First Seedlings in the Ground!
I got my first taste of spring during this warm, sunny spell at the end of February! The first daffodils of the year started blooming, and it felt SO good to pick a bouquet. I don’t like buying grocery store flowers that aren’t local, so I haven’t had fresh flowers in my home for months. That made this little bouquet feel extra special.
It’s official! The first bouquet of 2025.
What I’m planting first
Flower farming is a whole different ballgame compared to the casual backyard gardening I’ve done my whole life. It involves so much planning - succession planting, spreadsheets, calendars - that my head has been spinning trying to organize everything. But one of my biggest goals this year is to experiment with new-to-me varieties. There’s no perfect blueprint for flower farming, so I have to figure out what works for me and my unique microclimate.
One of the first plants I’m testing the limits with? Snapdragons!
I planted ‘Maryland Lavender’ snapdragons, a beautiful pink-lavender variety that can handle cooler temperatures. I started them from seed back in January, hardened them off, and planted them outside in late February. Now, I get to see how they handle early spring in Saint Paul!
But it’s not just about planting dates - I’m also figuring out spacing, trellising, fertilizers, pests…the list goes on. Tracking all of this has never been my strong suit (I’d rather be outside in the dirt than updating spreadsheets!), but this year, I’m doing my best to take notes so I can learn and improve.
Endless loads of compost going into the new flower beds
5 beds done, another 10 to go
A month-old snapdragon seedling
Sweet peas going in the ground
Alongside the snapdragons, I planted sweet pea seeds! Since they need something to climb, I had to get creative with leftover t-posts and cattle panel to make a trellis. Ideally, it would be taller, but I’m working with what I’ve got this year. If it needs adjusting, I’ll tweak it next season.
Just a few of the many sweet pea varieties I planted - stay tuned for lots of fragrant, colorful flowers this spring!
A couple rows of cattle panel fence will keep the sweet peas happy
Spring is on the way
With warmer weather ahead, Madeline and I will be spending even more time outside. We have ambitious veggie garden goals this year and have already planted snap peas and broad beans. Tons of brassicas and salad greens are ready to go in next week, too!
Oh, and I can’t forget about the irises! This past weekend, I dug up dozens from a friend’s garden, including three beautiful new varieties from Matthew Hubbard. These, along with my peonies, will be some of the first perennials to bloom this spring.
It finally feels like the season is kicking off, and I can’t wait to see how everything grows. If you know someone who loves flowers and wants to support a local farm, send them my way! Share this post with a friend, and let’s spread the beauty of locally grown blooms together.
Veggie garden progress!
A truck load of irises heading to their new home in my garden