Last Sunday of April
Everyone says that March can be a fickle month, and that is certainly true, but let me just say, I think April can be just as fickle. I think in last week’s post that as I was writing it I said it was snowing out.
Then, To make things even more challenging, the forecast for Tuesday morning was to be 22 degrees. A nice temperature if you are reading Celsius, but not so nice if you have tulips showing bud in NH. So, the frost cloth, the heaviest out there, and the twinkle Christmas lights were put into action.
The good news that all came through beautifully. I am so glad that we took the time to rig everything up. As it was in the morning when it got above freezing the frost cloth was iced over from the sleet we had shortly after covering everything.
Let’s just hope that May’s temperatures become a little bit more consistent. I would like a long slow spring, but who knows. The florists I work with keep asking what is available in the palette they want and well…. we’re getting there.
The outside tulips are a few days away? from the first harvest, so at least that crop timing seems to be working out. Not so much I fear for the second crop of ranunculus and anemones…I might be missing the flower boat on that one, but I have made notes to get them in much earlier next year. I need to try to get a door rigged up on the tunnel so maybe I can plant in there earlier and safely.
I so much more like growing perennials than the annuals for cut flowers, although they have their problems as well. Mostly vole food, especially over the winter but also anytime of year. They are enjoying the cammassia right now, just working their way up one row and down the next. I have planted narcissus across the top along the fence to deter them, but I think after they bloom, if they do bloom I will move them out and scatter them around. This will at least make it more challenging for them to find. But what I like most about the perennials is that they make a show of being there unlike where the annuals go which is still empty rows.
The red stems in the back of the right side perennials are the peonies. You will have to wait another month for those beauties.
On deck for this week flower wise? Pricking out the summer annuals, seeding more annuals, planting out the last of the perennials and the pansies, finish getting compost on the perennials on the right side, and maybe, just maybe planting out some hardy annuals? I will see that the long range forecast is. It will be May next time you get the blog.
Here is your flower fix for the week if you don’t have real flowers.
So until next week, Allie. I dream of flowers, do you?
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