Ah, Spring--a Flower Farm's favorite season! The soil is warming, the bees are buzzing, and the Northern California coastal rain is finally beginning to abate. To commemorate this lovely season, we have put together a three-part Spring Flower Series to honor a few of our seasonal specialties. Welcome to Part One--
Hyacinth.
Hyacinth is a spring bulb flower through and through. Each stem has rows of intricate blossoms saturated in hues commonly associated with Easter and springtime, such as blue, violet, white, pink, and yellow. When a hyacinth first begins to bloom, it produces a light floral aroma, but once the flowers fully open up the scent becomes intoxicating and powerful. Each color is paired with its own unique fragrance.
We offer six colors and grow 10 different varieties. These are the "early" and "late" varieties of each color, which ensures we are growing the strongest hyacinth throughout the season. This little detail is important, since the typical flowering season for hyacinth is spring, but we grow them from
January until May.
Farm Fresh Hyacinth As soon as we receive the bulbs from our Dutch partners, we plant them in soil-filled crates, which are then placed in a climate-controlled rooting room. There, the bulbs stay for 16 weeks, as we simulate winter and prepare them for their "spring" ahead. When we are ready for our first round of Hyacinth, we transfer some of these crates into a warm, humid hoop house, and then cover them with cloth. The trifecta of warmth, darkness, and humidity work together to stretch the hyacinth to a length of 12-14 inches. Soon after, we remove the cloth, and photosynthesis does its magic to pump color into the hyacinth's leaves, stems, and florets. Now, the hyacinths are ready to be pulled.
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| Left: Hyacinth gaining color | Right: Freshly pulled Hyacinth |
The entire plant is gently pulled out of the soil, leaving the bulb attached. Then, we core it. The outside of the bulb is cut off, keeping the center, or "core" intact. The bottom of this core is the basal plate, which works as the flower's point of entry for nutrients. You don't want to trim the ends of hyacinth like you would with other flowers--be sure to keep the basal plate intact so the hyacinth can continue absorbing nutrients. This simple trick will double its vase life!
Hyacinth is an incredibly versatile plant with regards to floral design. It stands strong on its own, and can be elegant or rustic, chic or whimsy, or a combination of them all!
Hyacinth also pairs beautifully with the other spring darling (which we grow year-round), the tulip. Their contrasting shapes and textures play well together and the variety of color combinations is limitless. We offer
tulip and hyacinth mixed bunches, available in a slew of colors and an array of stem counts, so you can order pre-made bunches, or make your own!
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| Tulips and Hyacinth |
Hyacinth on-the-bulb One of our special offerings is our
hyacinth on-the-bulb, which is something you won't find anywhere else! We package it in a clear bag tied with a raffia bow, providing window to the hyacinth anatomy: roots, bulbs, stem, leaves and, of course, the dense cluster of blooms. Hyacinth on the bulb is a charming and unique way to bring the farm to your table!
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Place on-the-bulb hyacinths in a tall clear container, or in a low bowl with rocks to anchor. Add about an inch of water. |
Hyacinth season ends in a couple short months, so get your food for the soul while the hoop house is hot!
"If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft,
And of thy meager store
Two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul."
-The Gulistan of Saadi, 1270
When it comes to harvesting Iris, timing is everything. The heads must be full, which means the tip of the iris will still be sheathed by green leaves, but contains color on the inside. The sheath keeps the iris petals safe during transport, and this picking point is considered the "window pane"-- the iris is still closed, but ready to bloom within a few days. It takes an experienced eye to notice the "window pane," and once it's noticed we have to move fast. At this stage, iris develops quickly and green buds in the morning can turn to colorful heads in the afternoon, which is why our dedicated Iris team sometimes picks two times a day. This hard work pays off, and is the backbone of our successful iris program, which is one of the largest in the country.
We have been growing iris for decades, using time-tested traditions and modern technology to perfect our techniques in both the fields and hoop houses. Our proprietary post-harvest care is something special too -- we are continually testing, innovating, and improving our post-harvest treatments, and that, when used in tandem with our cold-chain management, has created a consistent supply of high-quality, cut iris for the market, direct from our farms.
When it comes to harvesting Iris, timing is everything. The heads must be full, which means the tip of the iris will still be sheathed by green leaves, but contains color on the inside. The sheath keeps the iris petals safe during transport, and this picking point is considered the "window pane"-- the iris is still closed, but ready to bloom within a few days. It takes an experienced eye to notice the "window pane," and once it's noticed we have to move fast. At this stage, iris develops quickly and green buds in the morning can turn to colorful heads in the afternoon, which is why our dedicated Iris team sometimes picks two times a day. This hard work pays off, and is the backbone of our successful iris program, which is one of the largest in the country.
