Spring is inching closer and by mid-February, work on the farm can start in earnest.
Squeezing it all in
I've spent much of January and February planning the layout of our plot for this season. I think I'm on at least version 12! With limited space, we can't grow everything we want or the quantities we'd like, so it's always a matter of working out what doesn't make the cut this season.
I dream of one day having a half-acre or one-acre plot to cram full of everything my heart desires, but for now, our growing plans are all about compromise. We maximise every inch of our space by carefully planning how many plants we can squeeze into each bed and what can follow what.
Some beds can produce two crops a season with careful planning. For example, ranunculus and anemones which will be finished by the summer can be followed by a later crop of sunflowers or cosmos.
We also vary the varieties we grow as the season progresses. So you might have a cream sunflower in a July bouquet but a dark plum coloured one in September.
A rose by any other name
Last November we planted lots of beautiful shrub roses from David Austin. They come as straggly looking sticks with their roots dangling loosely in a paper sack. But planting them bare-root like this actually allows them to settle in more quickly than pot grown plants.
Ours are already showing signs of life, meaning they're settling in nicely. From soft whites and pinks, through to apricot and coppery reds, we've selected them all for their delicious scents. We can't wait to see (and smell!) them start blooming in early summer.
Signs of life
Mid February marks an important moment in the flower grower's calendar. On 15th February we get a whole 10 hours of daylight and this, crucially, means there is enough light to start sowing new seed!
We started a lots of our spring and early summer plants last autumn to give them a head start, but we will be sowing a few more things mid-month to make sure we have a continuing supply.
And finally, there are exciting signs of life under the fleece tunnels. The anemones are starting to produce their flower buds. These will be short to start with but will get longer as spring gets closer and good for picking. We can't wait to see them!
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