Springing Forward and Up

Springing Forward and Up

Around the flower farm California Flowers Freesia Iris Iris flower Lilies Love Lilies Royal Lilies

Today is the Vernal (or Spring) Equinox, meaning Earth's northern hemisphere is about to tilt towards the sun, thus prolonging daylight hours. In other words, we're leaving winter in our rear view mirror!

"Springing forward" brings on a few changes around our Sun Valley farms, as you might imagine. For example, longer daylight hours equate to less need for the use of growing lights in the greenhouses. More significantly, from today's Vernal Equinox to its counterpart (Autumnal Equinox), our core crops are essentially relocating from one California farm to the other.


Core crops are mostly grown in Arcata during the spring and summer

Over the next few months, our Arcata farm, nestled in the Pacific Northwest right in the heart of the Redwoods, will have an ideal climate for growing field, hoophouse and greenhouse crops, like Iris, Asiatic Lilies and Oriental Lilies respectively. Steady moderate temperatures, an abundance of moisture, and the right amount of sunlight are just what the farmer ordered this time of year!   

Most of the core crop production moves to Oxnard for the fall and winter

Alternately, the ever-warm and sunny - except for right now with the crazy weather patterns of late - Oxnard farm in southern California allows us to grow the flowers mentioned above during the winter, when Arcata tends to be under a constant blanket of rain clouds. Even with shorter days, the Oxnard farm gets plenty of sunlight and its winter climate is just right for crops that love a little warmth, like Freesia, Brassica and Dubium. (I'll be talking all about Freesia next week, so stay tuned!) 

Chasing the weather from our NorCal farm to the SoCal farm and back is one of the factors that allow us to grow our core crops year-round nearly seamlessly. (In case you're wondering, the other factors include ample cooler space and hardworking flower farmers!) Now that the days are getting longer than the nights, it's time for our flowers to head north!

(Note: the aerial pictures above are a little dated - I'll call them "vintage" - but they give you the general idea of our farms!)

The light at the end of the tunnel

The light at the end of the tunnel

Around the flower farm CA Grown California Flowers Flower farm lily's boots Soil Grown Tulips Sun Valley Tulips

This week has been a bit darker than most. Consider the course of events:

Halloween

Folks dressed as witches, ghosts and goblins (or a sports fan if you were me - hey, I thought it was scary), haunted houses on every block, punch served out of skulls. A dark holiday indeed.

Dia de los Muertos

Skeletons on parade, celebrations in graveyards, the living emulating the dead. Although it makes light of death (and makes very good use of flores), I would still call this a dark celebration.

And then, the light at the end of the tunnel....


This "tunnel" is the  pathway through on of our coolers!

Daylight Savings Time! 

Some groan at the thought of darkness coming earlier in the night, but I bask in the impending sensation of waking up to a little sunlight! Hardly the morning person, I've been impatiently awaiting this moment since we had our first near-frost at the farm.

If you're like me and love that first whole week's feeling of "sleeping in," then I'd say you're already aware of the perks of Daylight Savings Falling Back. But who, if anyone, appreciates it at the farm?

As it turns out, there are a few people at Sun Valley who love DST almost as I do. For one, our Greenhouse picking crews, who start the day early, enjoy that extra hour of natural sunlight in the Greenhouse. Picking flowers in the Greenhouse or anywhere is a lot easier when you can see them!

Speaking of the Greenhouses, there's one major perk that I'm reminded of when we Fall Back on our clocks: Once that NorCal winter weather starts coming in - ahem, rain - our team has rows upon rows of balmy Greenhouses to stroll through in order to escape the torrential downpours. We had a few readers over the past couple weeks say they'd love a job that allows them to walk through our beautiful farms (inspired in part by these posts: click here and here). Well, when it's raining, you'd certainly love our Greenhouses!

To illustrate what I'm talking about, these are a few images I took today whilst walking the Arcata farm...
 

