Happy Frostmass!
And that my friends is a wrap for 2026. Well, not quite, because the mums are still coming in, but as far as the summer flowers and all the other flowers go, the season in over. I’m ready, to be honest. Not done by any stretch of the imagination, but getting closer.
The forecast did predict a freeze, not just a frost, but a freeze, and we bottomed out at 26 degrees F. This is early this morning…
Then as the sun hit the plants, we go to this…
As I went to cover the mums again just now for tonight’s lows the plants are giving off that rotting smell already. It’s kinda pleasant smell if you’re not overwhelmed by it.
The chrysanthemums in the tunnel and under the row cover seem to have come through pretty well. The evenings will all be around freezing but nothing big again till next weekend I think.
I am still waiting for the forcing tulips to arrive. I was hoping to have them crated up by now but patience. It really comes down to no tulips for Valentine’s Day, but hopefully before March? I am hoping they arrive this week. I have gotten the invoice, just no tulips. That’s OK, I still have plenty of things to do, I just want to get them crated and in the cooler so you all will have them earlier. Stay tuned.
Now that we have had our freeze, garden clean up begins in earnest. I plan on starting at the back, and work my way forward, after I do the dahlias. I have to at least get the short row cut and dug so I can get some of the peonies dug and moved. One move is always dependent on another move.
I did have a chance to play with flowers on Friday. My second time in two months? I have yet to post these on instagram, so you get the first look at.
Before the freeze, yesterday afternoon I went out and harvested the last of the dahlias for the year. I combined them with the last of the dahlias with Petals_603, and home_place-farm to combine for our last sale.
So. I do still have flowers, just not for an open shed day, so if you are interested, just reach out and I will make it happen.
I know, it’s sad, but also quite joyful to be running out of flowers. don’t worry, 2027 is looking equally abundant in flowers.
Until next week, I still dream of flowers, do you? Allie