Scheduling
Planting time varies with your climate, the plant
type (annual, biennial or perennial), cropping
system, and desired harvest time. Keep records of
your planting dates, weather, harvest times, and
yields. They can be valuable for planning future
production. Try to time part of the production so that
it is ready for the market before or after it appears
in home gardens. Prices are generally higher for the
harvest ”shoulder-seasons”. The more you can
extend your growing season and have flowers ready
for the “off-seasons” the better. It allows you to
capture the higher prices and it helps to spread the
cash flow. Stagger plantings throughout the spring
and early summer to ensure a continuous supply.
Keep in mind that the later plantings will have a
shorter time to harvest and may also have shorter
and thinner flower stems because of the higher
temperatures and longer day length. Production
may also be lower.
Annuals should be planted when there is no longer
any frost danger. Seeds can be started 4 to 6 weeks
before the expected planting date by sowing them
in trays in a greenhouse or cold frame and then
planting them outside when frost danger is over.
Another option is purchasing plugs instead of seeds;
they cost more, but they will be in flower earlier than
those crops that are directly seeded in the field, and
they avoid the expense of operating a propagation
greenhouse. Early plantings can be covered with
plastic hoop tunnels to provide frost protection and
increase temperatures for an earlier harvest. Don’t
hesitate to do some small-scale experimentation.
Maybe some of the more hardy annual species can
overwinter in your area with minimal protection to
allow for an earlier start the following spring. Biennials
like sweet william and bells of Ireland should be
planted in late summer or early fall. This gives them
a good growing period before winter, resulting in
more uniform flowering the following spring.
If you have access to a cooler, it can be used to
extend the flowering season for some perennials.
Bare root stocks or plugs can be placed in a cooler
with lights for 4 to 6 weeks at 5 to 7oC to achieve
the cold period. Keeping the plants in the cooler and
staggering the planting dates allows for an extended
harvest period.
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