Absolutely Stunning! I am not a fan of dried flowers but your wreath is the BEST! Maybe you could spend a few videos going in to some details on what you grew, how you harvested it and how you put it all together!
That's a great idea! 😊 I did a quick overview of this specific wreath/ingredients starting at 13:50 in this video: th-cam.com/video/yZK_OeCXlCs/w-d-xo.html I'll go more in depth in future videos!
I am just a cut flowers hobbyist, but one of the best idea i saw for tulips is growing and selling them in pots rather than as cut flowers. That way you xan have a great center piece that you can replant or just keep in the pot for next year.
Calendulas are for Arrangements not bouquets. . Hence the steady sticky shorter stems .. .. Calendula couple with Marigold makes for a pretty Fall Decoration 😐😊
I’m with you on the calendula!! The only reason I would grow it, is perhaps in pots to use as a trap crop for aphids. Last year, aphids would jump off the snaps onto the calendula; I would just pull the plant then and dispose. Easy cleanup of TONS of aphids 😊
I just planted half a row of buff calendula seedlings yesterday and have the Pink surprise sees to go in today, for the rest of the row. The yellow ones were so productive last year, but the stickiness AND bright yellow turned me off. I thought I'd give these better colours a go this year, but at least I don't have my hopes too high now, lol. I'm hoping they'll be beneficial to my row of roses, too. I'm so happy you said that about ranunculus! My sub tropical area in Australia is not suitable for tulips, so I can only do ran's, which are coming up nicely. No longer do I feel that I'm missing out on something great! Sweet peas - you might be onto something! If they don't help draw people to my "You Pick" days, I'm going to limit them to our private house garden. Growing jasmine up my 20 metre long trellising might just be more productive for me *year round.* I appreciate your feedback!
I’m with you on calendula! My annual baby’s breath came up really weird too - it was sticky and kinda of puke green stems? There were zero signs of bugs - I inspected like a madman because I was so confused but it was basically unusable 🤷♀️ I’m trying it again because I’m too curious to see if I have the same crazy sticky issue- really one of the strangest things I’ve seen in my garden ever.
I'm a bit south of you in NW Oregon (same climate). I too have struggled with celosia and gomphrena. I thought it was something I was doing wrong. I'm going to try again next year. I'm going to grow the starts bigger and plant out a bit latter. I'm glad I found your channel, nice to hear someone with the same conditions I have. I just grow for me and my neighbors.
Don't blame yourself, blame the climate! Hardy annuals have absolutely thrived for me and will produce all season long. That's the secret here in our maritime climate!
Have you considered buying a used refrigerator that you use just for storing flowers? It comes in handy all through the growing season for holding blooms like sunflowers, snaps, yarrow etc. Also you can hold tulips harvested with the bulb still attached (like in a 5 gal bucket) for 2 to 3 weeks in a refrigerator which can really extend your season.
Yes! It might be in the plans one day! My husband and I are trying to be strategic since we may get new kitchen appliances in the near future :) It would be such an upgrade to have a flower fridge!
I used to worry about the toxicity to pets until I realized snapdragons, stock, delphiniums and other favorite stalk type flowers were also toxic, then I realized usually animals have a sixth sense to avoid those plants, at least in my experience, and if a pet owner has a sensitive animal, then it’s up to them to familiarize themselves with what to avoid.
I live in a temperate zone like you - our cutting gardens are in full sun, but even so, we only get to hot temps that tender annuals prefer for about 3 weeks... Amaranthus doesn't seem to mind the cold, grows huge, flowers early, and keeps at it until we hit our coldest winter temps. Celosia and Gomphrena, though, don't like my micro-climate much at all. The seeds must be started in late Winter, and transplanted out in early Spring, and even then they don't flourish for me. On the other hand, many hardy annuals will happily bloom for me all season long :) I grow Calendula some seasons as a companion plant, sprinkled amongst other crops. Cynoglossum is on my 'don't bother next season' list, too. Tulips are a tricky one in my area, which is a small city/large town, with not many people who are willing to pay for flowers what they cost to produce. I also didn't have the budget for Tulips the last few seasons, but I'd like to bring the specialty varieties back into my rotation when I do, because it's a focal I wouldn't otherwise have in Spring for weddings.
