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Plant tulips while it’s slightly less muddy
- Current happenings
- newsletter
- December 11, 2022
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Do you ever forget that fall/winter weather will be wet and cold?
Yeah, us neither… ever….
We’ve got 2,500 tulips that have been waiting to be planted since October.
(Just like we never ever forget what the weather will be each season, we never ever procrastinate…).
The spot we plant the tulips combined with how we plant them requires just a little more thought. Thus the procrastination.
The tulips are planted between the currant bushes and the young plum trees. Making use of every bit of space that we can and all that.
The problem is, the currants and plums reallllly don’t want their roots disturb from tilling. Can’t blame them.
But the ground needs to be worked a little bit since nothing has been planted there since the last tulips.
So such delicate ground work needs the weather to be just right.
Too wet = ground compaction, ruts, and poor control.
Too dry = …well, we haven’t had too dry this fall. Because rain happens in the fall. Who knew?
And if you don’t seize the tractor with the right weather… well you get 2,500 tulips bulbs that have been sitting in the fridge for 2 months.
But, a ha! Finally a brilliant thought: just put down a layer of compost and don’t work the ground.
Afterall, the tulips only need to be planted 2 inches deep.
And they’re not going to complain about extra nutrients. Probably.
So Matt broke out the trusty Kabota and its bucket today and put down a layer of compost.
Come Monday, it will have cooled off and the tulips can finally get planted.
(Compost piles are hot – reaching temperatures of 160 degrees if we do it right – due to the microbial breakdown of all the organic material goodness. Tulips don’t want to grow in ground that is 160 degrees).
Moral of the story: it rains in October, November, and December. And better to plant now than never.
We’re working on finalizing the details for the 2023 Flower share that said almost-planted tulips will be used for. Look to sign up the beginning of February.
Also, look at all the little babies that popped in the new tunnel. Picture on the left was one week ago, picture on the right is today.
George wants to remind you to order your Christmas desserts ASAP
Order by Thursday, December 15th. Pick up at the farm Thursday 12/22 (noon-6), Friday 12/23 (9-6), or Saturday 12/24 (9-3).
We also have fresh ducks, geese, and turkeys available to order (same deadline).
But George says dessert is the most important part of the meal.
Some seasonal inspiration:
Open Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5. Closed Sunday.
Closed Sundays & Mondays starting after Christmas.
This is one of the weekly newsletters that is emailed out every Saturday night (no more, no less). If you liked the information make sure you sign up so you can get my (moderately snarky) writings delivered right to your inbox. You can read it on the website – obviously – but a copy of the newsletter isn’t posted to the website until several weeks later.
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About Highland Orchards
Completely surrounded by suburbia, our small farm has been growing beyond expectations since 1832, just north of Wilmington, Delaware.
Growing a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, Highland Orchards provides true “farm fresh” for the community all year. If you want to shake the hand of the farmer who grows for you, here is the farm! With plants in the ground or under cover in tunnels, we grow for every season. A family farm, we have three different generations involved in running the farm right now.
Come see us to eat fresh, eat local, and eat well!