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celadonhill

Boutique, earth friendly flower farm in Baldwin, MD. Florists, Subscriptions, Markets 💐 ⬇️

Did you know tulips will grow a few inches after t

Did you know tulips will grow a few inches after they are harvested and placed in water?

According to the inter webs, tulip cells are particularly responsive to the plant hormone auxin which causes them to grow.

Tulips are also phototrophic, which makes them swoop and bend towards the light.

Tulips are a delight to watch and will last more than a week by giving the stems a little snip and changing water completely every few days.

BTW-Snapdragons are also phototropic (bending toward light) and geotropic (responding to gravity)

Flowers are fabulous 💚

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #tulipsofinstagram

Tulips 🌷 Avant Garde Apricot Tulip Akebono A

Tulips 🌷

Avant Garde
Apricot Tulip
Akebono
Apricot Impression

Just the beginning 💚

#fancytulips #celadonhill #loveplantgrow #harfordcountymd

Happy Spring! First tulips are starting in the fie

Happy Spring! First tulips are starting in the field under a temporary low tunnel. We’re ready 👩‍🌾😊💚🌷🌷🌷🌷#fancytulips #celadonhill #loveplantgrow #marchgarden #spring2023

Happy Spring! 💚 First 2023 tulip bunch out of

Happy Spring! 💚

First 2023 tulip bunch out of the field today! (Full disclosure, they are in a temporary tunnel to help spread out the harvest)

Welcome Avant Garde, an early, creamy lemon-white double tulip, with light spring scent. These are not your grocery store tulips! 😊

Florists- I’ll be updating our Rooted Farmers list for next week with Hellebores too! 👩‍🌾

April Tulip Subscriptions- Look for an email update soon about your first week of Tulips!🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

Make sure to sign up on our website for email updates on availability 📣We’ll have some extra tulip bunches in our online shop throughout April.

It’s about to get busy on the hill!

#fancytulips #celadonhill #loveplantgrow #tulipsofinstagram

Tulips 🌷 I cover a section of the tulip bed to

Tulips 🌷
I cover a section of the tulip bed to spread out the harvest, today we had morning snow ❄️ but it was super cozy in my makeshift tunnel! 😊
#tulipsofinstagram #celadonhill #loveplantgrow

Transplanting and Direct Seeding hardy annuals. Us

Transplanting and Direct Seeding hardy annuals. Using my new wire mesh cages as a guide for planting at 6 inch spacing.

Planted out today- statice, strawflower, snaps, stock, rudbeckia and more.

Covered with fabric for a now. Week 10 is time to get out in the beds!

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #directseeding #transplantingseedlings

Forcing Branches 💚 It’s time to look for tho

Forcing Branches 💚

It’s time to look for those swollen buds with a trace of color.

Here in mid Atlantic, the trees are popping.

Good stems for forcing are cherry, forsythia, redbud, star magnolia and serviceberry.

Cut stems and bring inside to place in water. Keep away from heat and direct sunlight.

I cut these forsythia branches just a few days ago and already a first bloom opening.

Star magnolia has furry buds that are just starting to open outside.

Forcing blooms inside is a great way to enjoy the season.

Spring is here 💚

#forcingbranches #forsythiainbloom #starmagnolias #celadonhill #loveplantgrow #marchgarden

Happy March 1st 💚 Hellebores are almost ready,

Happy March 1st 💚 Hellebores are almost ready, about three weeks early!
Warmest February on record 🌤️😳

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #hellebores #helleboresofinstagram

Easy Seed Starting 🌱 For small patches and tri

Easy Seed Starting 🌱

For small patches and trials of new seeds, I use milk containers for seeds starting.

The milk container is like a mini greenhouse. Cut 3/4 around, it helps keep moisture inside, so seeds germinate quickly and don’t dry out.

Place in a window or under lights to get at least 10 hours of light.

Make sure to label your container with name and date!

Last pic is of cotton seeds, started a few weeks ago. New to me!

Now is the time to start thinking about seed starting! 💚

#seedstarting #milkjugseedstarter #celadonhill #loveplantgrow #februarygarden

Mantis- Invasive vs Native I just learned we have

Mantis- Invasive vs Native

I just learned we have two types of praying mantis, both native and invasive.