That's great to know! 😊 I consistently hear that amaranth is okay in cooler weather but celosia is not. Tulips are an awesome spring staple but the bulbs can definitely be spendy!
Getting an extra refrigerator for tulips and holding flowers in , in general is awesome!! This past spring I held tulips over for 3 weeks with keeping the bulb attached and dry, then a few days before selling I cut the bulb off, rehydrated, and sold them for mothers day. Ended up selling out!!
I'm not a tulip fan. The special ones are ok, but still, I never get the big deal a lot of people make of them. You are so right that you prefer the ranunculus.
I wonder if you could plant your celosia closer together, that might get you taller flowers. I'm in zone 4a and I had a wonderful crop. I planted mine closer and got really tall stems.
Oh no I just bought the pink Chinese forgot me not to try lol I also bought the blue ones to try out. I read they are cut and come again but I guess I’ll see. I made a similar video on my channel and calendula was in my list too! Lol
I think it's worth a try if you already have the seeds! I didn't hate it, just didn't LOVE it. And I did use it in quite a few bouquets. Maybe it will grow better for you! 😊
I think I’ve seen some other flower farmers say that they harvest tulips with their bulbs, and that the flowers keep a lot longer that way. I don’t know how that might affect the need to harvest at such a specific time for best flower quality. Something to consider? Enjoyed your video- interesting points on the drawbacks of certain flowers!
Yes, you’re totally right! I had an issue last year harvesting with the bulb because I put netting down under the bulbs at planting time to protect from moles/voles. It worked but the roots grew into the netting so the stems would snap when I tried to pull up with the bulbs. 😕Trade offs I guess haha!
I don’t grow sweetpeas for sweetpea bunches, i cut them for their whimsical foilage with a couple of bonus flowers to add air and movement to a bouquet.
Thank you so much for saving me from those disappointments! I had all of them in my plans. I love your take on tulips vs ranunculus too. I tried ranunculus & anemones last season and didn't get any. I planted too late and it got too hot for them. Bad timing!
I'm glad I could help you out! They aren't the worst but there are definitely better plants out there. :) Hopefully you have a good ranunculus harvest next year!
Yes! I kept sowing and sowing gomphrena and it took forever to get any plants, then they flowered right before the frost hit. Gomphrena better watch out we got our eyes on it lol 👀
Very wise words. I have same experiences with some of the flowers you mentioned (sweet peas, calendula, babys breath, celosia) I would add bachelors buttons to this list.. also cosmos takes time to pick and not good vase life. Anyway cosmos can be used as a greenery which I like.
Yes, I agree cosmos don't have the best vase life and can kind of be a pain to harvest. I will harvest sprays of cosmos, which has helped with vase life - as one flower fades another will open up. It also helps add structure to the bouquet.
I'm very glad that I found this video and someone from my zone and WA. I totally agree with you about Tulips. I think you could grow fewer Tulips but more Ranunculus and also Anemone. I love Ranunculus!
Glad you're here! I feel like everyone should grow a few tulips because they are so reliable, but in our mild climate we gotta risk it for that ranunculus! 😊 Hopefully mine actually bloom this spring lol
Hi! I did a quick overview of this specific wreath/ingredients starting at 13:50 in this video: th-cam.com/video/yZK_OeCXlCs/w-d-xo.html I've got a more in depth wreath tutorial with different dried flowers in the works!
Since my ranunculus are growing in my raised veggie garden this year, I'll be planting my summer veggies there. But you could succession plant sunflowers, zinnias, or cosmos in that area after the ranunculus are done! Any tender crops that are quick to mature would work.
Iam zone 9b & I struggled with cosmos they grew great I had multiple plants but they went flopping & looked terrible in the vase no made what I did I am gonna try again
They can be a little bit tricky! I have found that the double varieties have floppier stems than single varieties. I usually harvest sprays of cosmos instead of single stems, which helps add some structure to the vase and the blooms will slowly open up which can also extend the display! Hope that helps! 😊
I grow calendula for an aphid trap crop only in the garden. I like it in the landscaping but def not as a cut either. There are some really pretty varieties
Don't you harvest the tulips attached to their bulb? That's supposed to extend the refrigerator life. I would go for ranunculus. They're gorgeous but I can't really grow them as it goes from the 60s to the 90s here in a heartbeat, zone 7A.
