Sweet William, larkspur, feverfew and Queen Anne’s lace grow in packed rows on Benzakein’s farm. Metal hoops hold up flower netting used to keep the crops from falling over in the wind and rain. It works like this: If, for example, what you’re planting takes 60 days to mature, note your first autumn frost date, and count back 60 days. That would technically be the last date you could plant that crop for the season. But know that as the days get colder and shorter, plant growth slows. So, to be on the safe side and ensure that I have enough time for crops to mature, I like to count back an extra month to be sure my plants will flower and I’ll have something to harvest. ♦︎
‘Sangria’ dahlias grow near a movable chicken coop at Floret, which Benzakein owns with her husband, Chris. Know your last spring and first autumn frost dates. Before you go crazy sowing seeds in late winter and early spring, it’s important to know just how early you can start — if in doubt, ask your local Master Gardener group or staff at a trusted nursery for the expected last frost date. Fast-growing annuals that bloom in summer (those that take less than 90 days to harvest, such as cosmos, sunflowers and zinnias — the number of days to harvest is indicated on seed packets) shouldn’t be started more than four to six weeks before the last spring frost, otherwise they’ll get too big for their growing container and have soft, weak foliage and overgrown roots. On the other hand, slow-growing plants like perennials can take a couple of weeks to germinate, so sow them indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost date. Once you know your last frost date, check the back of each seed packet for days-to-harvest to figure out how many weeks early you can get them started indoors. For the most part, if you want to sow successive crops after the weather has warmed in spring, you c...
12. Harden off young plants before putting them out in the garden, otherwise they will be shocked by the sudden change in temperature. To do this, set trays or pots in a sheltered spot outside, increasing the amount of time they’re out there each day, starting with two to three hours, then increasing the time outside slowly over the course of a week or two, at which point seedlings can remain outside from then on. This helps the young plants acclimate to the more extreme temperature fluctuations found outdoors.
Floret SaveEmail 10. When the soil starts to become dry (which could be every day or two), water with a very gentle spray from a hose or watering can. As young plants grow, they need to be fed. Add a small amount of liquid seaweed and fish emulsion, following the label, to your watering can and drench plants weekly.
9. Check the trays or pots daily. Once the seeds have sprouted, remove the plastic dome lids and move the trays or pots to a spot with bright light such a sunroom or greenhouse, or under fluorescent lights. The very first leaf or leaves that appear are called cotyledons; those that appear after are known as true leaves. Bottom water until true leaves appear.
If you’re reusing pots, be sure to wash them thoroughly with a 10 percent bleach-water solution to kill any lingering diseases or pathogens. But for the best results, I highly recommend recycled cell packs — the kind you see at garden centers holding four to six seedlings — from a local nursery, or new seed flats, which are basically shallow, perforated trays made specifically for growing seeds. 3. Label the tray or pot with the name of the variety you plan to sow and the date planted.
1. Moisten your potting soil until it is thoroughly damp, but not dripping water. 2. Fill seed flats or pots to the top with soil, tapping them firmly against the table as you go so that the soil settles in and there are no air pockets trapped in the tray cells or pots. You can start seeds in just about anything that holds soil and drains water, including egg cartons, old pots and plastic cups with holes poked in the bottom.
From “Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden” (Chronicle Books, March 7, 2017; $29.95) by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai. Photos by Michèle M. Waite Starting your own seeds is a great way to get a jump on the season. It also gives you access to hundreds of specialty varieties that you won’t find at your local nursery and is the most affordable way to fill a cutting garden fast. You just need to keep a few key things in mind before you start. 1. Moisten your potting soil until it’s thoroughly damp, but not dripping wet.
3. Banks of Blooms in Boston While technically a bed bordering a Boston driveway rather than the street, this three-tiered combination by landscape architect Sean Papich featuring perennial purple coneflowers, tawny ornamental grasses and low-growing tufts of day lily foliage would also work as a sidewalk combination. The purple coneflowers are particularly long-blooming and, in combination with the tall ornamental grasses, will carry the garden through fall. Plants in this garden bed include: ◦‘Magnus’ purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’, zones 3 to 8) ◦‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, zones 4 to 9) ◦‘Stella de Oro’ day lily (Hemerocallis ‘Stella de Oro’, zones 4 to 9), after blooming Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun
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