Poppies are floaty, flirty and come in every colour you could hope for but most importantly they are CUT AND COME AGAIN, therefore making them perfect for beginners and small garden spaces alike.
However they can have a short vase life, especially if not harvested correctly so I'm here to tell you my top tips to prolong their beauty after cutting.
1️⃣ CRACKED BUD STAGE
Poppies are well loved by the bees and if you allow them to be pollinated then the petals will soon shatter and the vase life is decreased. Best to cut these first thing in the morning, in a cracked bud stage where the petals will still open after cutting but no risk of a bee ruining the fun.
2️⃣ SEAR THE ENDS
Poppies are notorious for developing air pockets within the stem that prevents water from entering and thus causing a dropping head. If you search the ends of the stem with boiling water for 20secs you will see bubbles which are releasing the trapped air meaning the flower can drink. This process can be repeated if you notice a drooping head after a couple of days.
3️⃣ WATCH THE WATER LEVEL
Poppies can easily drown and do not enjoy being submerged in deep water. If you want them to last, it's best to give them no more than 10cm in the bottom of the vase, making sure to keep it clean and top up when needed.
Share your favourite variety of poppy in the comments below and let me know the conditioning tips you swear by so we can all learn together 🌸
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I'm a small scale farmer florist that shares lots of helpful advice about gardening and arranging flowers. If you learn more remember to SAVE this post for later and follow me here at @daydream.green 💚
#springgarden #poppies #springcolour #cottagegarden #cutflowergarden #cutfowers #fieldtovase #lovetogarden
If you're getting started on your Dahlia Seeds for this Summer you will wanna do these 5 things to guarantee successful germination ⤵️
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But first, hey - I'm Elly a small scale grower of dahlias and other cut flowers in NZ. Follow me here @daydream.green for more helpful advice on how to create your dream green space 💚
1️⃣ Check Viability
Viable seeds are slightly harder and darker in colour and will not bend easily. If you've saved your own seed and are having trouble telling the difference, you can always sprout using a damp paper towel and transfer to a pot to save on soil and space.
2️⃣ Know your Frost Zone
For some it will be too early to start Dahlia seeds. In my region we are now 8 weeks away from my last frost date and so I can begin sowing my dahlia seeds but if you are any longer than that, you may wanna hold off for now.
2️⃣ Give it Light
The seed needs light for germination so do not bury the seed, rather create a small indent in the soil using a pen and push the seed into the soil then cover with a light sprinkle of vermiculite.
3️⃣ Keep it Warm
Dahlia seeds need warmth to germinate, I would recommend grabbing a heat mat and setting it around 20°C at this time of year to get things going. If you don't have a heat mat, above the fireplace, heater or other warm environment will help but make sure it's not too hot or germination could be slowed.
4️⃣ Bring the Humidity
Keep a lid over your tray or place pots inside a Sistema tub to keep up the humidity. The seeds need moisture to germinate and the lid will help trap this heat, to build that humidity and prevent drying out.
Growing dahlias from seed is such an exciting experience with so many unique beauties to uncover! Let me know in the comments if you will be growing dahlias for the first time from seed this year 🌱
#dahlias #dahlialover #dahliasofinstagram #ilovedahlias #dahliaaddict #dahliaforsdays #dahliaseaso
We are officially in late winter with less than a week left until Spring!
🌱 If you take a walk around the garden and look down, you may notice fresh growth coming from much of your herbaceous perennials. This is the chance to cut back the old stems if you haven't already in preparation for the fresh shoots to emerge.
🌼 I will be cutting back all the seedheads of my phlomis, achillea, solidago, aster and sedum that have remained over the winter providing great structure and forage for the birds.
🪻 I'll hold back on cutting the penstemons and salvia until after the frosts though as the old foliage acts as a bit of protection from the cold and wet.
🌾 Ornamental grasses such as Calamagrostis and Miscanthus will get a hard cut back now too but I'll only brush out the Poa Cita.
🍂 The soil will be nice and hydrated after all this rain, so I'll take my chance to finish off with a woodchip mulch which always gives the border a clean, tidy look.