Yes, I try to! I put netting under my tulip bulbs last year to protect from moles/voles but the roots grew into the netting, so the stems would break off without the bulbs. It was a pain! And that's a great point about ranunculus, you really need a long cool spring to keep the blooms coming! 😊
I have considered it but we might be upgrading our kitchen appliances (and our current fridge could become a flower fridge) so I want to be strategic on my next steps. A flower fridge would be a game changer, though! You got a great score on that one 😊
Your dried flower wreath is gorgeous!
Absolutely Stunning! I am not a fan of dried flowers but your wreath is the BEST! Maybe you could spend a few videos going in to some details on what you grew, how you harvested it and how you put it all together!
Thank you! 😊
That's a great idea! 😊 I did a quick overview of this specific wreath/ingredients starting at 13:50 in this video: th-cam.com/video/yZK_OeCXlCs/w-d-xo.html
I'll go more in depth in future videos!
I am just a cut flowers hobbyist, but one of the best idea i saw for tulips is growing and selling them in pots rather than as cut flowers. That way you xan have a great center piece that you can replant or just keep in the pot for next year.
Calendulas are for Arrangements not bouquets. . Hence the steady sticky shorter stems .. .. Calendula couple with Marigold makes for a pretty Fall Decoration 😐😊
Yes, you are so right! 😊
I’m with you on the calendula!! The only reason I would grow it, is perhaps in pots to use as a trap crop for aphids. Last year, aphids would jump off the snaps onto the calendula; I would just pull the plant then and dispose. Easy cleanup of TONS of aphids 😊
I love it! Trap crops are so underrated! :)
I just planted half a row of buff calendula seedlings yesterday and have the Pink surprise sees to go in today, for the rest of the row. The yellow ones were so productive last year, but the stickiness AND bright yellow turned me off. I thought I'd give these better colours a go this year, but at least I don't have my hopes too high now, lol. I'm hoping they'll be beneficial to my row of roses, too.
I'm so happy you said that about ranunculus! My sub tropical area in Australia is not suitable for tulips, so I can only do ran's, which are coming up nicely. No longer do I feel that I'm missing out on something great!
Sweet peas - you might be onto something! If they don't help draw people to my "You Pick" days, I'm going to limit them to our private house garden. Growing jasmine up my 20 metre long trellising might just be more productive for me *year round.*
I appreciate your feedback!
I’m with you on calendula! My annual baby’s breath came up really weird too - it was sticky and kinda of puke green stems? There were zero signs of bugs - I inspected like a madman because I was so confused but it was basically unusable 🤷♀️ I’m trying it again because I’m too curious to see if I have the same crazy sticky issue- really one of the strangest things I’ve seen in my garden ever.
I had White Princess Calendula in my shopping cart because it blooms early! I think I'll still get it just for an aphid trap.
Hmmm that is really weird, especially since there were no bugs! It never hurts to try again if you have the space, sometimes it's just a fluke! :)
I'm a bit south of you in NW Oregon (same climate). I too have struggled with celosia and gomphrena. I thought it was something I was doing wrong. I'm going to try again next year. I'm going to grow the starts bigger and plant out a bit latter. I'm glad I found your channel, nice to hear someone with the same conditions I have. I just grow for me and my neighbors.
Don't blame yourself, blame the climate! Hardy annuals have absolutely thrived for me and will produce all season long. That's the secret here in our maritime climate!
Have you considered buying a used refrigerator that you use just for storing flowers? It comes in handy all through the growing season for holding blooms like sunflowers, snaps, yarrow etc. Also you can hold tulips harvested with the bulb still attached (like in a 5 gal bucket) for 2 to 3 weeks in a refrigerator which can really extend your season.
Yes! It might be in the plans one day! My husband and I are trying to be strategic since we may get new kitchen appliances in the near future :) It would be such an upgrade to have a flower fridge!
I used to worry about the toxicity to pets until I realized snapdragons, stock, delphiniums and other favorite stalk type flowers were also toxic, then I realized usually animals have a sixth sense to avoid those plants, at least in my experience, and if a pet owner has a sensitive animal, then it’s up to them to familiarize themselves with what to avoid.
