Ordinary Flower Farm

06/01/2026

The dahlias are loving the cooler weather to acclimate and have done really well so far, I think the mychorrhizal fungi application makes a big difference easing the transition. Look at that incredible green! 🌱🌱🌱
Also a late spring/early summer bouquet from 2025. These flowers are just around the corner for us! Specific varieties in the bouquet are listed in the caption. 😊💐

06/01/2026

Also on the agenda today was getting the dahlias staked. I can't figure out my hog panel supports yet, so twine was necessary again this year. I kind of hate it but not as much as I hate hortonova netting. Right now I'm just using a diagonal weave and conduit for support posts. A roll of tomato twine last ages if you don't have huge rows, and it's pretty inexpensive.
If you have a lot to stake/twine, here's a great video showing how tomato growers carry their twine hands free and use a PVC pipe extension to save bending over, watch the whole thing or jump to about 2 min 20 seconds in to see just the pipe extension.

Using this trellis system with nylon string and pvc pipe you can st...

05/31/2026

PSA - don't be a couch potato just because it's raining, this weather is absolutely perfect for transplanting and weeding! And I promise, you'll dry out. 😊
I'm on a quest to eradicate the dandelions today, with my trusty hori hori knife. I really need to paint that thing a bright color. Losing a big knife in the flowers multiple times a day is annoying. 🤷😅🤦

05/30/2026

Today's project was agricultural insect netting over the asters! I've always had a few asters but went in deep this year with a big row. Asters can contribute to "asters yellow", a virus carried by insects which can cause plants to grow deformed. With just a few asters I didn't worry about it, but with hundreds I'm taking precautions. Earlier this year I scored a huge pallet of cheap conduit. The conduit, combined with rebar, stretchy cord and tent stakes, turned into a pretty good row cover. It's a knock off cheap version of a Low Cat Tunnel system. It needs a bit of tweaking, and I need to invest in or build a pipe bender to get more uniform hoops. This same setup would work well for frost cloth too.
Blooms are really starting to pop, I'm super excited for all the color that is coming!

05/28/2026

Finally moved the last of the cattle panels into the garden. These will be great to have this year as support for the taller flower varieties that tend to get too heavy and flop. They're kind of a pain to bend but not terribly difficult, it's definitely a multiple person job though. I cut the 16 foot on panels in half, 8 feet is much more manageable. These are all sourced secondhand, if you watch marketplace closely they'll come up for sale occasionally and tend to be cheaper than buying new. I'm still struggling with finding a way to suspend the shorter hog panels without bending them into an arch. I feel like they would be handy for shorter and taller varieties, just need to figure out some way to use them.

Also looking for tips on growing stock. I fail every year to get decent blooms and height. But the divine clove-like smell, I'll plant it every year just so I can pluck and smell it, even knowing that it'll be 5" tall and wimpy blooms.

05/27/2026

I'm pretty excited to have an opportunity to partner with Aune Ranches Farm to Market Farmstand this summer, who has graciously offered up space in their shop for bouquets! Today's stock of 5 simple bouquets is just a "teaser" until the flowers really get going, and these 5 little arrangements are free today for Aune Ranches customers. There is an incredible inventory of beef products as well as beautiful bread and bakery goods in the shop today. 🌻

05/26/2026

Not going to lie, the past two days and planting out were ROUGH! The unusually warm temps combined with the massive amount of things to go in made a heck of a project. I'm not great with sun and heat, it took a lot of ice, water and migraine meds to get through it. Going back to "work" tomorrow will feel like a break! 😅
Everything got a couple days dousing with mycorrhizal fungi in their water to ease the planting shock and help stimulate roots and then it all got roughly plunked in. The dahlias are all in and adjusting under two huge shade cloths for a couple of days, and I'm fretting about this week's predicted hail so they'll be safer under there. I ended up with a couple extra trays of dahlia plants if anyone is still desperate for some more.
The long holiday weekend that I usually dedicate to planting was shortened by a side quest (at our house we love a good side quest) and when your teenager.still wants to spend time with you, grab the opportunity! We ran over to Wenatchee to see the Olympic gold figure skating team which was wonderful and a lovely break. (Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn!!!!! 😍) Wenatchee was in bloom with roses and lush green orchards, and we hit the market before heading home. I think it's important to find a balance with gardening, as much time ( LOTS ) as I devote to mine, I still want to enjoy all the other things in life and be able to put the garden on the back burner when needed.

05/22/2026

Reminder the sweet potato/yam project from months ago? They've done well with lots of slips (sprouts) that have been pulled off/rooted/planted. These will be trailing vines for planter pots and hanging baskets. It's too late in the year to start these now, but keep it in your thoughts for next year, about January. This is a great way to create a lot of inexpensive filler from just a few store bought yams/sweet potatoes. More info is in the photo captions.
And yes, they do grow into a harvestable crop by fall. Mine are contained in pots so it's a small crop of tiny potatoes. But still kind of fun. 😊

05/17/2026

The annemones are starting! Slowly slowly, but their little heads are starting to peak out.
The fancy pansies started from seed ages ago are also throwing out an occasional bloom, cute but I'm not sure if they are worthy of the months they've been ever so slowly growing.
I was a victim of the clearance rack at Lowe's last week and came home with a few new plants. Then the sadness of digging holes hit, followed by a lightbulb moment that we have a tractor and post hole auger! Hundreds and hundreds of holes dug over the years before the tractor and I just got used to doing them by hand. It was pretty fantastic to not have to fight our hard soil and rocks to dig holes, it definitely opens a world of possibilities......I may be checking out the Lowe's clearance rack a lot more often!
Cover your sensitive plants tonight and batten down the hatches, it's going to be a cold night. ❄️

05/15/2026

I don't usually work on Fridays but I needed to be here today, and then this pops up in my email box - now I REALLY want to go home! One last order from Willow Rock Acres with a few more gorgeous dahlia varieties. I am ridiculously excited to grow these! There's something about the form and color of dahlias that is just so joyous.