...as a flower farmer, that is.
Planning what to grow that will provide blooms for cutting in spring, starts in
August/Sept. There are hardy annuals that will handle my Zone 6a winters no
problem. Bachelor Buttons is one of them.
August/Sept. There are hardy annuals that will handle my Zone 6a winters no
problem. Bachelor Buttons is one of them.
Seeds direct-sown in the garden looked great just a few weeks later.
I also started many other easy to grow hardy annuals.
Such as sweet peas, nigellas, poppies and larkspurs
(images from google).
New raised beds were created all around the garden.
This is a front yard island bed I extended by 3'.
Brick edgings were removed, sod cut and dug up in 12" sections, soil
loosened with hand picks and added back to new bed.
Supervisor Tilly approves!
Don't forget the bulb food!
And in the backyard, hubby built 6 new raised beds...wahoo!
5' x 10' and 6" deep.
I use a weed barrier to prevent nearby tree roots growing through,
and layers of newspapers break down fast so a good way to recycle, as well.
and discard the bulbs..making room to grow the next batch of plants.
Leaf mulching is a great way to add nutrients to your beds...though
be mindful that breakdown of said leaves will affect your soil's PH level.
...for more tulips!
It's going to be beautiful spring!
I also started many other easy to grow hardy annuals.
Such as sweet peas, nigellas, poppies and larkspurs
(images from google).
This is a front yard island bed I extended by 3'.
Brick edgings were removed, sod cut and dug up in 12" sections, soil
loosened with hand picks and added back to new bed.
Supervisor Tilly approves!
Many bags of soil and compost later, I was ready to plant!
Since the front yard is pretty much deer country, my plantings were mostly
daffodils and alliums...all 600 of 'em!
And in the backyard, hubby built 6 new raised beds...wahoo!
5' x 10' and 6" deep.
These tulips will be treated as annuals at harvest time...
meaning I will pull up the whole bulb (to get longer stem length),and discard the bulbs..making room to grow the next batch of plants.
be mindful that breakdown of said leaves will affect your soil's PH level.
And here I go...expanding another bed...
...for more tulips!
I can't wait to see the explosion of 3,000 bulbs!
Have a great week!
Hi Shady, space is limited so once the tulips are done (in raised beds), I will be planting other flowers in it's place and I would be damaging the bulbs anyway by digging down. There's plenty of perennial tulips in my garden that stays put. Due to high volume of succession plantings, most flower farmers use this practice, apparently. But I get what you are saying! :)
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