That's a really great point! Definitely a part of being a responsible pet owner. 😊
SAME!!! On almost every point! Overtime from January through April? Sounds like your an accountant… no judgment 😂😂😂💗💗
Haha wow! That makes me feel like I’m on the right track!
Your guess was close! I do legislative policy work relating to tax administration. 😊
I live in a temperate zone like you - our cutting gardens are in full sun, but even so, we only get to hot temps that tender annuals prefer for about 3 weeks... Amaranthus doesn't seem to mind the cold, grows huge, flowers early, and keeps at it until we hit our coldest winter temps. Celosia and Gomphrena, though, don't like my micro-climate much at all. The seeds must be started in late Winter, and transplanted out in early Spring, and even then they don't flourish for me. On the other hand, many hardy annuals will happily bloom for me all season long :)
I grow Calendula some seasons as a companion plant, sprinkled amongst other crops.
Cynoglossum is on my 'don't bother next season' list, too. Tulips are a tricky one in my area, which is a small city/large town, with not many people who are willing to pay for flowers what they cost to produce. I also didn't have the budget for Tulips the last few seasons, but I'd like to bring the specialty varieties back into my rotation when I do, because it's a focal I wouldn't otherwise have in Spring for weddings.
That's great to know! 😊 I consistently hear that amaranth is okay in cooler weather but celosia is not. Tulips are an awesome spring staple but the bulbs can definitely be spendy!
Getting an extra refrigerator for tulips and holding flowers in , in general is awesome!! This past spring I held tulips over for 3 weeks with keeping the bulb attached and dry, then a few days before selling I cut the bulb off, rehydrated, and sold them for mothers day. Ended up selling out!!
That is awesome and sounds like it's worth the investment! It's definitely something I've got in mind!
Your bouquets are gorgeous. I only grow sweet peas because they remind me of my grandma. They have never had aphids though.🤔
It's definitely worth it to grow some things just for yourself! :) And so glad to hear yours don't get aphids because what a pain that was!
I'm not a tulip fan. The special ones are ok, but still, I never get the big deal a lot of people make of them. You are so right that you prefer the ranunculus.
I couldn't agree more! Ranunculus are next level 😊
I wonder if you could plant your celosia closer together, that might get you taller flowers. I'm in zone 4a and I had a wonderful crop. I planted mine closer and got really tall stems.
That's a good idea! Closer seems better, especially since mine never get very bushy!
this was very Helpful !! thanks!
Glad to hear that! 😊
I ditched calendula also!! I grow some sweet peas, simply for the smell and beauty:)
Love that! We gotta grow things we enjoy :)
I do not have enough heat to grow celosia here in zone 3A, but if I give my amaranth plenty of sun it grows very well.
Oh that's good to know! 😊 My amaranth was in a kind of shady spot, so that may explain its short stems this last year.
Oh no I just bought the pink Chinese forgot me not to try lol I also bought the blue ones to try out. I read they are cut and come again but I guess I’ll see. I made a similar video on my channel and calendula was in my list too! Lol
I think it's worth a try if you already have the seeds! I didn't hate it, just didn't LOVE it. And I did use it in quite a few bouquets. Maybe it will grow better for you! 😊
I think I’ve seen some other flower farmers say that they harvest tulips with their bulbs, and that the flowers keep a lot longer that way. I don’t know how that might affect the need to harvest at such a specific time for best flower quality. Something to consider? Enjoyed your video- interesting points on the drawbacks of certain flowers!
Yes, you’re totally right!
I had an issue last year harvesting with the bulb because I put netting down under the bulbs at planting time to protect from moles/voles. It worked but the roots grew into the netting so the stems would snap when I tried to pull up with the bulbs. 😕Trade offs I guess haha!
I don’t grow sweetpeas for sweetpea bunches, i cut them for their whimsical foilage with a couple of bonus flowers to add air and movement to a bouquet.
I love the foliage in arrangements! So whimsical! 😊
Thank you so much for saving me from those disappointments! I had all of them in my plans. I love your take on tulips vs ranunculus too. I tried ranunculus & anemones last season and didn't get any. I planted too late and it got too hot for them. Bad timing!
