Cultivation Of Crops: Fall Flowers

Sep 20, 2016

The Connection Between Fall Equinox and Farmers

The Fall Equinox of 2016 is this Thursday, September 22nd, and is one of the most significant days of the year for the farmer. Everything about the Fall Equinox revolves around farmers and their bounty. It makes sense doesn't it? Our ancestors' survival absolutely depended upon their crops, and their winter survival was determined by their fall-season harvest.

These agricultural aspects of the Autumnal Equinox are celebrated in one way or another by almost every culture on earth:

In China, they celebrate the equinox with the Moon Festival, a traditional celebration that dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) which is dedicated to celebrating the abundance of summer's harvest.
In Korea, they have Chuseok, a major harvest festival and three-day holiday in which people travel to their hometowns to pay respects to their ancestors, to whom successful harvest crops are attributed.
In Europe and elsewhere, there are traditional harvest festivals around the September full moon, celebrations of Pomona (goddess of fruits and growing things), and neo-pagans celebrate Mabon, a harvest celebration encouraging people to reflect on the year and "reap what they sow."

This fall, we are reaping heaps of autumn-hued Royal Lilies

In the same week of the Autumnal Equinox comes the full moon of September, called the Harvest Moon (and also, the Full Corn Moon). Again, in the theme of changing seasons, the Harvest Moon is named for late-summer harvest, and was believed to be the brightest full moons of all (by the way, it's not)--so bright, in fact, that farmers could work by the light of it.

Harvest Moon

Regardless of location, culture, and semantics, what all these Autumnal Equinox festivals have in common is the celebration of the end-of-summer harvest, reflection of what crops, projects, or ideas did or did not come to fruition, as well as preparation for the coming winter. It is a time to give thanks for the sunlight of summer as well as respect the shift to the darkness of winter.

In the flower world, the Autumnal Equinox is a time for us to express gratitude and honor a moment of balance as night and day stand in mostly equal duration. So what crops are we celebrating here at Sun Valley? What are we currently reaping which we sowed weeks and weeks ago?

Fall French Tulips

Clearwater Tulip

Well, we are forever thankful for our fresh Fall French tulips, made possible only through our bulb connections with our Southern Hemisphere partners (who are about to go through their Spring Equinox, a whole other seasonal celebration). One French Tulip that we are really celebrating is our pristine, white Clearwater Tulips, which look like little full harvest moons atop strong, green stems.

In Oxnard, the heat and light of the dry Southern California summer has given us our second flush of lovely, layered Lisianthus. We planted the original plugs about a year ago, and it's wonderful to see this beautiful crop come full circle.

And of course, our Royal Lilies (LA Hybrids) are perfect for fall, coming in the warm oranges, yellow and reds that everyone loves for their autumnal bouquets. We have been picking these for several weeks and will continue through the end of the year!

After the Autumnal Equinox, the days will get shorter until the winter solstice in December, and the light will begin its slow journey back to spring and summer days. And while we flower farmers don't work by the light of the Harvest Moon, we will be doing our planting and picking by the light of the greenhouse while the Autumn Moon shines on. Happy Fall!

Sep 15, 2015

What exactly is an OT Hybrid Lily (and what can it offer you)?

African Lady Fall Colors Fall Flowers Lady Aster OT Hybrids Sonata Lilies

Did you know there are over 110 different species of the lily family? In fact, new varieties and hybrids are constantly under development. One very special mix, the OT Hybrid (also called an Orienpet), has been making quite the name for itself, and demand for this particular flora keeps climbing higher and higher.

The satin-hued and aptly named Fall OT Hybrid, Yelloween

So what exactly is an OT Hybrid Lily and what can it offer you?

An OT Hybrid is a breed created by crossing Oriental and Trumpet lily types. These hybrids were originally developed to bring a more diverse color palette to traditional Oriental lilies. Before OT Hybrids, all Oriental lilies were white or pink, but these new OTs capture the wonderfully warm reds, oranges, and yellows of Trumpet lilies, with the shape, durability, and longevity of an Oriental. These flowers maintain a delicate citrus-green scent, which is pleasantly light and not as powerful like some of their more aromatic sisters.

Creamy, apricot-hued Eudoxia

The "Sonata" Sun Valley Brand

Sun Valley brands its OT Hybrids as "Sonata Lilies" and we've been growing these pretty things for over a decade. We've spent the last 13 years perfecting our lighting, temperature control, as well as our planting density in order to get the best bud count possible. By adjusting how many bulbs we plant per square foot of soil, we can grow our Sonataswith a healthy balance of bud size and bud count. This has given us amazing results, with noteworthy bloom sizes. Their size goes hand in hand with thick petals, saturated colors, and subsequent long vase life.

Lane's Favorite Sonata, and a recent addition, African Lady

Growing Great Lilies

In order to grow quality Sonata lilies, we ensure the plants get sufficient heat and light throughout the entire growing cycle. Sonatas require at least 16 hours of light a day! This kind of light is easy to come by during the summertime, but how do we maintain their needs through the winter and falls seasons? Well, as the days get shorter, our greenhouse lighting system comes into play. These timed lights adjust to the sunrise and sunset, allowing for maximum light without wasting electricity by "doubling up." Plenty of sunshine is what helps to form Sonatas' thick, sturdy stems--which is especially crucial since the flower blooms are so large.

The steady use of lighting helps us keep to our year-round, 16-week growing cycle. Every farmer's goal is consistency. The more consistent and on-point our growing practices are, the more consistent our quality can continue to be.

Sonata OT Hybrid Lilies growing in greenhouse

Our Northwestern Climate does its part as well. With an average yearly temperature between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit, our cool (but not cold) evenings are essential for saturated colors in the petals. The coastal cloud cover helps to diffuse the sun, providing an even light level, which these lilies love.

The demand for the colorful array of our Sonata lilies is large, and getting larger, so to meet the growing demand we have increased our Sonata program by 40% this year. And while we do grow them year-round, we're picking up the pace through November to provide you with some beautiful Sonatas to color your fall bouquets.

Tollo Cream Yellow OT Hybrid Sonata Lily

Creamy Colored Tollo

Two of the original Sonatas were Yelloweenand Shocking--these two have proven to be tried-and-true varieties and we STILL offer these powerhouses of color, one decade later. Not only that, there are an array of varieties which circle back to the traditional Oriental palate, with pink and purple tones such as Table Dance, Timezone, and Candy Club.