How We Grow Flowers Year-Round

How We Grow Flowers Year-Round at Bloom Harvest Farm

At Bloom Harvest Farm, the fields may rest during the winter, but the work never stops. Growing flowers is a year-round commitment, with specific tasks each month to ensure a successful season. Here’s what happens behind the scenes to keep the farm productive.

Bloom Harvest Farm- Located in New London County, Connecticut Flower Farm

January

Seed starting begins indoors for long-season flowers like lisianthus and eucalyptus. Stored dahlia tubers are checked for rot to ensure they’re healthy for propagation later in the year.

February

Winter sowing continues for cold-hardy perennials like yarrow, with seeds placed in outdoor containers to benefit from natural stratification. If the ground isn’t frozen, we direct sow cool-weather seeds like Bells of Ireland straight into the rows. February is also a planning month—organizing supplies and reviewing goals for the year.

March

Seed starting ramps up in our grow room and greenhouse. Dahlias are brought out of storage to assess and propagate, and rows are amended with organic alfalfa pellets to enrich the soil. Early crops like poppies and snapdragons are planted in tunnels for protection against cooler nights.

April

Hardy plants such as sweet peas and ranunculus are planted/transplanted into the field early in the month. The seedlings keep growing, and the focus shifts to planting and maintaining rows as the days warm.

May

Dahlia tubers and seeds are planted, and the first wave of weekly weeding begins. Harvesting starts with early spring flowers like anemones and tulips. By late May, we finalize seed orders for the following spring, keeping ahead of the planning curve.

June

The harvest kicks into gear with peonies, foxgloves, yarrow, lupines, and snapdragons. Zinnias and cosmos are pinched to encourage branching for more blooms. Succession planting keeps the fields productive, ensuring consistent harvests throughout summer.

July

Zinnias and dahlias begin to bloom—those early zinnias are often a bit scrappy, earning their "ugly duckling" nickname. EarlyJuly is also when we direct sow autumn-colored flowers like zinnias and cosmos.

In late july we start next spring seeds for fall planting. Lower foliage on plants like dahlias is removed to reduce the risk of disease, and I start compiling a list of must-haves for the next growing season.

August and September

Harvesting is at its peak, with blooms being cut daily for events, bouquets, and subscriptions. This is the time to order seeds for next year. (Pro tip: order flowers while they’re blooming to secure what you love!)

October

Harvesting continues, but we also begin clearing out spent plants and sowing winter cover crops to protect and enrich the soil. Spring flowers like snapdragons and carnations are planted under low tunnels, and seed-saving efforts wrap up.

November

Dahlias are dug up, divided, and stored for winter. Tulips, peonies, and other perennials are planted, and mulch is added to walkways. Bare rows are covered with leaves or mulch to protect them through the colder months.

December

Winter sowing begins for cold-hardy flowers like yarrow, snapdragons and others. Dahlia tubers in storage are checked again to ensure they’re holding up well. While the farm looks quiet, preparations for the next season are well underway-- this is when I'm busy figuring what to plant where and walking the rows counting our spacing to see how many I can fit in each row to see how many seeds I need to sow.

Year-Round Effort, Seasonal Blooms

Behind every flower we grow is a year of planning, planting, and care. This cycle ensures that Bloom Harvest Farm produces fresh, vibrant blooms for our customers during the growing season.