February is for fencing
We never looked forward to January and February quite the way we do now that we’re flower farming. Yes, these tend to be cold, dark, bleak months, but they are when we slow down and catch our breaths, too. In contrast with July, it’s a time when we don’t have an...
Farming is a lifestyle
Farming is more of a way of life than an occupation. Most farmers love what they do. To quote one of our friends, “You’re never going to meet a happier group of poor people than a room full of flower farmers.” There is a sense of satisfaction from seeing the entire...
Apricity
Apricity isn’t just the name of our friend’s flower business, it also means bright sun in the middle of winter. Today, the day of our earliest sunset, we are grateful for the apricity that Apricity’s owner, Lisa, contributes to the world, in flowers and sunshine that brightens the lives of those around her.
Flower farming degree from YouTube University
We refer to YouTube for information and instruction so often we joke that we have degrees from YouTube University. A lot of what we know regarding our trade was gleaned by watching others demonstrate how they do things. We realize that without the myriad contributions by selfless individuals we might not be where we are. Thank you, kind strangers.
Get married before the first frost
Fall is a beautiful time to get married. The weather and flora are typically splendid. We understand the appeal of an autumn wedding — we were married in October on a beautiful, cloudless-blue day. As flower farmers, our advice is to pick a date before October 12, if possible. Most farmers in our area consider that day our fall frost date and if they are asked to price flowers in advance for a wedding, they may give a higher quote for dates after 12 October.
Does planting cool flowers in the fall really work?
In our experience, yes and no. We are in our third year of growing cut flowers and we’ve tried planting cool flowers each of the past two autumns. The concept is to plant in September hardy annuals that can survive our zone 6b winters, which allows these flowers to...
Volunteer pumpkins
In the plant realm, things that reseed themselves or unexpectedly winter over are called “volunteers.” For flower growers like us, volunteers are a pleasant surprise. We often allow flowers that sprout on their own to grow even if it creates a disjointed look. Yarrow...
The bounty of July
Flowers really bloom in July (at least in Howard County, Maryland where we farm). It’s a time when everything seems to be hitting its full stride and potential. Colors burst forth, pollinators are busy doing their thing and flower farmers often can’t find enough...
Add the stirrup hoe to the list of the world’s great inventions
You really can’t beat a stirrup hoe for manual weeding of a garden plot. As with many great inventions, it’s simple and effective, and easy to use. Stirrup hoes have been around for 300 years, but the modern version of the tool, with a oscillating head that makes it work on both strokes, has been around for only 50.