When is your average first frost date?

Gotta grow dahlias!!!!!!!!

Our first frost is usually around the end of september/beginning of october...the almanac says october 3rd. Dahlias are pretty! I have never tried to grow them, but i suppose I could try! I like the Dahlia flowered Zinnias, any specific ones you have had good luck with?

i had about 100 rose plants back when ...

the wedding was Oct.. and i knew the last rose of the year.. was always prime ...

but i could not predict success ...

so we found a florist ... and discussed what we wanted.. and then told them that i would show up the day or two prior with the end of season bounty ...

ended up.. i had three 5 gallon buckets stuffed with roses ... and all were added to the displays ... the florist was incredulous ...

find a florist .. and discuss this with them ...

you sound like a bit of a garden newbie, not even sure what to grow .. but i am glad you are wise enough to understand you can not really do it alone [without the florist] .. and i must make you fully realize.. in the days or weeks just before the wedding.. you are going to have enough to do .. without playing in the garden ...

there is a wide gap between what you might be able to do.. and what you can actually accomplish ... be careful with over-extending yourself in this regard ... like i said.. my plants had all been standing there for 5 years.. and i knew i would have something..

i really am not sure that you should be starting from step one ..

i wish you all the luck in the world.. and hope you can make something happen in this regard.. without it becoming a burden

again.. good luck with the wedding and this side project ..

ken

I'd make alternate arrangements with a florist, if I were you, for the major portion of your flowers. That first frost date is waaaay too close for comfort! You also don't want to worry about heavy rains, insect invasions, or other problems that prevent you from collecting-preparing-and arranging your flowers.

Use some home grown plants for 'extra' personality.

I just browsed my iPhoto albums and 'uproar' zinnia, during the past few years, is blooming well on 9/11 and 9/24.

some decorative kales... frost/freeze proof.. might be easily produced ..

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Sarah, a Fall Wedding begs for Mums! You could buy them in pots at the beginning of September, dress up the pots for display, then plant them afterward (or have someone else do it while you're off on your Honeymoon). You would have a great reminder of the Wedding for your 1st (and many more after), anniversary.

My elder Sister was married September 25 in Western NY 40 years ago, and we used yellow and purple Mums for her decorations. Even had Bridesmaid dresses in yellow & lavender, and 'Mums' in icing decorated her cake. My mother planted them after, in her yard, then Sister moved some to their home the next year.

The Mums would 'keep' well in a garage, and you could bring them out into the sun for optimum bloom a week before the big day. Many nurseries would special order (and price) them for you with advanced notice. Good luck and congratulations!

heck

i was at wallyworld today ... potted mums the size of a basketball for 3.49 ...

seriously ... it isnt nearly worth the effort ... on any level beyond adding a few things from your own garden ...

think she will ever come back????

ken

I hope so, because she certainly got alot of great tips here. My daughter got married five years ago on Labor Day week-end. I so wanted to use some of my flowers in her wedding, but by the time we got to that point we were all ever so happy to let the florist do it. It's alot easier to contribute flowers to the daughter of a FRIEND.

I totally agree with you guys. It's a nice, romantic thought, but that extra work could be very challenging on those days approaching the BIG day.

The florist won't have to worry about frosts, torrents of rain, and crowds of thrips running laps around the flowers petals.

Sarah.......you said in your post that you are an avid gardener and that you would at least try to grow some flowers for your wedding....
i do remember how busy i was before my wedding(37 years ago)and i know that getting your garden grown flowers ready for it would be practically impossible,there are so many variables to think about as was stated by others above.
we are talking about at the least getting them thru the summer and the most of having perfect flowers for the wedding....
i agree with the others on here , that you should go ahead and order your flowers from the florist for the wedding.
i also will tell you to grow a few flowers in your garden to enjoy thru the summer and make a few bouquets to place around here and there at the reception...

carol

Also.....if i may add to this......

the flowers that you thought about growing...

sunflowers....would be very pretty in a bouquet if they will still be blooming by then...some varieties may give out looking good by then....i never know with mine..
calendula....mine dont do well in arrangements....kind of weedy looking.
amaranthus.....have never grown the loves lie bleeding...but have grown celosia for a long time..and they would look good in arrangements.
zinnias....they do well in arrangements....and grow good most of the summer....by sept. mine can be fine or....give in to the heat and humidity with problems.
dahlias .....oh they are gorgeous in arrangements.....and some bloom mid summer to the first frost....
a draw back is that the tubers or cuttings can get expensive depending on the type,etc.
i usually buy mine online....but have got some good ones at the big box stores
i plant them after frost is passed ....first week in may usually here.
well...ive rattled on.......lol......
have fun and best wishes.....

carol

You'll want flowers that stay fresh for awhile after they're cut because, I agree with the others, you'll be busier than you can imagine. Gardenweb has a forum called "The Cutting Garden" that has some threads about wedding flowers that you might want to look through or start a new one.
I see nothing wrong with trying to grow some flowers yourself. It sounds like you have a back-up plan.
My daughter got married three years ago and did a lot of stuff herself with the help of Hobby Lobby, Google and our printer. We didn't use our own flowers though.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Cutting Garden forum

Thanks for all the responses! Sorry I haven't been on in a while, we have been going through some tuff times here in upstate NY, floods etc...just got power back a few days ago. I understand why some of you think it is almost crazy to grow my own flowers. I agree, the days leading up to the wedding are going to be busy. I am a gardener for a living so i am not worried about being able to find the time to be in the garden, I am in it all day everyday! I will put some thought into ordering some flower bunches from a florist, I am certainly going to at least make the bouquets and arrangements myself. I would feel embarrassed to have them done by someone else, lol.