Since it was sunny and didn't quite capture the "torrential downpours"
that I wrote about, I thought I'd show you a picture of one of the many
puddles that remind us of yesterday's rain. Look closely, you can see
a reflection of the Greenhouses in the puddle!



A row of Greenhouses



Seedlings that will become the rich burgundy Sumatra Lilies



Orientals nearly ready for harvest



Tulip pickers



A full load of Tulips ready to be graded



Freshly steamed soil. Because we reuse our soil, we steam it in
order to remove unwanted pathogens and weed seeds. 

Aside from the picking team, there are a few others who get an extra pep in their step from the time change: 1) The Farmers. Although they have to be somewhat hardened to the elements, I'm sure our farmers enjoy the extra warmth from the sun first thing in the morning. 2) The Sales Team. Your helpful Sales reps are here dark and early each day so they can help you out, whether you're down the street or on the other side of the country. After Sunday, that'll be bright and early! 3) Anyone else with an early morning start. You get the idea.

I could go on more about why Daylight Savings Time is great, but I have a feeling I'd start talking in circles. Enjoy that extra hour of sleep on Monday!

If you've got anything to add to my one-sided conversation on DST, please share it in the comments below!



Lily's Fun Facts about Fall Crops

Lily's Fun Facts about Fall Crops

Around the flower farm CA Grown Cotinus Growing Flowers Hydrangea Sun Valley

My boots didn't travel too far over the past week, so today I'm going to share a couple Fun Facts about our Fall crops (one that's educational and another that's downright cool) that I learned right here in the office.

Fun Fact #1: Did you know that the "petals" we see on the surface of Hydrangea aren't actually the blooms?



Don't let these bloom-like flowers fool you...

Hydrangea's surface flowers are actually petal-like sepal structures. The real blooms are below the flowers. If you look closely in the photo below, you can see the pistil and stamen. This is the true Hydrangea bloom.



Spreading apart Hydrangea's surface "petals," or sepals,
reveals the pistil and stamen below.



A close-up of the real Hydrangea blooms

Fun Fact #2: During certain times of the day, you might smell Maple syrup wafting through the air at Sun Valley. Unfortunately, no one's serving up pancakes around here (that I'm aware of). The scent actually comes from one of our Willow Creek Fall Crops, Cotinus, which smells strikingly similar to Maple syrup when it's cut! One of my team members discovered that one day when she cut Cotinus at her home. Talk about a pleasant surprise!



Cut some of this Cotinus, and this is what you'll smell...



Who's hungry?

So, these are the fun facts that I learned this week. The education never ends around here! Now don't go trying to put Cotinus leaves on your pancakes...

Keep following Flower Talk for more information on our Fall crops. Also, if you ever have questions or topics you'd like to learn more about, let me know in the Comments. I'm always happy to investigate new topics and share my findings!  

Lily's Boots: Willow Creek Part 1 - Avenue of the Giant Cotinus

Lily's Boots: Willow Creek Part 1 - Avenue of the Giant Cotinus

Around the flower farm Avenue of the Giant Bigfoot CA Grown Farmers market flowers for delivery Growing Flowers Humboldt County Lane DeVries lily's boots

Willow Creek, California, once a logger town boasting more sightings of Bigfoot than tourists, now hosts scads of heat-seeking Humboldtians during the summer months. The sun-drenched mountainous climate offers at least a 10 degree temperature boost (sometimes over 30 degree increase!) over the sea-level coastal towns in Humboldt during the summer, hence the massive influx of vacationers this time of year. It also hard-freezes in the winter, hence the very low incidence of vacationers during that time of year. This climate provides one of our Sun Valley farms, which is nestled in a, well, sunny valley just up the hill  from the Trinity River (elevation 640 feet), perfect growing conditions for some of our seasonal crops.

