Midsummer is behind us, and we are encroaching on full-bloom time here on the farm. In the heart of July, the fields are flourishing with vibrant hues of sweet peas in full bloom, along with the other annuals, which are summer flowers. Capturing this beauty has become a top priority, and you can’t believe how many flower photos are on my camera roll right now! We even welcomed a talented videographer onto the farm to preserve every moment of this fleeting season.
This year, we grew more varieties of seed and have far more flowers in the fields than in past years. Every day, I have to take a second to soak it all in because it really is looking like a full-on flower farm these days! Everywhere you turn, there is a different flower to enjoy. These are the days I have to remind myself to slow down and take it all in because it’s gone far too soon.
Amidst the hustle of photographing and documenting the different blooming varieties, I recently had the extraordinary opportunity to teach a flower-arranging workshop in Eastern Washington. I shared my passion for flowers and guided others in creating stunning arrangements using some of the blooms from our farm. It was truly gratifying to connect with fellow flower enthusiasts and witness their inspiration.
I’ve always known that I wanted to invite others onto the farm for arrangement workshops, and am excited to finally make that a reality! We listed the first arranging workshops to be held on the farm using our own flowers! It feels like such a milestone, and I can’t wait to invite you all onto our little slice of flower heaven (and to take some home with you!).
As the sweet peas gradually start to fade, we've begun the bittersweet task of collecting their seeds, knowing that these seeds will carry on the legacy of the amazing varieties that we cultivate in our fields. We've been diligently working on finalizing the photos for the fall seed sale and our upcoming book, capturing every angle and variety of the sweet peas. It’s so exciting doing all this work behind the scenes, and I can hardly wait to share the final product with you. 2025 is for SURE going to be the year of the sweet pea!!
July Garden To-Dos:
- July is the time when everything seems to ‘pop’! It’s important to keep up on harvesting your flowers if you do not want them to go to seed. Cut in the early mornings or evenings for the best vase life.
- This time of year gets HOT, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. It’s time to make sure your plants are getting deep-watered daily! If you haven’t set up an irrigation setup, I suggest considering it. Not only will it save you time, but your plants will get a thorough watering during the ideal early morning.
- If you want your flowering hanging baskets to look lush all summer long, July is the time to give them some attention! Trim back the spent blooms in early July followed by a fertilizer tea treatment. They’ll get a second wind, and you’ll have happy baskets into September.
- Many of us have dahlias coming up in June and early July. Once the plants have a solid three sets of leaves, its time to pinch to encourage the dahlia to branch. This will create more blooms over the span of the season!
- Deadhead:
- It can be hard to keep up with harvesting when everything seems to bloom all at once! If you have spent blooms in the garden, make sure you are deadheading to encourage more growth and prevent the plant from going to seed early.
While saying goodbye to flowering sweet pea season is always sad, we’re eagerly looking forward to the dahlia season as the first dahlias begin to burst! It’s a sign that the start of another chapter on the farm is starting, and dahlias are always a welcome addition.
