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. 

Vegetable harvest is underway.

This past week has been the start of harvesting the peas and beans and freezing them for future consumption.  We planted both vegetables in succession, approximately two to three weeks apart.  The second planting of both vegetables are catching up to the first planting, so may have to increase the time frame between plantings next year.  We are also picking and freezing Saskatoon berries every few days.  There are plenty of wild shrubs in our yard and there is enough berries this year for us and the birds.At this time we have picked about six gallons and there are plenty more to ripen.  The raspberries are starting to ripen and we will have them available at the Saskatoon Farmers Market on Saturday.

Hen & Chick blooming.

In recent days the Tree Swallows have left the yard, sure hope they return to consume the mosquito population.  The Bluebirds are feeding their second batch of babies.  The Barn Swallows are feeding their young, as well as the Wrens and Western Wood PeeWee.  We came across a nest of Yellow Warblers while we were picking Saskatoon's.   The babies had a few feathers but their eyes were not open yet, so still very young.  We looked in the nest a week later and the young had all left the nest.  The Robins are still hanging around the yard, feeding on the ground.  I think they may be tending to eggs or babies.

At this time the Barn Swallows are chirping loudly and quite upset.  Very unusual to hear them when it's dark.  So we took a look and an Owl was in the yard, which is what was upsetting them.

Centeaur.

There will be plenty of fresh vegetables at the market this week, including leeks.  We tried a recipe for supper this evening with beets called, Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese.  My oh my, that is a tasty combination.  

The flower selection this week will include Sweet Peas, Lilies, a few sunflowers and a whole lot more. 

Fata Morgana Dahlia.

Timely rains.

The volunteer Rudbeckia patch in the rock garden.

We have been so fortunate this past week, with the rain we have been receiving.  Earlier this week we received a half inch and today we received an inch and three quarters.  We were in Saskatoon this morning delivering flowers and it was raining pretty heavy along the route into town, but had not started at the farm yet.  When we got home the rain gauge showed  1 & 3/4 inch.  Looks like it came down pretty heavy as some of the delphinium's were laying on their sides.
We were in the pea patch with our grandchildren this week and the peas are starting to plump up.  Jeremy our youngest, 2yrs old, really enjoyed them.  His reaction after tasting the peas was "mmmmmm juicy".  Kristan was keeping herself busy catching the frogs and playing with them.  She entertains herself for hours with the frogs.
We harvested a few gallons of Saskatoon berries from our shrubs along the tree line by our house yesterday.  We will continue the harvest as they ripen.  This is the first year we have been able to pick from these shrubs as usually they are not real plentiful.  Besides, the birds have always eaten them all, but this year there is enough to share amongst all of us.

A couple of posts ago I had a picture of a perennial that I could not identify,.  Last Saturday at the market one of our customers identified it as Giant Scabiosa.  I really like the flowers for cutting, as the stems are wiry and tall and a beautiful lemon yellow.

We are anticipating a busy week next week with the lily harvest.  If the weather warms up they will all start blooming.  The picture to the left is a lily called Raspberry on Whip.  There are more and more flowers available for cutting and more and more vegetables ready to harvest.  This week at the market we will have new potatoes, beets and beet greens, onions, garlic scapes and the fresh herbs.  The fresh flower table will include lilies, delphiniums, dahlias, and the small and large bouquets.  The hypertufa planters will be on display and the perennial selection is plentiful.