This week, I was fortunate enough to accompany Lane on his Sunday afternoon ritual visit to the Willow Creek farm. I didn't bring my boots, but I did bring my dog Pearl, who was happy to ride in the back seat of Lane's extended cab, four-door truck with Lane's dogs Mae-Mae and Grizzly. The farm is about 40 minutes drive (or 30 minutes riding with Lane!) from our Arcata farm via the curvy SR-299, which takes you past magnificent views of hills, rivers and Redwoods. This route is a far cry from the straight-as-an-arrow I-39, which pierces endless miles of Illinois cornfields, that I used to travel by!

Once the five of us arrived in Willow Creek, which has one main drag dotted with a few restaurants, a gas station and a museum/gift store that sells "Bigfoot stepped on me in Willow Creek, California" t-shirts (I know this because I now own one), we turned towards the river and drove past summer cottages and local farms, several of which are organic and sell at local restaurants and farmer's markets, until we reached our farm gate. The first thing I noticed when we began our plummet down the steep gravelly road leading to the farm was the absolutely breathtaking view. In every direction there was something worth seeing: wildflowers and berries to the left, blue skies, trees, the river, and our crops and to the right - simply beautiful!

View of Willow Creek farm from top of the road

When we got closer to the farm, I was overwhelmed by the amazing scent  of rose bushes (from which we harvest rosehips) permeating the air. I don't know if it's because I'm a girl or if it's the same for everyone, but strolling through a mountain valley under blue skies while immersed in the aroma of roses makes me want to run around singing at the top of my lungs. Um, anyway...

I strolled with Lane through Virbunum, Rosehip, Ilex, Photinia, Chinese Lantern and Cotinus crops on this journey to Willow Creek, so there is no way I could share all of the information I learned from Lane in one blog post. Lane is a walking floral encyclopedia, and I think Blogger might have a policy on post length. So, I'm going to break the experience up into a series of posts in order to give you the fullest detail possible on each crop. Since we have a small bit of Cotinus being harvested now, that seems like a good place to start.

Lane and Mae-Mae, checking out Cotinus



Cotinus, known as smokebush by the landscaping trade, simply loves to grow. I don't know how else to put it. From our grower's standpoint, Sun Valley's four acres of "Royal Purple" Cotinus are a dream to grow and maintain, since the crop seems to have an insvisible shield against all kinds of diseases and pests. And its growth rate is nothing short of amazing! Our team trims it down to the ground at the end of its season, and from early spring through September, it reaches about eight feet, which is when its new growth stops.

To illustrate the growth rate... While we were at the farm, Lane showed me pictures he took on previous Sunday expeditions: On April 10th the Cotinus were only sprouts; on May 15th, they had reached six inches. The crops I saw on Sunday were about up to my shoulders in some places (I'm 5'6")! Incredible! I hope I get an opportunity to walk these fields again when the Cotinus is towering over my head!

 

Cotinus Sprouts on April 10, 2011



Six inch Cotinus on May 15, 2011



Shoulder-height Cotinus on July 10, 2011

There is an exception to this amazing height rule, however: Sleepers. When an individual Cotinus plant has too many stems, which can vary from plant to plant, it eventually becomes unable to to support the growth of each stem. On these plants, new growth on some of the stems stops much earlier in the year. These stems are called Sleepers. Fortunately, they are still pretty tall by the time they stop growing (when you consider vase standards); and the lack of new growth means the stems will not wilt anytime soon; and we're able to start harvesting them as early as right now! (Whew, taking a breath!)

 

It's somewhat difficult to see, but the Sleepers are on the bottom left of this picture.
Notice they do not have any new growth at the top.
Not sure what new growth looks like?
Scroll down...



The small reddish bloom at the top of the plant is the new growth.



Continus with new growth - still growing!



I was thoroughly impressed with our Cotinus crop, and I will certainly have a new appreciation for it when I use it in arrangements this coming autumn. (By the way, cut the stems and place in tepid water with flower food when you bring cut Cotinus home.) When you're using Cotinus in fall arrangements, remember you're in the presence of a giant!

The avenue of the giant Cotinus was just one small (well, technically large) part of my overall Willow Creek experience. Be on the lookout for upcoming posts on the other fantastic Willow Creek crops: Ilex, Viburnum, Rosehips... So much fascinating information - so much to learn!

