Friday, June 29, 2012
Just back in with Karl the Wonder Dog for the second time. He was not pleased with the pouring rain the first trip out and is even more irritated with me now as I cut his walk short after half a mile. I have things to do and he just wanted to sniff some more.
Last night's rains have helped the gardens a lot but I expect as the temperatures rise to 90° by tomorrow, the humidity will keep people away from the flower farm. I wish more people would come to join me in my 2012 daylily confusion caused by a mild winter and an early spring. The hot weather during the past couple weeks followed by four days of heavy rain has produced loads of daylily scapes and buds beginning to open early on many plants. We expect the species to come early anyway and Lemon Lollypop is a daylily we sell for school gardens because it blooms long before kids actually get out of school for the summer. But there is Miss Amelia, Bela Lugosi, Charles Johnston (up top here), Golden Chimes, Stella, Nile Crane, Ruby Spider, Jersey Spider, Jen Melon, Beloved Country and many more all opening now. Red Flag and Red Ribbons are putting up nice scapes and many of the daylilies in the open field seem to be ready to bloom in another week. By mid week and July 4th the main field should be colorful but with high heat I'm not sure how long the flowers that typically bloom early will last. I need to get some good pictures today to chronical this year's bloom.
If you're looking for me this weekend it will be a hit or miss thing but Gail and friends will be at the flower farm answering questions and digging and selling plants. I'll be helping friend Michelle spray paint her house in Barre. I am not enamored by the thought of spraying a hundred year old cedar shingle house but it has to happen and the sprayer rental commences at 4 this afternoon. My first stop this morning is the paint store to pick up 8 more gallons of paint and from there I begin taping windows and doors and scraping rouge edges. I'd rather be standing in the hosta display garden all day talking with customers and recommending ways to grow good hostas. Social responsibility prevails!
Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where my last task of the morning before heading out is to refill the sugar water feeder for the honey bees. A chipmunk apparently never read the 1970's book Sugar Blues and was busy yesterday drinking his/her fill of water, washing footsies and then drinking more. I could not believe such a little animal could drink so much. Keep yourself well hydrated today as the serious heat begins!
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
Always here to help you grow your green thumb!
Last night's rains have helped the gardens a lot but I expect as the temperatures rise to 90° by tomorrow, the humidity will keep people away from the flower farm. I wish more people would come to join me in my 2012 daylily confusion caused by a mild winter and an early spring. The hot weather during the past couple weeks followed by four days of heavy rain has produced loads of daylily scapes and buds beginning to open early on many plants. We expect the species to come early anyway and Lemon Lollypop is a daylily we sell for school gardens because it blooms long before kids actually get out of school for the summer. But there is Miss Amelia, Bela Lugosi, Charles Johnston (up top here), Golden Chimes, Stella, Nile Crane, Ruby Spider, Jersey Spider, Jen Melon, Beloved Country and many more all opening now. Red Flag and Red Ribbons are putting up nice scapes and many of the daylilies in the open field seem to be ready to bloom in another week. By mid week and July 4th the main field should be colorful but with high heat I'm not sure how long the flowers that typically bloom early will last. I need to get some good pictures today to chronical this year's bloom.
If you're looking for me this weekend it will be a hit or miss thing but Gail and friends will be at the flower farm answering questions and digging and selling plants. I'll be helping friend Michelle spray paint her house in Barre. I am not enamored by the thought of spraying a hundred year old cedar shingle house but it has to happen and the sprayer rental commences at 4 this afternoon. My first stop this morning is the paint store to pick up 8 more gallons of paint and from there I begin taping windows and doors and scraping rouge edges. I'd rather be standing in the hosta display garden all day talking with customers and recommending ways to grow good hostas. Social responsibility prevails!
Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where my last task of the morning before heading out is to refill the sugar water feeder for the honey bees. A chipmunk apparently never read the 1970's book Sugar Blues and was busy yesterday drinking his/her fill of water, washing footsies and then drinking more. I could not believe such a little animal could drink so much. Keep yourself well hydrated today as the serious heat begins!
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
Always here to help you grow your green thumb!
