SUNFLOWERS 

32.4 degrees here on the mountain above Peacham Pond and there's no promise of sunshine for the next two days. Rain will turn to snow and by tomorrow we'll have 6" of wet snow to welcome us. The bad weather will include high winds as much as 40 mph so with the heavy snow, loss of electricity and bad travel are guaranteed.

This is the time of year we begin planting some annual flower seeds to transplant in the garden for use as cut flowers.  We start the seeds in flats inside the house  and later move to our small greenhouse when it's warmer and heating costs are lower. We typically hold off until just after Memorial Day to plant outside but in more recent years we have sorted out the weather before getting started. Recurrent cold weather of less than 30 degrees has been more common so it's worth the wait. If you haven't tried sunflowers before, here's an article from Johnnny's Seeds, a seed vendor I have used for +40 years. They have a nice selection. We plant some of the larger varieties along the fences and the road to serve as a customer magnet and then smaller flowered varieties to use in arrangements.   I'm including this advertisement from Johnnys because it's a good, one spot location to see a number of varieties. Johnnys isn't the only sunflower vendor out there, just one I have confidence in.

Savor the Summer with Sunflowers (johnnyseeds.com)

Vegetables

 

FIRST  TIME  VEGETABLE  GROWERS

If you have followed my writings over time, you have heard my praise of Johnny's Selected Seeds. I have used the Maine company for +30 years and have never had a criticism. Their website is an accurate display of everything they sell and the opportunities increase every year. The descriptions and images of vegetable and flower seeds are excellent and you know how many seeds you are ordering whether a packet, an ounce or more.  Flower farmers and vegetable growers,  farmer's market growers, wholesaler growers --name the grower profile and you'll find that they might well purchase seeds from Johnny's. Give them a look-see at https://www.johnnyseeds.com. Unlike some companies I have tried, their germination rates are always accurate.

In more recent times, Johnny's has added a great video library which is ever so helpful to America's new crop of gardeners that has developed since Covid. It's free and easy to use. This morning I found this link that might be of interest if you are planning to grow some vegetables this year.  Garden writer Niki Jabbour chose 8 vegetables to learn about. Since I have committed to growing pickling cukes this year and making my family's very special recipe for Bread and Butter pickles, I was interested in Niki's video on growing cucumbers.  Watch the video and tell me what you think. Her point about replanting for a second crop is important. Also the mention of not letting your cukes get too big as they get bitter and slow down the production of more cucumbers because fruit production slows as some get big and go to seed. 

https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/8-great-vegetables-for-beginners-from-seed-to-harvest-with-niki-jabbour.html

Happy gardening!

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

ADD SUNFLOWERS IN 2021!

 

 

 A very inexpensive way to add some "vertical" to your gardens at the same time you are adding color is to plant sunflowers.  A package of  4-10  different seed varieties will cost $5-$12 total and the result will be impressive. At the flower farm, I usually buy ten different packages and plant one seed of each variety together in a hole 3" deep. Germination is always better than 90% unless you have a squirrel or chipmunk watching you plant. By the middle to end of July here in Zone 3-4 Vermont, the sunflowers are beginning to show some color which lasts until a hard frost---or a flock of hungry birds looking for fresh seeds.

As I purchase seeds I always try to vary the size of the flower heads I expect to see. That way I have some 8-9 foot tall attention-getters from way across the field as well as plenty of 5" diameter blooms on single stems that I can cut for bouquets. Do this once and you'll wonder why you didn't always include sunflower seeds on your list. Although the seed packages of sunflowers you might find in racks at box stores may seem incredibly inexpensive, sunflower seeds tend to be large and the husks protect them from dehydrating so the price is not only "right" but the varieties will get this project underway at little cost.