Mid-February On the Farm

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The turn in the weather to sunshine and warmth has been such a welcome relief from the prolonged cold we experienced this year. I don’t recall the last time we had six inches of snow in a 24-hour period. Having grown up in Wisconsin, it felt like a “real” snowstorm — and I truly enjoyed seeing it. I was also very glad that it completely disappeared within 48 hours.

With warmer days, we’ve been able to get back into the field and begin early-season work. Karen and Terri put the trellis up for the sweet pea vines. We’ve been preparing beds for planting, tackling plenty of winter weeds (there are always more than you expect), and digging dahlias. Stay tuned for our dahlia tuber sale in April.

Feverfew seedlings today — bouquet filler in just a few weeks.

Seed starting is well underway. Right now, we have feverfew, yarrow, eucalyptus, rudbeckia, and statice growing under lights. We also have starter plants arriving from our suppliers. The most notable is lisianthus, which takes about 12 weeks to mature from seed to a plantable start. Twelve weeks is a long time to nurture a seedling, and with so many variables along the way, we leave these to specialists who can provide the precise environment they require. It allows us to focus our energy on strong field production once they arrive.

Inside the Crates: Tulip Season in Motion

We’ve begun pulling some tulips indoors to encourage bloom. We grow our tulips in plastic crates so we can move them as needed to meet ideal weather conditions. Tulips require a proper cold period to complete their life cycle. In our climate, we don’t always receive enough consistent natural chill, so we use pre-chilled bulbs to ensure strong blooms.

If tulips don’t receive sufficient cold, they may bloom on very short stems. Long, strong stems are what make them bouquet-worthy — and that’s exactly what we’re aiming for. This time of year, we monitor them closely and adjust as needed.

Early spring flowers are only weeks away now. If you’ve been considering joining our bouquet subscription, this is the moment to plan ahead. The first deliveries begin in early March, and once the season starts, it moves quickly.

The Blake

Two bouquets that found new homes at The Blake.

Thank you to everyone who came out to The Blake Love and Lifestyle Expo. It was a pleasure reconnecting with dear friends and meeting new faces as well. Two residents went home with bouquets from our drawing, and every flower petal sachet we brought found a new home. It’s always energizing to step out ahead of the season and share what’s growing. If you or a loved one live at The Blake at Woodcreek Farms, we offer bouquet subscription deliveries on Fridays.

April will bring our dahlia tuber sale and our peony class, and we’ll share more details soon.

Thank you for following along as the season unfolds here at Purple Tuteur Farm,

Linda