Fun Fact: At Hidden Acres Farms we do not use pesticides or herbicides on our flowers. We don’t use sprays in order to protect pollinators like bees and butterflies. Many people don’t realize that the majority of flowers sold in the United States are imported from foreign countries, which means chemicals banned in the US may have been sprayed on the imported flowers. If you think you are allergic to flowers, you may just be allergic to the chemicals on imported flowers!
Below is a list of some of the flowers we grow on our farm. Our farm is in zone 6a so the last frost in the spring is around April 15, and the first frost in the fall is around November 15. Annuals have to be planted each year; perennials come back year after year.
Cosmos are annuals that we plant in early May. They take about 50 to 60 days to flower after the seeds germinate. The flowers are pink, purple, white and red. We succession plant every 3 to 4 weeks.
Mexican Sunflowers are annuals that have red and orange flowers which bloom from mid-summer through fall. They can grow from 3 to 8 feet tall. Seeds are planted 2 weeks after the last spring frost.
Sunflowers are annuals that we plant after the last spring frost, and then succession plant every 2 weeks through July. Sunflowers can be branching (multiple flowers) or single stem (one flower). Seeds germinate in 7 to 14 days after planting and bloom around 60 days later. Sunflower plants actually rotate throughout the day so that the bloom is always facing the sun, so in the morning they face East and in the evening they face West. Sunflowers only last for about 2 weeks after they bloom.
Teddy Bear Sunflowers are a branching sunflower that are fluffy and double-petaled. They have a unique look and are a favorite for many.
Zinnias are annuals planted in the spring after the last frost, and then succession planted every few weeks through July. The seeds germinate in 7 to 10 days and the flowers bloom 60 to 70 days after germination. We use the Benary Giant mix which has vibrant colors of pink, red, orange, purple, yellow, green and white.
Fun Fact: Did you know that 40% of the world’s flower trade comes from the Netherlands? The Netherlands has been at the heart of the global cut flower trade for over 200 years. In the US, tulips are the most popular cut flower.