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May 27th 2015

This Week on the Farm: Week 21

Written by
Floret

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Oh man, it sure has been beautiful around here these days. We’re experiencing a nice little lull in production as the spring crops are being cleaned out to make way for the summer ones. I’m usually really good about nailing timing and it’s one steady harvest from late March-early October in our garden. But this year we had a few early glitches that made for a nice gap in production and I’m really, really enjoying the slowed pace. Chris reminds me that it’ll get super crazy again any day, so to bask in the quiet while we can.

The fall planted hoop house sweet peas are stealing the show right now. Just look at their stems! Every time I harvest I get lost in the beauty and scent and lose at least an hour just poking around, enjoying them. These are the varieties that I brought in from England and had in the Floret shop this spring.

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The old roses are really rocking and rolling too. Years ago I planted a couple dozen bushes and ended up moving them numerous times in their first few seasons. After their poor treatment, I finally let them be and low and behold, they finally took off. My flower studio is underneath these monster bushes!

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I’m working on a really fun allium trial this spring that spans 35+ varieties. There are some really, really beautiful treasures in the mix and I can’t wait to share what I’ve discovered. Chris and I are trying our best to document them all as they come into flower. It’s a tough job but somebody has to do it ; )

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How about you? What’s happening in your garden right now?

20 Comments

  1. Shania Geshna on

    I would love to spend time with my girlfriend and express my feelings with each day different rose.

    Reply
  2. Lauren on

    We are loving our first real growing season on Vashon island! We added 3,000 SF of deer fenced space full of sun. I was thrilled to see sugar snap peas finally doing well! Last year we lost them all to birds. Next on my list is getting more flowers in the ground. Your sweet peas are my favorite! I missed the seeds for sale and will scoop some up next year! In the meantime, wild ones will have to do.

    Reply
  3. Celine on

    Have a great great time !

    Reply
  4. Celine on

    Hi Erin….you’re so……. I love you ! Here in South of France, roses are driving crazy ! thousands of roses ! It smells like heaven with all the elderflowers blooming around ! sweet peas start to climb….sage is busy with bees and californian pavots are brightly shining ! Zinnia and co still grows in their pots… What is the name of the bright pink sweet pea you handle ? I loooooove them ! H

    Reply
  5. Susan on

    I’ve never seen sweet peas like those. They’re amazing.. Its like winter here in London today. Seeing those lovelies has cheered me up. :)

    Reply
  6. Jennifer on

    I would love to know what kind of roses those are also and if they will grow well in Missouri?

    Reply
  7. Liz on

    I swear by Rosetone fertilizer every month (usually on the same date) during the growing season. It is perfect for roses! I too would love to know the cultivar of those fat juicy pink roses….

    Reply
  8. Corinne Hansch on

    My chantillies are just starting here in Northern Cali! Paired with the wild hot pink sweet peas and other wild weeds and grasses, they are amazing. Thanks for the inspiration to grow these beauties, only wish I had tried more colors.

    Reply
  9. Roseann on

    You’re roses are gorgeous! What are the names of these roses? The first 3 rose photos?

    Reply
  10. Susan on

    My roses are absolutely thriving in this unusually dry and warm spring here in the PNW. I have only very old vintage roses that are quite fussy. This is the first year that I have fed with an organic fertilizer and stayed on top of the trimming because I have actually had the time. I have really noticed a difference. Oddly enough, my lovely peonies are, well… not what they usually are. I guess they prefer the typical PNW rainy spring. Too bad we can’t have it all.

    Reply
  11. Ali on

    Oh those sweet peas!!!! So awesome. It’s lots of peonies for me right now (Eugene, Oregon)

    Reply
  12. Jeanie on

    I planted “Globemaster” Alliums last fall, and they are delightful. Had other ones years ago, and they softly faded away ( we live just outside Chicago). My dahlias are in pots; I successfully overwintered at least the Striped Vulcans, as they have come up. Waiting for the rest. Not sure if my clematis made it through the winter unscathed.

    Reply
  13. Libby Wilkie on

    This is the first year I have tried Alliums; why did it take me this long??? I’m just watching the very weird and unique “Hair Alliums” come out this week! Oh, they are strange alright, and I love them! Can’t wait to see more of yours…

    Reply
  14. Katie Pence on

    I think it should be emphasized there are a lot of different types of roses. Many are very difficult to care for and need a lot of care, this can even be old varieties. I built and took care of a garden with 8000 roses for five years and at the end, it was very clear there were great roses and difficult roses. Understanding the size and growth habit the rose grows to is important, also for follow up pruning and dead heading.
    There is a rose virus that shows up only in the spring as a mottled with yellow veins, verigated leaf, this has been spread through the rose industry in the retail bushes. The virus shortens the life of the rose substantially.
    Vintage Gardens book of Roses by Greg Lowery and Phillip Robinson is the best book I’ve seen on the market. Here the habit, shape and vigorous ness of the roses is discussed. Here’s a really good list of rose nurseries, hopefully with virus free roses http://www.faqs.org/faqs/gardens/roses-faq/part3/
    Also The American Rose Society rates roses and you can look up roses you like here and see how much work it will be to grow it.

    Reply
  15. Simone on

    … I have been following your posts enthusiastically now for over two years … and I just adore what you and your team do with flowers … Just Glorious … we live on a remote and very hard and rocky landscape in Australia Breeding Cattle … my garden consists of 44’rs cut in half and filled with soil collected from down the creek and the Stock yards …. Pansies, violas, Johnny Jump Up’s … Continental Parsley, Butter Lettuce and some lovely lemon trees are my little gardens at this time of year before it becomes too hot again … looking forward to filling my senses with more of Floret Farm … Bye for now Simone xxx

    Reply
  16. Shelley on

    First picking today of my autumn sown sweet peas April in Paris from my South East London allotment, seeds from Sarah Raven, they look and smell divine and mean summer is coming to the UK.

    Reply
  17. Kate on

    Your sweet peas are divine. I special ordered 3 bunches of pink & white ones from our local wholesaler in Denver, and by the end of day 1, most were dead (all dead by day 2). Sniff sniff. I wish you would ships yours – they are breathtaking – as sweet peas should be.

    My garden is in a state of suspended animation. Denver has been hit with record cold, dark skies and rain for more than 3 weeks now. I still have tulips blooming. My iris and poppies are only in bud – no blooms. I planted sweet peas in our raised beds, and they’re just popping up… we’ll see if they make some magic.

    Reply
  18. Emily on

    I sometimes wonder if I am killing my garden roses with kindness, No I’m not actually killing them, but…) My question is, do you think they grow better when you just kind of ignore them? Do you feed throughout the growing season (with what?) or just amend the soil when planting? I planted globe master alliums this year in pots (as the ground was frozen when I got them) and the tips are yellowing, with no sign of blooms… any thoughts?

    Reply

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