To learn even more about Cotinus, visit our Resource Page: http://www.thesunvalleygroup.com/thesunvalleygroup/pdf/SV_RP_Cotinus.pdf

Lily's Boots: Drawing names out of a boot

Lily's Boots: Drawing names out of a boot

Around the flower farm Floral industry IFE 2011 lily lily's boots

It's not always easy returning to work right after a three-day weekend, but we've made it to Friday, and now some of us will be glad we did! We've finally chosen the three Ipad2 winners, and I'm announcing them right here, right now. Watch the video below to find out if you're one of them!

(I sincerely apologize if I butchered any names in the video.)

In case you have trouble uploading the video or understanding my Chicago accent, the winners are:

Joe Don Zetsche

Peter Hrycaj

Lilly Dwyer

Congratulations, folks! We will be in contact with you in the near future for shipping information.

Crocosmia "Lucifer": Devilish name, Heavenly flower

Crocosmia "Lucifer": Devilish name, Heavenly flower

Around the flower farm CA Grown Crocosmia farmer's market Floral industry; Philanthropic flowers Flower Meaning flowers for delivery IFE 2011 Lucifer Crocosmia Sun Valley

Just the other day, I saw the first signs of Crocosmias popping up. These fiery blooms, native to South Africa, turn our Arcata 27th Street fields into a brilliant sea of red from July through August. Their season usually starts around the last week of June, but the unseasonably cool weather we experienced throughout California earlier this year slowed them down just a bit. Aside from their seasonality, here's what you need to know about Crocosmias:

Crocosmia is part of the iridaceae family, meaning it's like a first cousin of Gladiola and Iris (about which you can learn more here). The variety we grow at Sun Valley is nicknamed "Lucifer" for its brilliant red color. Think little horns, cloven hooves, pitchfork... Yep, that Lucifer.

Saffron spice

Despite the name, Crocosmia is an eye-catching delight to see and to smell (when dried), that is, if you enjoy the smell of saffron. The name Crocosmia actually comes from the Greek words "krokos" (saffron) and "osme" (smell). If you aren't sure if you enjoy the smell of saffron because you don't know what saffron smells like, I can't really explain it in words. All I can tell you is it is not your typical floral smell! I guess you'll just have to pick up some dried Crocosmia to experience it for yourself, since the flower is more affordable than the spice!

When growing Crocosmia, warmer climates require replanting of their corms (sort of like bulbs) each fall or winter. Arcata's unique cool growing conditions that I'm always going on about allow the crop to come back strong year after year (volunteer growth). Now that they're ready to harvest, our Iris team doubles as a Crocosmia crew, which works out since the fields are right across from each other. Similar to Iris picking, the crew can tell when Crocosmia is ready to pick from the amount of color (in this case, red) showing on the flower. It's all in the family, I guess!

Just in case you are now scratching your head and saying "What about Montbretia?", I'll tell you a bit about what makes Crocosmia and Montbretia slightly different beasts. The Montbretia is smaller, orange in color, and it comes in about 30 days after Crocosmia. Also, Montbretia has a higher flower-to-pod ratio than Crocosmia. Of course, this is all dependent on the weather, which way the wind's blowing, how active our bees are for the season, how much the dogs bark at night... You get the idea. Basically, the pods vary from year to year, which affects which pods we end up distributing in the fall. More on pods below.

Sun Valley Team Member harvesting Crocosmia

As it happens, there are several ways to enjoy Crocosmia after it's harvested. Of course, the exotic fresh cut flower is interesting enough to display as a single stem, or it gives an exciting twist to an everyday arrangement. (As with most cut flowers, cut stems and place in tepid water.) You can also prolong your enjoyment by drying the flower (for simple drying instructions, click here). But wait, there's more! Once the flowers are done blooming around September, Montbretia pods come in. I'm told that the pods are great for adding texture in arrangements. They can also be painted for extra pizazz. Since my arranging skills are still limited to putting a bunch of single varieties in a vase (see examples here and here), I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some of these pods and trying this texture thing out for myself.




