Crop 307 May 1 to 15 Issue of Flowering Shrub Farm Monthly All Picture Newsletters; January February March April May 1 to 15 May 16 to 31 June 1 to 7 June 8 to 14 June 15 to 21 June 22 to 30 July August September October November December The whole idea is for my subscribers to be able to examine what we have for sale before having to drive to the plant sale location at 40 Voorheesville Ave in Voorheesville, NY 12186. Click on the picture and it may open a larger version with more detail. Last edited 05/26/2011 I wont be there Saturday May 28 for my daughters graduation burt will be there potting plants and he should be able to help.

Smart people buy plants in bloom and we at the flowering shrub farm are open only when plants that we grow are flowering. Potential customers subscribe to my newsletter where they can see pictures of our plants growing in the fields or available at the plant sale. When they see something they like they come buy it. In 2010 lilacs started blooming May first so I sent an email to my subscribers that I was open early. In a normal year lilacs begin flowering around the 15th when the plant sale begins. Prior to then we bring Lilacs from outlying fields, repot them and arrange them in our sales area (check my april newsletter). If its a cool spring, Lilacs should bloom from around the 10th to the beginning of June allowing plenty of time for customers to check out the flower and fragrance of each. On the other hand if its unduly warm it can shorten the flowering time to just a couple weeks. I will notify the subscribers to the newsletter if they bloom early. If you want to subscribe just email me.

Note; the pink label, hanging somewhere in the picture has the date the picture was taken.

The Life of a Lilac at the flowering shrub farm in Voorheesville, NY

www.floweringshrubfarm.com/lilacbuy.htm

Below are pictures of plants in the fields Row A through H.

Row H is pot in pot winter storage for roses and espalier trained fruit trees. Row G is where we train plants to multiple stems before moving them into Rows A through F. More on our espalier trained plants at espalier.

In May I label all plants that are flowering. They will be taken to the plant sale next March, repotted and maybe sold. It often takes plants five or ten years to start flowering (we dont sell roses or Lilacs until they flower) and during that time all kinds of perennial weeds will grow up so we rebuild a row at least once every 7 years.

Every year we empty one row completely, then refil it from those in Row G. All perennial weeds are dug out and the annuals are cut back hard then covered with mulch.

I take pictures of each variety of plant I grow, each month during the growing season, grouped closely together and post those pictures here in my newsletter. When they start to flower I only take pictures when they are in flower, in fruit or showing decorative foliage. We use a paint pen to mark the date they were first planted, an abreviation of their variety name, a crop number and the soil mix used on the side of each pot. The pots are turned so that the information is visible in pictures. Additionally I create a sign that has this same information to put among them, adding the quantity in stock with a sharpie permanent marker after they become available for sale. Lilacs aren't sold until they flower proving the variety.

Seedling Pinxterbloom Azaleas (which dont need to be in bloom to be sold) arrive in May and are planted in a volcano bed to be sold for at least $10 each (they may also be potted into 7 gallon for $30 each). Rosebay Rhododendrons are also planted in a bed, then scooped out at the time of sale. After a couple years they will be repotted into 7 gallon. At least $10 a piece, later in 7 gallon they will be $30 each. A volcano bed is composed of pine bark mulch with each Rhodo or Azalea planted in a volcano of Faffard potting soil (also 60% or more rotted pine bark), fertilized with Espoma Holly Tone and watered with rain water collected from the barn metal roof.

Potting Lilac cuttings that arrived in May (I try to obtain cuttings from french lilacs, lilacs with purple flowers and lilacs that are acknowledged in literature as the best of each color). Note an abreviation of the variety name, the date potted and the crop number on the side of each pot. They will be placed in a field until they flower proving to me that they are the variety I think they are.

Lilac cuttings arrive in boxes from propagation nurseries and are potted from a two inch pot into three gallon pots.

See individual inventory pictures of this years rose order at Rose Order

I train many trees to belgian fence and stepover. Belgian Fence is a line of trees planted two feet apart and trained to a V shape. This can provide a wonderful privacy hedge that can also have nice flowers and fruit.

On the left is a twenty year old belgian fence espalier and on the right is a one year old still in training. More pictures of espalier trained trees at My Espalier page

About the ALL-PICTURE-NEWSLETTER by andyvancleve

Flowering Shrub Farm Monthly All Picture Newsletters; January February March April May 6 to 16 May 20 to 31 June 4 to 7 June 8 to 9 June 11 to 13 June 16 to 25 July August September October November December

Potential Customers subscribe. Each month I send them the latest email link, information as to what is blooming and sometimes an update telling them when I am open.

When they see something they like they come buy it in bloom. You can buy it when its not blooming too just as long as it has bloomed previously so I can be sure what it is.

We grow plants to sell at our plant sale. Read my notes on the zone hardiness numbers I use. Do we do mail order? Check my picture-newsletter Want to purchase? email me.