Invasive types are bigger and known to eat good bugs like butterfly’s and bees!

Native mantis are also predators, but not as voracious.

The egg cases I’ve been finding on the hill tell the story of two mantises.

Puffy cylindrical in first pic is the invasive mantis.

Long, rectangular on second pic is the native mantis.

Helpful guide from @brooklynbridgepark on last slide.

@brandywineconservancy has good info on this at

https://www.brandywine.org/conservancy/blog/invasive-mantis-species

Always learning!! Thanks @carolinegraf for heads up! 🐜 💚

Old bed needs a refresh with a layer of cardboard

Old bed needs a refresh with a layer of cardboard and topping of aged compost. After a few weeks, I’ll plant into the bed with seeds of lettuce, radish and bok choy.

This is how I start and refresh all my beds. It’s good weed control and worms love it!

This is considered a #nodiggarden #notillgarden #lazygardening try it!

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #directseed

A peak 👀 at the seedlings 🌱 Statice, Stock

A peak 👀 at the seedlings 🌱

Statice, Stock
Snapdragons and tiny Eucalyptus 💚

Started a few weeks ago in soil blocks. I also use cell trays and will be starting the warm annual flowers and vegetables soon.

My seed room is in the basement on wire shelves with lights and timers. I water every morning before my coffee. ☕️

It’s good to be back into routine after a little break. 😊

Are you starting seeds?

#seedstartingtime #celadonhill #loveplantgrow

Local Flowers for Valentine’s Day 🌺 Amarylli

Local Flowers for Valentine’s Day 🌺

Amaryllis-huge blooms that last for weeks! Includes pot, and instructions for saving the bulb for next year to bloom. Ready for pick up today or tomorrow.

Bouquet Subscriptions- Four weeks of flowers in April and June. Order now so you can enjoy the best blooms of the season this spring!

Link in bio, gifts for the flower lover 💚

#bouquetsubscription #amaryllis #celadonhill #loveplantgrow

Hellebore 💚 They are about 3 weeks ahead of sc

Hellebore 💚

They are about 3 weeks ahead of schedule this year. Not ready for cutting yet, watching for seed pods to develop. Spring is definitely in view! 🌺

#helleboresofinstagram #hellebore #helleborelove #februarygarden #celadonhill #loveplantgrow

Future 💚 Part 30 of #30daysofceladon Future A

Future 💚

Part 30 of #30daysofceladon Future

As I’ve written and recalled 29 posts of the Celadon Hill story, I’m incredibly grateful for all of it.

The future looks bright as I plan season 5 and see opportunities for growing my skills as a teacher and speaker. I have lots to share about growing cut flowers. 😊

Newly posted on our website is information about scheduling group visits to Celadon Hill, flower garden consultations, and our popular spring bouquet subscriptions 💐

Visit www.celadonhill.com

Thank you, thank you, thank you for following and reading our story. It’s been a dream come true to begin this journey and share it with you. 💚

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #dowhatyoulove

Archie Part 29 of #30daysofceladon Archie The st

Archie

Part 29 of #30daysofceladon Archie

The story of Celadon Hill would not be complete without Archie, our mini-piebald Dachshund.

Archie came to us during the first season of Celadon Hill and he quickly became fond of following me into the field.

Archie’s favorite things are running along the grass pathways, dodging in and out of the flower beds smelling all the smells.

Sometimes he stops, pivots and runs, flushing out something that’s caught his attention.

I watch for his white tail, pointing straight up and the rustle of flowers to know where he is in the jungle of blooms.

And then, he pauses, to lay in the sun and and take it all in.

He’s one lucky dog and we love him!

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #archieofceladon #dachsundsofinstagram #dachsundlove

Why Locally Grown Flowers? Part 28 of #30daysofce

Why Locally Grown Flowers?

Part 28 of #30daysofceladon Why Locally Grown Flowers?

A few notes about locally grown flowers provided by the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers @localflowersorg

🌺 According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 80% of all flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, primarily from South American industrial flower farms that have a history of using harsh chemical fertilizers, toxic pesticides, and unfair labor practices.

🌺 Local flower farms grow a diverse selection of flowers, foliage, stems, and fruits.