Crocosmia field in full bloom

That just about covers my recently acquired knowledge of the heavenly "Lucifer" Crocosmia. If you have anything to add, please let me know in the comments. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to find the answers! Our Flower Resource page has a bit more information on Crocosmia as well. Check it out here: http://www.thesunvalleygroup.com/thesunvalleygroup/pdf/SV_RP_Crocosmia.pdf




STAY TUNED: For those of you who attended IFE 2011, we will be raffling off three iPads right here on the blog TOMORROW, so make sure to watch the video! Good luck to the entrants!

Hydrangea: More than just a pretty face

Hydrangea: More than just a pretty face

Around the flower farm Bridal bouquets CA Grown Flower arrangements Hydrangea Wedding flowers

Hydrangea season is upon us at Sun Valley.

Exciting news for most, as these pom-pom-like blooms are equally stunning in wedding bouquets, in large, upscale arrangements, and as single stems in a vase for the home. Even though its aesthetic appeal goes without saying, you should know that Hydrangea isn't just a pretty face. Here are some of Hydrangea's other qualities that make it special:

The All-American Flower

While Hydrangeas can be found all over the world today, some varieties are actually native to North America. A fun fact for our approaching Independence Day!

A Blooming Sensation
One stem of macrophylla (or "mophead") Hydrangea, a common variety we grow at Sun Valley, has dozens of four-petaled compact blooms that together form a cylindrical head, giving the flower the appearance of a very lovely mop.

The Chameleon

Many gardeners may be aware that soil alkalinity and the presence of aluminum contribute to the coloring of Hydrangea. But did you know some varieties also naturally change colors as they mature? For these varieties, the same Hydrangea bush produces much different colors from May to June and from June to August, when they become "antiqued" (appearing marbled with many layers of color). The great thing about the mild, misty summers at our Arcata farm is they provide Antique Hydrangeas with plenty of moisture, meaning they stay nice and hydrated even later in life.  



The two Hydrangeas pictured above are the same variety
with different soil alkalinity. Remarkable difference, eh?
(Variety: Kuhnert, Blue & Light Pink)



This Hydrangea is antiqued. Notice the layers of color.
(Variety: Antique Hamburg Blue)

Healing Powers

Native Americans used parts of the Hydrangea plant as a diuretic, a detoxifier, a burn remedy, and today's equivalent of Icy Hot. Today, it is sometimes used as a tonic herb in alternative medicine, but I'm going to have to say "Don't try this at home," unless you are an alternative medicine specialist!



Magical mystery flower

Okay, this one may be a stretch, but according to folklore, Hydrangea can be used to break a witch's curse. I'm not sure this is really applicable to anyone these days, but it's great to know if you ever do have the misfortune of crossing paths with the Blair Witch.

Some like it hot...

When you bring them home, Hydrangeas need a variety of water temperatures for a variety of reasons. The stems should be run under hot water for 5-30 seconds after cutting a 1/2 to 1 inch off the stem. This softens the sap-like substance at the base of the stem and allows them to drink water. They should then be placed in fresh, tepid water covering the length of the stem and placed in a cool location. If your Hydrangea is looking deflated, the whole flower (bloom and all) can be brought back to life with an hour-long bath of cold water.

With all of its unique qualities, you could say Hydrangea is quite well-rounded. (Okay, okay. Bad joke.) Just remember the next time you're enjoying its breathtaking outer beauty, there's so much more to Hydrangea than meets the eye.

For more information on Hydrangeas, please visit our Flower Resource page at: http://www.thesunvalleygroup.com/thesunvalleygroup/pdf/SV_RP_Hydrangea.pdf

Here are a couple of other very helpful Hydrangea websites:

Hydrangeas! Hydrangeas! (For gardening and cut Hydrangea tips) http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/

American Hydrangea Society (Love the flower? Become a member!) http://www.americanhydrangeasociety.org/