As we approach the end of winter, now is the time to start growing our featured flower of the month, the Aster.  Asters (Callistephus chinenis) are an annual flower native to China and Korea. I’ve cultivated this flower for many years and it has always been a delightful addition to my garden’s landscape.  We experience a long winter season in zone 4 so I start my aster seeds indoors during the late winter months because aster is a slow developing plant.  It thrives in full sun and blooms from spring through summer adding a burst of radiant color wherever it is planted.  Cheers

Arctic air is moving through zone 4 and it is a bitter reminder that winter is still here.  With limited outdoor time due to frigid temperatures I am getting a jump start on the growing season by starting seeds indoors.  Utilizing a seed starter kit which can be obtained here, Shop

  I can use indoor planting methods to start vegetables like jalapenos, cayenne peppers and tomatoes in addition to annual flowers like cosmos and zinnias.  Utilizing your time wisely during the winter months will be a key component to a successful growing season.  Cheers

People have asked me how I came by the nick name “zinnia boy”.  Many years ago I had the desire to start a floral growing operation.  I did not have the capitol for a traditional brick and mortar establishment so after careful consideration I thought the best approach for me to begin my floral odyssey would be to utilize my local farmers market.  I am fortunate to have space in my garden and began to focus on the decision as to which flowers I would grow to sell for profit.  My selections had to be beautiful, hardy, long lasting, well suited for a bouquet and easy to grow in my zone.  My choice was the zinnia. One day I was discussing my decision with my sister-in-law Pamela.  While we were reviewing the numerous varieties of zinnia’s I’d planted she then dubbed me “zinnia boy”.  Eureka! I loved it!  Please enjoy the video below, it shows my zinnia garden and features a humming bird moth!   Cheers

Link

Embed

Copy and paste this HTML code into your webpage to embed.

Did you know that there are several varieties of Shasta daisies?  One of my favorite varieties is called banana cream.  I stumbled upon this flower at the Jensen-Olson Arboretum in Juneau Alaska.  The petals are lemon colored florets that surround a densely packed solid yellow center.  It is a magnificent perennial flower that performs well in zones 5-9 and blooms during the summer months.  The flowers I saw were at their maximum height of about 18 inches.  They are a breeze to grow as they adapt well to both full sun and partial shade conditions.  Cheers

It is difficult to be silent about our featured flower of the month, the chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemums also known as mums are native to East Asia and Northern Europe.  The flowers are rows of florets that come in white, yellow and red and start to bloom in early autumn. Chrysanthemums come in two groups, garden hardy and exhibition. I prefer the garden hardy variety because it can produce a multitude of flowers on stalks that are capable of withstanding cool environments.  They are long standing in my garden and long lasting in a cut floral arrangement.  Cheers

Over the course of several years I have written about flowers, food, recipes and all things related to the great outdoors.  As I looked through my website this morning I realized that I have covered hundreds of topics that are still relevant today and want to open the archives to share a few links from the past.  Enjoy!