Our Flower Patch

March 22nd, 2023

The flower patch we planted a few weeks ago is just starting to gain some color as the first blooms open! The goal of our flower patch is to add some beauty to the farm, draw pollinators and beneficial insects, and eventually offer cut flower bouquets at the farm stand. As you can see in the photos above and below, our sunflowers and cosmos are already starting to bloom. We also have zinnias, bachelor’s buttons, calendula, and poppies planted in the patch along with some experimental dahlias and ranunculus in one of our raised beds. We can’t wait to see it in full bloom in a few weeks!

Did you know that potatoes are one of a few crops that we don’t plant from seed? Since potatoes are tubers, we plant small potatoes (called “seed potatoes”) directly in the soil. Once the leafy green portion of the potato plant is about 8 inches tall (see photo below), the potatoes will begin to develop underneath the soil. They form on lateral stems above the initial potato that was planted. We planted our potatoes in a few of our raised beds filled with our own compost since they don’t grow as well in our clay-heavy soils. We expect to make a small harvest around June that will predominantly go to our Veggie Share members!

If you’ve seen our tomato rows, you might be curious about our trellising system. In a home garden, it’s common to use tomato “cages” as a support system. Since we’re growing tomatoes on a much larger scale, we opt for the less cumbersome “Florida weave” method that utilizes t-posts and twine! As the tomatoes grow, we will add a new length of twine about every 6-inches on the t-posts. This helps to keep the tomato vines off the ground which protects their fruits, reduces disease, and improves air flow.

Upcoming Events:

• Remaining Farmers Markets this month: March 25th from 9am-1pm

• Meet the Farm Tour on Sunday, March 26th from 1:30-2pm (sign up here)

Currently in Season at the Farm Stand: Kohlrabi, Cauliflower (limited), Broccoli (limited), Beets, Carrots, Hakurei Turnips, Romaine Lettuce, Red Butterhead Lettuce, Kale, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Cabbage, Scallions, Swiss Chard, Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill.