Planting Frenzy

We received our stock orders this week, which consist of bare root perennials, dahlia tubers, perennial and annual plugs, and the lily, crocosmia and freesia bulbs.

Bareroot stock packaged up for transport.

Bearded Iris perennial plugs.  They are looking very healthy.

 Rhubarb roots ready to be planted.  They are starting to show new growth.

Everything arrived in very good condition.  As soon as we get them home we inspect all the boxes and crates to make sure everything looks healthy.  Then the planting begins.  We plant all the bare root stock and dahlia tubers first and then move onto the flower bulbs and transplanting the perennial plugs into larger containers.  This is the largest order we have ever received, which will take a few days to get everything planted.

Dahlia Tubers potted (all 270 of them).

The largest quantity of  Dahlias available this year.  We are trying 6 new varieties, so really looking forward to seeing the new colours and varieties.

We are trying our hand at forcing lily bulbs this year.  The crates we receive our plant stock in are lined with cardboard, and then a layer of potting soil is added.  The lily bulbs are then placed into position on top of the soil base (see photo above).  The bulbs are then covered with more soil and are then placed in a warm environment.  New growth will start to become visible in a few weeks.

Lily bulbs all planted.

The bulbs will flower well ahead of the lilies planted in the field, which will provide us with an early crop of fresh cut lilies.

A couple of new lilies we are growing this year.

Tiny Orange Sensation

The photo above is a newer variety of Asiatic Lily, called Lily Looks.  They grow anywhere from 12-16" tall , which makes them an ideal candidate to grow in pots.  The Tiny Orange Sensation is yellow with maroon speckles, 14" tall, 5-7 flowers per stem.  Requires full sun and hardy to Zone 3.

Trebbiano 

Trebbiano is a L.A. Hybrid, which combines the best features of the Asiatic Lily and the Longiflorum Lily.  They include the superior colour range of the Asiatics, but large waxy flat or bowl shaped flowers with subtle fragrance of the Longiflorum.  The Trebbiano pictured above will grow to 36-48" tall and is hardy to Zone 3.

Update on our feathered friends.....a male Bluebird has arrived this weekend along with a pair of Robins.  We keep track of the birds Spring arrivals to the farm, and this is the earliest we have ever seen a bluebird.  They usually only arrive at the very end of March or beginning of April.