I'm glad I could help you out! They aren't the worst but there are definitely better plants out there. :) Hopefully you have a good ranunculus harvest next year!
Can you grow daffodils in your area they come up every year and they expand into more and they're absolutely stunning.
Yes! Great suggestion. I just expanded my daffodil patch this fall so hopefully I'll have lots of blooms soon! 😊
I'm with you on all five for all the same reasons. I might add Gomphrena, but like you I'm going to give it one more try.
Yes! I kept sowing and sowing gomphrena and it took forever to get any plants, then they flowered right before the frost hit. Gomphrena better watch out we got our eyes on it lol 👀
Good video. 👍🏼 I'm a new sub. Just starting my flower farm from scratch. Best of luck.
Hello, welcome! 😊 Good luck to you too this next year!
Thanks for your insight and for sharing your experiences!
Glad it was helpful! 😊
Very wise words. I have same experiences with some of the flowers you mentioned (sweet peas, calendula, babys breath, celosia) I would add bachelors buttons to this list.. also cosmos takes time to pick and not good vase life. Anyway cosmos can be used as a greenery which I like.
Yes, I agree cosmos don't have the best vase life and can kind of be a pain to harvest. I will harvest sprays of cosmos, which has helped with vase life - as one flower fades another will open up. It also helps add structure to the bouquet.
Great analysis, thank you.
I'm very glad that I found this video and someone from my zone and WA. I totally agree with you about Tulips. I think you could grow fewer Tulips but more Ranunculus and also Anemone. I love Ranunculus!
Glad you're here! I feel like everyone should grow a few tulips because they are so reliable, but in our mild climate we gotta risk it for that ranunculus! 😊 Hopefully mine actually bloom this spring lol
Do you have a video on what flowers you used to make your wreath? I always love seeing how different flowers actually dry!
Hi! I did a quick overview of this specific wreath/ingredients starting at 13:50 in this video: th-cam.com/video/yZK_OeCXlCs/w-d-xo.html
I've got a more in depth wreath tutorial with different dried flowers in the works!
Great video ! I agree on the Ranculus. What do you plant in the same space after the ranculus stop blooming in the warm summer?
Since my ranunculus are growing in my raised veggie garden this year, I'll be planting my summer veggies there. But you could succession plant sunflowers, zinnias, or cosmos in that area after the ranunculus are done! Any tender crops that are quick to mature would work.
Iam zone 9b & I struggled with cosmos they grew great I had multiple plants but they went flopping & looked terrible in the vase no made what I did I am gonna try again
They can be a little bit tricky! I have found that the double varieties have floppier stems than single varieties. I usually harvest sprays of cosmos instead of single stems, which helps add some structure to the vase and the blooms will slowly open up which can also extend the display! Hope that helps! 😊
I grow calendula for an aphid trap crop only in the garden. I like it in the landscaping but def not as a cut either. There are some really pretty varieties
I agree! It is really pretty. And very useful for salves :)
Very cool, are you still growing and selling? ❤
I am not growing calendula as a cut flower anymore either! It's probably gonna reseed on me, but that's ok. I just won't be using it in bouquets.
I took a look outside this weekend and I see some self-seeded seedlings out there haha. I'm okay with it too hee hee
I agree on all 💯
Don't you harvest the tulips attached to their bulb? That's supposed to extend the refrigerator life.
I would go for ranunculus. They're gorgeous but I can't really grow them as it goes from the 60s to the 90s here in a heartbeat, zone 7A.
Yes, I try to! I put netting under my tulip bulbs last year to protect from moles/voles but the roots grew into the netting, so the stems would break off without the bulbs. It was a pain!
And that's a great point about ranunculus, you really need a long cool spring to keep the blooms coming! 😊
Can you get a fridge off of FB Marketplace to have in your garage for the tulips? We got one for $100 and its been great
I have considered it but we might be upgrading our kitchen appliances (and our current fridge could become a flower fridge) so I want to be strategic on my next steps. A flower fridge would be a game changer, though! You got a great score on that one 😊
I'm afraid you'll have the forget-me-not in your garden for a long time😬
I think so, too! I already have the old school small blue ones everywhere 🙃