How to Maximize Your Garden Flowers for Beautiful DIY Bouquets

Dahlias

Pinching Back to Encourage Plant Growth

One technique that can help you achieve maximum blooms in many cut flower varieties is pinching back. Pinching back involves removing the terminal bud or the tip of a stem, encouraging the plant to branch out and produce more flowers. So let’s talk about which cut flowers you should pinch back to maximize blooms.

1. Zinnias are popular cut flowers known for their vibrant colors and long-lasting blooms. Pinching back zinnias when they reach about 6 inches in height will help them become bushier and produce more flowers. Pinching back will also prevent them from becoming tall and leggy, ensuring that you have a fuller and more compact plant.

2. Chrysanthemums are beautiful fall favorites with a wide range of shapes and colors. To encourage more branching and abundant blooms, pinch back the top inch or two of the stems when they reach about 6 to 8 inches in height. Repeat the pinching process every few weeks until mid-summer. This will result in a bushier plant with more flowers.

3. Dahlias are stunning flowers that come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Pinching back dahlias when they have three to four sets of leaves will promote more lateral growth and a fuller plant. This will lead to an increased number of flower buds and a more abundant display of blooms.

4. Cosmos are delicate and daisy-like flowers that add a touch of whimsy to any arrangement. Pinching back cosmos when they reach about 12 inches in height will help them branch out and produce more flowers. Pinching back will also prevent them from getting too tall and floppy, ensuring a more compact and robust plant.

5. Sweet peas are highly fragrant flowers cherished for their charming blossoms. Pinching back sweet peas when they have three to four pairs of leaves will encourage lateral growth and more flower production. By pinching back the growing tips, you'll also prevent the plant from becoming top-heavy and promote a sturdy and bushy plant.

cosmos

when pinching back flowers, it's essential to use clean and sharp pruning shears to avoid damaging the stems. Also, make sure to remove any spent blooms (dead heading) regularly to redirect the plant's energy towards producing new flowers. For a list of which flowers flourish when pinched visit my info library for a printable chart.

By employing the pinching back technique on these popular cut flowers, you'll be able to maximize the number of blooms and enjoy fuller, more abundant flowers. Giving you plenty to make DIY arrangements. Experiment with pinching back and see how it transforms your garden and floral displays into a masterpiece.

Farm Fresh, Pasture Raised Chicken

Pasture Raised Chicken for sale

We are raising pastured chickens this year. I personally can’t wait to eat these, and to offer them to you as well. I’m tired of buying chicken from the grocery store that taste like cardboard and is tough. Trust me, this is not due to cooking technique! My husband is a BBQ master who has been involved in competition BBQ. He knows how to cook a good chicken!

Happy chicks in the brooder

Our first batch of broiler chics arrived yesterday from Metzer Farms in California. They arrived safe and sound to our local post office, which was also great. I was a bit nervous about receiving the order due to a terrible past experience with the postal service. This was before we moved to a smaller agriculture area. I actually had avoided ordering from a hatchery since that time. Yesterday we had a great experience!

Joel Salatin style brooder and chicken tractor.

Andy has been in the shop working hard the last month or so, squeezing in an hour here or there when he can. Building an amazing chicken brooder and the first of the chicken tractors to get the season started. The chicks will spend the first three weeks happily in the brooder, safe, warm and happy. Plans for the brooder and the tractor were sourced from Joel Salatin’s book Polyface Designs.

Redbridge Farms feed

Sourcing quality feeds in our area can also be a challenge. Sourcing any livestock and farm supplies is honestly nearly impossible to find in our area. We live in what’s considered an “agricultural area” yet here that means orchard and not livestock. We happen to find Redbridge Farms on a YouTube video and they have been awesome to work with! The food is freshly ground and looks amazing, If I didn’t know better I might put it on my yogurt in the morning! It is both soy and corn free. None of those dried out crumbles that don’t resemble grains whatsoever. We are so excited to feed this food to both our laying hens and meat birds this year!

Pick Up Dates for Meat

We have three set dates for meat pick up for chicken and will be ending the season with Pasture Raised Turkeys in Late October. We are so excited to offer fresh, pasture raised meat on a smaller scale. It is often hard for families to purchase a half or quarter animal, such as beef and pork. It’s a big upfront expense and often the logistics of where to store it make it very difficult for people. Buying a few chickens at a time is much easier for many who want to eat better without the stress of where to store it.

I hope you will join us on this adventure, offering you a better choice in where your food comes from. These birds have fresh pasture daily and the best of soy and corn free grains to eat as well.

Number of birds available are limited to 50 for each date. They must be reserved and prepaid to save for you.

Pick up dates are-

Chicken-May 8th

Chicken-July 9th

Chicken-August 12th

Turkey- November 5th