🌺 Local growers strive to produce flowers using responsible farming methods like integrated pest management, diverse cropping systems, and low-input fertilization programs. Their farms encourage important biodiversity, soil health, and water conservation.

🌺 Many commodity-type flowers have been bred for uniformity and to fit into a box, often losing their natural fragrance in the process. Locally-grown flowers are produced in greater varieties, providing a wide range of colors, forms, and scents.

🌺 The production and sale of locally-grown cut flowers contribute to a community’s economy, and provide employment and valuable agriculture experience to many.

🌺 Flowers reduce stress and improve your mood. Flowers can be connected to a memory of a time, a place, a person, a season, an event. They have a story, and you are part of it!

The map below shows flower farms all over the country/world.

To find your flower grower, search by zip code at localflowers.org

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #localflowers #locallygrownflowersarethebest #ascfg

Harvesting Part 27 of #30daysofceladon Harvestin

Harvesting

Part 27 of #30daysofceladon Harvesting

My harvest days start with good clippers, ARS SE45 Floral Shears. I have two pairs and I treasure them.

The snips get a quick spray of 1/10 alcohol-water mix to kill bacteria. Next, cool water goes into clean buckets.

The most important element when harvesting is to keep the water clean. That first initial drink the flowers receive after being cut will help keep stems (like a straw) open. If bacteria is present, the “straw” can get clogged and water is not able to reach the bloom.

When bringing flowers into your home, it’s helpful to change the water every few days and give a snip to the ends of the stems.

Use flower food if provided. Most packets contain a mix of sugar, acid, and bleach. Sugar feeds the flowers, acid maintains the pH level of the water, and bleach reduces the amount of bacteria.

Locally grown flowers are cut within days of going to customers. Since there is little to no travel time in planes, trains or trucks, flowers will last up to two weeks!

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #locallygrownflowers #grownnotflown✈️

Dahlias Part of 26 #30daysofceladon Dahlias I ha

Dahlias

Part of 26 #30daysofceladon Dahlias

I have a love/ frustration relationship with Dahlias. Love the shapes, colors and durability. They are beautiful and perfect for events. Frustrated by tuber care and our summer heat/humidity delaying bloom times.

Two insights helped change my perspective. The “no dig” dahlia method explained in depth by Jenny Love and the NoTill Flower group @notillflowers and researching dahlias with long vase life.

Typically, dahlia tubers are prone to rot in below freezing temps with high moisture. That’s most growing zones 7 and below during winter months.

Growers will dig dahlias and store them in crates or bags with wood shavings or vermiculite in a cool spot (50 degree ) that won’t freeze.

I have limited storage space, so digging and storing 200 tubers is not an option. A few seasons ago, following the No Dig Method, I left my tubers in the ground, under a thick bed of leaves and clear plastic. I credit my south facing hill with great drainage that it worked.

Now, I just dig the big huge tuber mounds biannually, split in quarters and replant.

Dahlias prefer cool nights (like in their native mountains of Mexico) Here, the flush of blooms occurs in early fall when the summer heat fades and night temperatures dip into the 60’s.

With less labor, dahlias are worth the wait.

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #dahliasofinstagram #notillflowers #nodigdahlias

Beneficial Insects Part 25 of #30daysofceladon Be

Beneficial Insects

Part 25 of #30daysofceladon Beneficial Insects

According to the book by @jessicawalliser Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden- “a mere 1 percent of the insects we come across in our lives are actually harmful….the remaining 99 percent of insects are either benign or beneficial “

For that reason and for the health of my little part of the earth, I let nature compete.

I don’t use any harmful sprays or chemicals that would disrupt the balance of power. I look for the helpers like praying mantis (pic) ladybugs, parasitic wasps, and all the spiders!

Over the years, I’ve noticed more types of birds, creatures and insects taking up space on the hill.

Beneficials include the amazing pollinators like honey bees and beautiful butterflies like monarchs, checkerspot, swallowtails and more!

Being in the presence of so much life is wildly fun and exhilarating.

#celadonhill #loveplantgrow #goodbugseatbadbugs #pollinators🐝 #beneficialinsects #prayingmantisofinstagram

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