It's crazy that only a couple more months and we should see this level of growth from the perennials by late spring. Hard to imagine when they are mostly lying dormant under the soil right now 😌
#wildgarden #gardendesignlove #instagardenlovers #gardenersofig #perennialgarden #prarieplanting #naturalisticgarden #meadowgarden
So you wanna make a start on your cut flower garden for summer? Then you need to know LAST FROST DATE + SEED TO TRANSPLANT DATE to calculate which seeds can be sowed this month 💐
Remember some flowers are sensitive to the cold and therefore considering these two dates is the key to successful planning.
Using Labour Weekend as my 'safe zone' - by my calculations, I only need to sow a succession of Hardy Annual Flowers & Dahlias this month.
🌱 SEEDS I'M SOWING IN AUGUST 🌱
Cornflower Agrostemma
Dill Persian Cress
Honeywort Nigella
Strawflower Stock
Statice Matricaria
Scabiosa Mignonette
Ammi Sweet Peas
Buplureum Calendula
Orlaya Rudbeckia
Snapdragon Phlox
Poppies Larkspur
Dahlias*
*most of my tender annual flowers like Zinnia, Celosia and Cosmos will be withheld for a September sowing.
Of course, this may be different depending on your region!
❤️🔥 I have designed a free PDF seed sowing calendar for download to help anyone out there needing a little extra guidance.
Comment 'SEED' and I'll send you the link to download this calendar - alternatively check out the full article 'Seeds to Sow in Spring for your Cut Flower Garden' on the blog (link in bio).
#flowerfarmnz #fieldtovase #digwhereyoulive #gardentips #gramyourgarden #homegrown #flowerfarmnz #growflowers #newzealandgarden #thegoodlife #thehappygardeninglife
Another day, another LOW TUNNEL. I'm gonna tell you why I choose to cover my crops over winter. I'll give you a hint - it's not for frost protection.
But FIRST, hey - I'm Elly a small scale flower grower from New Zealand. Follow me @daydream.green if your goal is micro flower farming as I offer lots of tips and inspiration to get you started 💚
So my climate is temperate which means we don't get below -3°C over the winter time. The plants that I grow during these cold months are all hardy annuals and can take these temperatures without protection from frost.
The reason I cover my crops is:
1️⃣ Bird netting
I'm living in an area surrounded by bush which means we have a lot of birds close by. These birds play havoc with my newly planted seedlings so I always net to avoid damage.
2️⃣ Rain protection
Some of the crops underneath these tunnels, like anemone and ranunculus don't love it super wet. We live in an area that receives a high amount of rain during the winter and so the cloth does give these babies a bit of shelter helping to prevent rot while getting established.
3️⃣ Wind protection
It wouldn't be Wellington without a bit of wind, but with the mikroclima cloth, newly transplanted seedlings are protected in times of high winds that can put pressure on juvenile stems.
The product that I use is the Mikroclima Cloth available from Polynet. I then use second hand plastic piping and stakes to create my hoops.
Let me know what you think, is it worth covering your crops over the winter or do you prefer survival of the fittest 💪
#wintergardeningtasks #freshisbest #freshcutflowers #wellingtonflowers #huttvalleyflowers #homegrownflowers #flowerupyourlife #nzflowers #sharemewlg
You dream of using fresh, locally grown flowers in your wedding or event design but don't want the stress of creating all the arrangements?
That's OK! Many clients choose to leave the bud vases up to family and friends but don't want the pressure of putting together their own bouquet.
And we get it - your big day should be as easy and stress free as possible! That's why we also offer floral design services for your bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets and buttonholes should you need it.
Comment 'BLOOM' and I'll send our booking information and prices - I'm also currently offering a free 30 min zoom call to discuss your floral vision for the day 🌸
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@daydream.green is a small-scale cut flower farm that specialises in DIY Weddings and Events. If you're getting married this year, follow me here for more DIY wedding flower inspo 💍
#wellingtonflowers #realflowersoftheseason #weddingflorals #weddingflowerideas
#gardeninspiredflowers #diyweddingflowers #weddingflowers #freshisbest #flowerfarmernz
