterday was International Tulip Day? I didn’t until all the flower growers that I follow on instagram were wishing everyone happy tulip day holding either their tulips from last year or this year’s crop. Very envious of those with this year’s crop already, but next year hopefully I to will have tulips to hold in my arms on International Tulip day, which is held on the third Saturday of January of you were wondering.

If you are really wondering about it, google it. It is sooooo amazing I am hoping to go next year. This years was cancelled because of you know what, Covid, but hopefully by this time next year it will all be a distant memory.

So what has been happening here at the Rock? Learning of course, watching my tulips which is about as good as waiting for a kettle to boil. Pointless, but must be done. Some of the seeds have geminated and I made the critical decision to move the ranuculus and anemones onto the seed starting shelves in the dirty room because they were doing nothing in the bulb room and it was driving me crazy. I also don’t have to put my coat on every two hours to go into the bulb room to see how they were doing, or not as the case. So the dirty room is just getting dirtier and somehow smaller because until the temperatures moderate, the tulip crates will be brought into there for growing on.

So. My plan is… that the tulip crates will have one more week in the bulb room at 48 degrees, then drop the temps to holding and every week I haul out two or three crates of bulbs to force for sale. So, if I get my math sorta correct….The earliest I will have tulips available will be the week of Feb. 21, or from anytime then on. I hope you all love tulips because I will have buckets of them.

So. By the first week of February, if you don’t have a credit from last year’s flower card you might want to think about getting a flower card to be ready. I will always have them ready but I don’t want anyone to miss out. I will let you know when the time is right. So stay tuned. I will keep you all posted, believe me, I am as excited as you all are for some local farm grown, chemical free, long lasting flowers that haven’t been shipped from overseas.

Until next week, I will be dreaming beautiful tulips. Allie

I know this is a week late but I thought I would give you all a break, especially since not tons has been happening, but it is a new year and new happenings.

My most exciting tidbit is that the tulips are a growing. Have a look at this!

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Pretty exciting isn’t it? OK for me it is, but fingers crossed that in another 6 weeks I will have beautiful tulips available for you all.

The next exciting thing is that last week I soaked all 500 of the ranunculus and anemone corms and they are now pre-sprouting in the bulb room. At least I hope they are. This is always the nerve wracking, nail biting part for me because the corms are so prone to rot, can’t have them to dry but certainly not too wet. Soon, I hope to have them planted in the high tunnel and into crates in the greenhouse.

Seeding has begun. Icelandic poppies, and something else, can’t remember. Then will be the perennials and the cool crops. Meanwhile, while I have nothing to do…

I am taking a slew of flower learning courses. This weekend was mad learning. Four talks on Friday that were on the woohoo of growing flowers, eight talks on Saturday all dealing with the technicalities of growing, that was really good, and today on marketing all the flowers. Thank you to Tom and Suzie who let me sit in their cozy room using their internet for some of the talks because our internet is squirrely this weekend. Of all times, really. I will be so happy to have real internet some year.

Now I just have to register for “Flowering in the Northeast” which is sponsored by UMaine and is really good, and then, a tulip forcing refresher for the course I took last year. This time it will be videos in living color and not just the instructors sitting in their offices talking to us. Then before you know it, I will be flat out and flowers hopefully will be available.

I will have to say, that I am totally thankful for the snow that came the other day because it will act as insulation for the perennials and the tulips that are planted in the ground. They and I are thankful for the added insulation for when the polar vortex pours in this week. Brrrrr.

So. Until next week. Stay warm, and think flowers.

I know, I wasn’t going to do a blog this week, but Surprise, here I am. It has been quite a week. The long awaited 5c tulips arrived. Yay!

I emailed the tulip broker on Monday or Tuesday morning and he sent the tracking number on to me to say that they were ready to go. They were supposed to be delivered on Wednesday by the end of the day, but no, three of the four boxes arrived Thursday morning. The driver knew absolutely nothing about a fourth box. The next Fed Ex driver that drove in about an hour later said that he was only express and it wasn’t his problem. I will say that he did say it nicely though. Onwards we go though, so Steve and I and an elf got 1500 tulips planted, watered in, labeled and put in the bulb room which we had hooked up via an extension cord to run the temperature controls. Record time for a bunch of newbies. It took us about 2 hours all up. Once we figured out the learning curve of course.

Friday morning, yes, Christmas Eve day the fourth box arrives and Steve and I get it planted in about an hour and set into its new space. So here we go. Bulbs are now safely in the cooler, temperatures set at 45 degrees for about four weeks of rooting, then, I can bring them out and grow them on, so if all goes to plan, and we know how well those work, I should start having tulips ready for you all before the end of February. I would love to say by Valentines Day but seeing this is year one, I am giving myself a little leeway.

I hope you all had a safe and fun filled holiday, and I will be back again after the new year.

Allie

So I got a puppy. I know, funny heh. But true. I have know idea about the status of my tulip bulbs, so I/we decided to get a puppy instead. Let my introduce you to Jager, the newest member of the flower team here at Lottarock.

What possessed us? GOK. (God only knows). He is the reason that I didn’t get the blog published last night. I didn’t get home from picking him up till after 9:00, then we had a meet and greet with all the animals and that was that. So here we are, adapting to life with a young dog. He is 9 months we adopted him from 2Hands4Paws rescue and so far so good. He has done chores this morning, goats, chickens and donkeys and is learning that routine, had a big dog walk on his first leash dog walk and that went really well so fingers crossed that all continues to go well.

On the tulip front, just waiting. I reached out to the distributer but haven’t hear back so I will just continue on as usual if they don’t come but that would be a real bummer. I will still start the cool seeds and the perennials in the new year, I will still get the ranunculus and anemones going at their usual time, and wait for spring with my usual impatience.

I won’t be doing a post next week because of the Holidays, we here celebrate Boxing Day with all of my family and that is on a Blog Sunday, so my all of you have a wonderful holiday, filled with family, friends near and far, laughter good food and cheer. May we all have a safe and healthy New Year and a flower filled one as well. I thank everyone of you for such a wonderful year.

Cheers, Allie, Steve, Olivia, Sadie, Jager