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There’s no better time to enjoy the beauty of our summer cutting garden than in August! No matter where you look, every corner of the garden is filled with stunningly beautiful blooms.
Related: Get Ready to See Our Cut Flower Garden in FULL BLOOM!
It sort of amazes me just how quickly the blooms come. All July I sit with this sense of dread, questioning if the flowers will show up like they’re suppose to; and then, seemingly overnight, the flowers arrive- and I wonder why I ever questioned it in the first place?!
With so much beauty to share about- let’s not waste anymore time and get right to it. Here’s a look at how our August shook out.
Main Tasks:
Hosting U-Pick Events
Sharing the abundance of our summer garden is truly one of my favorite parts about growing flowers.
We haven’t always operated as a U-Pick Flower Farm. Truthfully, I was a little wary at first of allowing strangers to cut from the plants that I so diligently planted + cared for prior to their blooming.
But welcoming guests into our cut flower garden and allowing them to cut + create their own unique arrangements has been a gamechanger for our small business.
For one thing, it’s allowed us to create even closer connections to our local community and I can’t help but think that those nurtured relationships have really helped strengthen the loyalty of our customers.
What’s more, allowing customers to come pick their own flowers has lessened our workload. I’m no longer responsible for harvesting every stem and creating every bouquet that leaves our small flower farm- I can essentially delegate that work to the women that visit us each week. What’s even better is they don’t view it as work; for them, they’re simply enjoying a unique summer experience. It’s sort of a win-win.
Cranking Out Market Bouquets
Now don’t get me wrong, I still love designing with the fresh flowers we grow. And our customers- well, sometimes they need just a quick grab-n-go option. And so, yes- I’m still regularly cranking out beautiful, hand-tied bouquets for our customers to enjoy.
This time of year I find it most difficult to keep the bouquets a reasonable size. With so many beautiful flowers in bloom, I just want to incorporate each and every variety into the bouquets that we create.
Preparing for Bulb Shipments
Spring gardens start with a little fall planning…
I’ll admit, as we near the end of the growing season- I know how easy it is to feel like you’re losing a bit of steam. Most people don’t realize it but gardening is an endurance sport 😉
Now if there’s one thing I learned, the effort of planting spring-flowering bulbs in the fall is always worth it. After all, spring flowering bulbs put on the most beautiful of shows just as the dreariness of winter starts to fade.
Our first shipment of tulip bulbs should arrive in late September and early October. Before those bulbs arrive on our doorstep, there’s lots to do in anticipation of their arrival.
Since we grow a lot of our tulips in bulb crates, I take every precaution to make sure that each crate we plant into is sanitized. To save a bit of time, I also fill each crate with a sterile soil mix so that by the time the bulbs arrive, I simply have to plop them in their crates, cover them with soil + give them a good, long water before tucking them into their grow space for the winter.
What We’re Planting:
The last few successions of sunflowers hit the ground this month. With any luck they’ll all bloom before our first frost in early October.
Other than quick-growing sunflowers, we’ve enjoyed a break from planting this month. I’ll admit, it’s been nice to have fewer baby plants to tend to as it’s freed up some of my time. There’s so much beauty that I’m trying to document this month- capturing pictures + video of it all has sort of felt like its own full-time job!
Related: Will Better Photos Help You Sell More Flowers?! A Closer Look at How I Document Flowers on Our Farm
What’s in Bloom:
Everything 😉 Dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, snapdragons, celosia, basil, strawflower + more!
The summer cutting garden is looking the best it’s ever looked and I couldn’t be more excited. I feel like I’ve really found my stride this season. While not everything has turned out just as I hoped- this is the first year where I felt like we’ve come pretty close to accomplishing all that I had planned before the season even started.
Things I’m Loving:
It may be a bit early, but nothing feels better than wearing an oversized sweatshirt on a cool, crisp autumn day.
At the suggestion of a friend, I purchased this sweatshirt (in multiple colors) and now I can’t wait for the temperatures to drop. This sweatshirt is the perfect oversized fit; it’s also amazingly soft and I know it’s going to be the most amazingly cozy piece of clothing I wear all fall.
Conclusion:
Summer seems to be slipping away and I’m doing my best to savor it all before it’s gone for good. The days are definitely getting shorter and you can almost feel the shift in seasons. Still, I’m doing my best to stay present and enjoy the flowers for every bit of joy they offer.
What are you doing to celebrate the summer season? I’d love for you to share your favorite part of summer flowers in the comments below.
P.S. If you’d like some guidance on next year’s flower garden, don’t forget about the resources we have available. Both our Garden Planning Workbook and our Quarter Acre Cutting Garden Plan can help ensure you have the best season ever!
Wishing you a beautiful and abundant season ahead.
