I was listening to a podcast this afternoon on two young sister growers from Virginia who are bringing back the chrysanthemum. And if I were younger I would be right there with them. Back in the olden days, back when Woodmans was a flower growing concern with lots of greenhouses growing amazing flowers, chrysanthemums was one that we would grow every summer, for fall harvest, in cold frames on the right side of the driveway. One rarely sees US grown chrysanthemums, almost all are imported, but wouldn’t it be really cool to be able to be able to find the stock to excel at that again? When all the companies were amalgamating, and the South American flowers were really taking hold, it was deemed that it wasn’t an important crop, so the stock was lost. Like I said, if I were younger I would pursue this project. But I’m not, so let me tell you what is happening on the farm.
The first four tulips crates have been hauled into the dirty room. Yay! They are looking good I think.
Tomorrow another four crates will be hauled in and so it goes. Four crates each Monday until they are all gone and the field tulips rock in.
The seeding of the perennials has also started, and some of the cool flowers. As you can see if you look hard, the first batch of the stock have started to germinate. Another Yay, and it looks like more are starting to sprout. And yes, I check on their progress every few hours.
On this week’s agenda, besides shoveling, is to start soaking the ranunculus and anemone tubers and corms. As soon as the first tulips are harvested, the hopefully by then sprouted ranunculus and anemones will be planted and put into the greenhouse to grow on. Then that will be done every two to three weeks for succession of flowers. Things are getting busy here. Well, compared to a month ago things are getting busy, but it will be getting far busier very quickly.
So since color is practically non existent right now, I will leave you with a vase of colorful stems that I harvested last Thursday.
Stay tuned for tulip news. And until next week, your ever faithful flower grower. Allie