Scarlets Cut Flower Patch 2022/23/24

                   
The first of the dahlias - most are still small.
Achillea and daucus. The purple canterbury bells.

Beautiful, and not a bug or pest in sight. I agree the Euphorbia Snow Top is stunning.

Gorgeous, Scarlet. Reminds me of some things I want to start from seed for next year. Things are looking brilliant, especially for such a strange growing year.

Beautiful, and not a bug or pest in sight. I agree the Euphorbia Snow Top is stunning.

Ive lots of black fly - but loads of lady birds, I just keep moving them on to the next plant. 

The amaranthus seems to be the worst.
           

Looking forward to the orange "hot biscuits"

It's definitely been a tough growing year - lots of things are half their usual size due to lack of water - really wish I lived near a river

I would love to grow lots more - but I think this is about as much as I can manage. Its been pretty exhausting - wish I was 30years younger!

                   

A bit more if the plot and 3 of my dahlia beds
Covering the grass paths betwren my beds has really helped. My lawn mower wouldnt fit down and strimming it was time consuming. It means Im not sitting in long grass/ants nests when weeding too.it has reduced rhe workload.

The one thing I am considering is a long herb bed in my mini orchard. Putting mint and oregano in. Maybe controlling with the mower? Not sure it it would work or not. Its quite rough grass. We have only mowed a couple of times this year

Had a very good few weeks, lots of interest. Ive picked up a few cheap perennials in the hope they will put on some good growth for next year.

Alstromeria - an almost white one ( I dont like the yellow throats) some of the colourings don't go with what I already grow. Ive also got a variegated leaf variety.
Nepeta, I already grow this and its easy from cuttings - but I wanted a pale pink.
Lots of campanula - I really love these plants even though Im not a purple fan. I have a few varieties, white and purple- large pots for £2.50 each in a nursery clear out....was a winner as I cut the stems for bunches and still had the plants!
Rain has been an issue - but we have had some the last few days.
Dahlias are just starting. I have been feeding 
with a high nitrogen feed, as lots were just cutting's. I need to switch soon. Maybe make my own??

       
The zinnias are just starting - really please with some of these

Ive bought more nets for the long beds - makes a huge difference - unfortunately I bit the bullets a bit late and Its too late to get them in place.


       

A couple of large bunches showing what Im growing at the moment

Aug update:

View of the dahlias this evening....
   

Maybe some are a little later than usual but I started lots from cuttings - so its difficult to compare..but lots to cut every day

I added 2 new rows this year...an additional 60 plants...so I planted out in excess of 220 in the plot. Hoping to get some decent sized tubers from my cuttungs

I will be starting another round of seeds in a couple of weeks time! The last few months has whizzed by. I've pretty much sold flowers every day. Its not been easy and Im knackered  but I'm also planting in more perennials in the hope that its less work - I cant give up now                    
       


Im still struggling with lack of "greens" I want to make a mint bed but really worried that it will be ome invasive...and I would love more energy so that i could dig over a few more rows!!

So September has just about landed and I've already started to plan for next year! Its been a blast - loved every minute of it and met lots of people.

A few photos
                       

The dahlias are amazing. Im managing to pick at least 60 stems a day of these.
Again I am short on fillers/greens.

The statice is keeping me going for filler, I have a few snap dragons a week. Cosmos does help with making the bunches look a little different to asda. Ive some verbena. Zinnias in the greenhouse / but its a pain to watet. The amaranth is great but the hot biscuits is not for me - such a disappointment. 

All I have left for greenery is dog rose from the hedge. Though I am still able to make a minimum of 10/12 bunches a day with more for Thursdays/Fridays.
People are happy with straight dahlia bunches but I am growing a variety of shapes and sizes so that helps

I always Autumn so to get a head start. Some things work, some dont, some work and get ravaged by mice

In the GHouse so far - Mid Jan
Autumn sown:
Larkspur - selfsaved pink/lavender- potted on and ok
larkspur - s/s white cloud. Germinated and ravaged by mice. Hoping some will pull through
Sweetpeas- S/S about 80... all small but doing ok. Sown in Nov
Daucus s/s about 30 plants in 9cm pots. All good
Ammi s/s about 50 plants - all good
Orlaya s/s about 30 plants in 9cm pots all good
Nigella s/s - these grow outside ok but are fab for filling in holes. Good for the seed pods as well as tge flower... lots of these. 
Ranunculus and anemones - ravaged by mice but hoping I still get a fab crop.

Sown in late summer
Campanula - lots of these, some still in trays, some pitted on into larger pots, some putside already in beds - same for the Sweet williams

Snap dragons were all eaten - so started again
Larkspur - chinensis -pink butterfly. I really wanted these. All eaten by mice/slugs

Starting bells of ireland/corncockle/ more larkspur/cornflowers. I really love echinacea, so may give those another try. 

All my dahlias have survived this year - so hoping to dig a couple more borders and use the tubers myself rather than give them away.

Just wrapped up the dahlias with more blankets! -2 last night. We are due similar tonight then -6 and -5! 

Potted on more sweetpeas - trying in toilet rols and looking at what i can sow now to get them germinated for next week.