Fall Prep & Seed Sowing
The farm is at the beginning stages of her fall refresh. Although we are still in the thick of summer, fall is on our minds with the cooler weather and all of the varieties of flowers and veggies that thrive in those mild temps. Buckwheat cover crop is being tossed into all of the newly flipped beds to nourish the soil and create a natural weed barrier. Being very quick to germinate, it's one of our favorites to utilize season after season. Bonus that the bees go bonkers over it!
The Silverleaf sunflowers are still seeming to climb taller and taller to their 96" height and crank out the blooms on their branching stems. They are native to Texas and have become a repeat guest on the farm with strong reseeding year after year. We were gifted the original seeds by a friend, and we remain grateful for their vibrant presence each summer. While they aren't the best for cut flower use, the birds and the pollinators absolutely love them, and of course we love that!
The specialty sunflowers are continuing to show their faces also. Procut Gold Lite started to open up this week, and more were sown with seed from one of my favorite seed suppliers - 3 porch farm in Comer, GA. Their seeds are such high quality, and the packets are the cutest!
Tip: save your empty seed packets to refill with saved seed**
**Some seed may not grow true next season if it’s from a hybrid variety and a pollinator has visited a different variety before settling on the bloom where the mature seed was collected. Only open-pollinated (non-hybrid) varieties will reliably produce seed that retains the parent traits.
Most sunnies grown for cut flower use are bred to be pollenless, so you won’t have to clean pollen off your table repeatedly while enjoying your blooms. However, these varieties will still produce nectar for the pollinators and will also still produce seed if a pollinator visits a regular variety of sunflower (such as Silverleaf above) prior to the pollenless flower.
Speaking of seeds (clearly one of my favorite topics), I had some hyacinth bean seed that I sowed earlier this week for one of our arching trellises after tearing out the worn out cukes. As with all peas and beans, a good soaking before sowing increases germination rate. Hyacinth is such a beautiful bean, and will produce an abundance of purple pea flowers that the pollinators adore. But the stars of the show are the magenta bean pods that form on the vines. These are great for floral work to add a little whimsy (another favorite topic of mine haha). They are fast growing, so we should have just enough time to enjoy the beauty of this vine before our first frost, which is around November 14. The seeds are from another fabulous source - Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. Their whimsical seed packets speak to my heart! Check them out for some really unique and dependable seed along with helpful growing tips.
A little note on self-care: Being a creature of habit, I have a precise nightly routine. Among all of my habits, I have always taken a moment before I settle into bed to slather my hands in a rich hand cream. This nightly ritual keeps my hands soft and soothed, while nourishing my nails, especially after a long day working on the farm! You'll always find a little container of my favorite hand cream on my nightstand next to my pile of rotating books, lip balm and blue light blocking glasses. Take this as a reminder to nourish yourself before a good night's rest - your future self will thank you!
Weekly reminder:
Pause. Unclench your jaw. Soften your forehead. Drop your shoulders. Take a deep breath.