The dahlias ended their bloom period with an early frost in the middle of October. It is always a bittersweet time because the flowers are so beautiful that we hate to see them go, but their end means that we can shift our focus to our bulb sale and the work needed to prepare for spring.
Once we shift gears and begin this work in earnest, we make a lot of progress on tasks that have to wait until this time of year. Soil tests are done in the fall and beds are amended accordingly before planting begins.
Most of our early season blooms are either direct seeded or planted as small plants, aka plugs, that grow into their space. We are actively working in 78 4x8 beds and working on adding a few more.
Irrigation is also checked for needed repairs while the beds are empty or contain seedlings. It is much easier to see any issues now.
Nigella aka Love in a Mist
As of today, we have gotten all of the cold hardy annuals in place. These are things like Larkspur, Nigella, Bachelor Buttons, Orlaya and Saponaria. The rain we have been getting has really helped with seed germination so things are shaping up nicely so far.
Tuberose
Perennials that have been in place for three years typically need to be divided. You can tell if they stop or slow down producing blooms. Yarrow and Echinacea were done last week. Phlox and Tuberose are on the list for early spring.
Fall is also a great time to plant shrubs and trees. We planted a new hydrangea hedge that I am thrilled to finally have in place. We also planted a pussy willow which was rooted from some of our early spring bouquet material.
The spring bulbs are also in progress. Narcissus has all been planted. The anemone and ranunculus are being soaked and rooted for planting in early December.
So, these last four weeks have been very busy. Our early spring subscription season looks very promising.
Next, we are going to be on vacation for a couple of weeks. This time to see friends and family is something we have really been looking forward to.
A New Event at the Farm
After vacation, it will be great to focus on the current holiday season!
On December 1st from 10:00am – 1:00 pm, we are going to host a holiday market at the farm and you are invited!
We will be doing demonstrations on how to grow Paperwhites and Amaryllis.
We will have amaryllis and paperwhites available for sale as bulbs, forcing kits and ready to go decorations. These make great gifts too. If you have a container that you want to use, bring it and we can help you get it planted.
We will also have Angel Wing Begonia, which is a wonderful houseplant, yarrow for planting in your garden and a few other surprises.
Mary Ann Adams from One Hubcap farm will also be there with her beautiful fresh wreaths.
So take a break and come on out to the farm for your holiday greenery. We would love to see you!