Good Morning Lovelies! Oh my goodness… winter just keeps sticking around like the newborn mustard poop stains on my baby’s onesies. We got another big dump of snow over the weekend, and it was somewhere between -20 and -30. Yuck!
However, I know that eventually spring will arrive, and I am eagerly anticipating this spring more than any other in the past! This will be the first season for our new flower farm and floral design company, Meadow Farm Florals! We are SO EXCITED!!! We have about 1,000 seed babies started, and many more going into the dirt over the next two weeks. Here is a little look at our first round of seeds going into the ground a few weeks ago…
As you know I have four kiddos, and my business partner Ang has two young kids as well! So, things are little bit busy. I can’t wait to see how these kids flourish alongside our flowers, and learn the ins and outs of flower farming. Ang was telling me how her oldest likes to greet the seedlings each morning, and tuck them in before bed at night. So cute.
We are excited to be offering bouquet subscriptions, and a la cart wedding services (think bridal bouquets, bouts, and centrepieces) as well as selling at the market in July and August. There is going to be so much flowery goodness.
I thought it might be helpful to share a few tips with you for starting your own seeds…
- choose a “seed starting” medium. it’s a little different than traditional potting soil
- follow the “sow X amount of week before last frost” instructions on the back of the seed packet. most varieties are somewhere between 4-8 weeks
- to find out when the last frost is in your area, and what zone you are you can type it in to google and find a zone map!
- check the seed packets for how many days to germination, and how many days to flower… for example here in Alberta our growing season is about 120 days. So, we wouldn’t want to plant things that won’t bloom until 140 days as we won’t get to enjoy them!
- did you know that some seeds like it cool, and some seeds like it warm for germination?some need to be covered and some need light… a little research goes a long way!
- keep the seedlings covered with a clear dome or plastic until they germinate, then remove!
- if you won’t be using grow lights, find a sunny window. rotate your trays and make sure they are getting enough light. That might mean moving the around the house throughout the day.
- mist lightly, and bottom water when possible. seedlings can try out quickly, but too much water will rot their delicate roots!
And finally here are some of my favorite varieties for growing from seed- some of which benefit from starting indoors, and some that do great just direct seeding!
- Cut flowers include: zinnias, sunflowers, nasturtium, cosmos and sweet peas
- Veges include: peas, zucchini, beans, carrots, spinach and dill
Seedlings require a bit of babysitting- but it is a very inexpensive way to have a productive garden. Whether you are growing cut flowers or veges- it is a lot of fun!! What are your garden plans this season?
-Miss Ash