(Picture of our last batch of summer planting - Celosia)
I am determined that next year will not just be sunflowers and zinnias! Even though they are the workhorses of the farm...would like to add 10 or more varieties growing at one time...to make a nice diversity of bouquets. Especially since we will have the building up by then, with alot more activity and yes -lots of customers!! I cant believe how the zinnias are still pumping out buckets of petals a week - to the point I can't keep up with them!!
Picture of what 2 hours of harvesting looks like.
I am ready to go on the next batch of plant starting though- soil blocker in hand - and here is a little list of what it going down.
(This is a pic of the seed starting shelves, with 1280 seedling - the last batch of basils, celosias, more zinnias, sunflowers - hopefully they will be ready, fully blooming for the October wedding)
Below is a list of the seeds we are starting next month (September) that will survive through the mild winters of Virginia Beach area - and bloom in the early spring. To my understanding they will not do a ton of "top" growing of leaves, but will be busy working underground to get their root system established. That will help them to really take off in the spring (will help them survive the heat of our summers too)
Fall planted "Hardy" Annuals - To Start in September!!!
1. Antirrhinum (Snapdragons) - Rocket Series
2. Rudbeckia (Black eyed Susans)-3 Kinds - (Praire Sun, Double Daisy, Gloriosa)
3. Electron - Dianthus (Sweet Williams)
4. Nigella
5. Delphinium
6. Calendula
7. Chrysanthemum - Shasta Daisy
8. Monarda (Bee-Balm)
9. Yarrow (Colorado Sunset)
10. Fox Glove
11. Ammi - (Green Mist)
12. Larkspur
13. Feverfew
14. Agrostema
15. Poppies
After making it though our first spring and summer, I finally feel like I have all the supplies ready to go for the project. All that hard work of getting our garage workshop together has really paid off to make the next season a breeze!
Have learned soo much just from watching the videos and blog of a fellow local flower farmer - Lisa Ziglar @ the gardeners workshop. Wanted to pass a link to her website along to every gardener out there! http://www.thegardenersworkshop.com/
The best part is that since she is a successful flower farmer here in hampton roads - so she is really knows what all the challenges are, what grows well and the best techniques to starting them from seed.
They sell seeds, flowers, gardening supplies and also give workshops to gardening groups. Incredible amount of FREE information on her website and she is a great speaker! She has a free gardening journal to print off, tons of Youtube Videos to watch.
Another source of inspiration has been a Virginia Beach Flower Farmer - Becky Devlin, of Back Bay Flower Company. She has a booth out at the Old Beach Farmers Market every Saturday and has a great talent in the floral arranging department! Got to meet her a few weeks ago and talk flower farming....here is her blog - http://www.sugarfromsunshine.blogspot.com/
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