Spring update!

Spring is clipping along at breakneck speed.  Not enough time in the day to get all the tasks completed.  It has been frustrating lately as we have had to hold off transplanting anything frost sensitive due to the cold front that moved into the province yesterday and is hanging around for another day or two.  But we have focused on transplanting all the snapdragons, stock, dianthus, forget me nots, annual phlox, lupines, sweet peas, icelandic poppies and campunala. 

The anemone and ranunculus corms are all starting to grow.  We soaked them and covered them with mulch this week so now will patiently wait to see those lovely blooms.

All the birds are now back to the yard as well as the bats have taken up residence in the bat houses again.  Pat had to put up more houses for the Tree Swallows again this year so we are probably up to about 60 pairs of birds on our land.  

We are really looking forward  to this growing season as we have an extra pair of hands to assist us with the production of the flowers.  We would like to welcome Sara Kuleza to the farm.  She volunteered at the farm last year and was interested in helping us out this year on a regular basis. 

I had a telephone call from Edna Manning this morning to let me know that the article she wrote for Grainews about our flower farm has been published.  The link is below to read the article.   http://www.grainews.ca/digital-edition/grainews-  She always writes great articles.  Thanks again Edna.  We sure appreciate it.

The greenhouses are stuffed due to the cold temps last night.  Everything that was being hardened off was brought indoors.

Lilies are in crates this year.

The water truck.  Have had to haul a lot of water already this Spring.

A few of the Dahlia's starting to bloom.

The Clematis's we bought and planted last fall are growing like crazy.  I think we will be cutting those this summer.

Cafe au Lait Dahlia

Ice Cube Dahlia

Both of the above Dahlias will be available at the Saskatoon Farmers Market Saturday May 30th.  These two particular varieties will be on sale at 50% off.  Regular price is $10.00 each.  If you still have room in your garden come on down and pick yourself up a few plants.  We will also have a large selection of Dahlias at regular price as well.

Dahlia Plants

We have a large selection of Dahlia plants available for purchase this Spring.  Starting Saturday May 16th we will be at the Saskatoon Farmers Market with the plants in tow.  The following plants will be available till the end of May or until we are sold out.  Some varieties are limited quantities.

Cafe au Lait

Summer Night

Worton Blue Streak

Babylon Bronze

Ice Cube

Boom Boom

Darkarin

Babylon Purple

Maarten Zwaan

Sylvia

Ferncliff Tropics

Lauren Michelle

Wyns King Salmon

Camano Buzz

David Digweed

Thomas Edison

Elsie Huston

For detailed information about each variety go to our facebook page at  www.facebook.com/mistik.acres.

Tidbits of Spring

I love Spring!!  Right now the Sandhill Cranes are floating overhead serenading us with their talk and beating of their wings.  Their wings produce this whooosh whoosh sound you can hear if they are flying low enough.  The afternoon they disappear and then evening they head back to their night resting grounds.  There are many Robins flitting about and singing.  Probably starting to pair up and begin nest building.  Noticed a few Tree Swallows yesterday and the Cat birds.  We sighted a male Bluebird a couple of times but have not seen a female yet.  Hope he brings a mate back to the farm as we love to see them throughout the yard all summer with their babies.  The resident rabbits are turning brown from their white winter coats.

The Delphiniums are starting to show growth along with the Angelica.  They are always the first to spring to life.  The greenhouses are filling up and soon we will have to spill into the hoophouse.  The following are a few photos of springtime at Mistik Acres.

Rudbeckia, three varieties.  

We have a fan running at all times circulating the air over the seedlings,  developing strong sturdy stems and helping prevent bugs from infesting the plants.

The Dahlias are looking great.

Scented Geranium

Max my helper

Anemone corms ready to soak

Planting the Anemone corms.  Notice the helper in the photo again.

Not much of a help.  Lays on the newly planted flowers.

We used a bottle to make the depressions for the corms.  Worked real slick.

In no time we had them planted along with the overwintered Ranunculus corms.

Hoophouse is ready for planting.

The second hoophouse under construction.  Will be ready to plant within a couple of weeks.

The crates I use to sprout the Dahlia tubers.  I like to see sprouts before I pot up the Dahlia tubers.

After danger of frost is past we transplant them into the gardens.

Coconut coir ready to be soaked.  I use this in my potting soil to help prevent my seedling soil from turning green and to add moisture holding matter to the soil.  It doubles in size once the water is added and absorbed. 

I use an old basin to mix up the soil with the coir and fertilizer prior to seeding and transplanting.

I water all the plants with warm water.  This is my heating probe I use in the greenhouse.  When the weather starts heating up the sun warms the water.

Angelica plants coming to life.  They are such an awesome plant for attracting beneficial insects to the gardens.

We have a couple of sets of Magpies nesting in the yard this year.  This is one of the nests.

Hoophouse construction.

This is our new hoophouse that Pat built this Spring.  We will be planting the Cafe au Lait and Ice Cube Dahlias in the soil within the hoophouse.  We will lay drip lines to water them and as the season progresses and starts to get warmer, (I hope), we can roll up the sides of the house so there is only the roof covering the Dahlias.  This will allow the Dinnerplate Dahlias to grow with a little more vigor as they will be protected from the elements and will allow the season to extend a bit more into September.

Dahlias ready to be planted.

Another addition to the farm this week are our baby chickens.

The grandkids love to hang out with the chicks.  They are very curious little creatures, checking out Kristan's nail polish on her fingernails.

Along with all the birds that make their home with us, are a couple of rabbits that have taken up residence in our valley by the house.  We usually see them in the mornings munching on the grass.

The bird sightings this week have been a few Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, they are passing through on their way northward, and the Northern Oriole, whom nest at the farm.  We love to listen to their melodic song.  In the pasture we have several pairs of Killdeer's nesting and we have been observing a family (already hatched) of Sandpipers which forage along the shoreline of the sloughs.  There are eleven babies which are quite small and they all stay together in a bunch wherever they go.  The Bluebirds and the Tree Swallows have all claimed their nesting boxes and are busy building their nests or tending to their eggs.  The farm is a chorus of bird songs right now.

September Wedding

The rich colours of autumn.

The bride and groom really wanted to use locally grown flowers for their wedding and had originally planned the wedding date much later in September.  When they realized the likelihood of not having frost before their wedding day, they decided to adjust the date to earlier in September.  Even the second week in September is pushing the limits of frost, but the first part of September was warm and all worked out great.

Heather really liked the rich burgundy's and oranges.

The grooms bout consisted of Gomphrena, Bottlebrush, Sage and Frosted Explosion grass.

Heather chose Dahlias as the focal flower for her bouquet along with Bottlebrush, Sage and Frosted Explosion.

The white Dahlias and Sage soften the colours.

The bridesmaids bouquets were smaller with Dahlias, Sage, Bottlebrush, Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia and Frosted Explosion grass.

We enjoyed touring the gardens with Heather and her family.