This Week
A weekly record of what’s happening throughout the year.
Week 52: December 30-December 31
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Week 51: December 23-December 29
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Week 50: December 16-December 22
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Week 49: December 9-December 15
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Week 48: December 2-December 8
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Week 47: November 25-December 1
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As of the 25th, many of the sweet peas planted have germinated!
Just before leaving on the 25th, I pulled some greenhosue plastic over the bed in which I fall-sowed Larkspur, iceland poppies, and some scabiosa—in addition to the scabiosa remaining there, and the cherry bronze snaps. The plastic didn’t make it far enough to cover the snaps, but that’s an experiment anyway. I hope to find a way to weigh down the plastic that is less of a pain in the ass than sandbags. It looks like the Larkspur and some of the poppies are germinating. Scabiosa is germinating well!
Also on the 25th, I planted all 125 Columbus tulips. 75 of them are planted in a line in what was previously a sweet pea bed, flanked by 80 daffodils, about twenty each of four different varieties: Replete, Tahoe Valley (somewhat a mystery to me), Sweet Paradise, and Snow Paradise.
The remaining 50 Columbus tulips were planted between the newly transplanted tree peonies. I thought I’d transplanted them all, but when I went back to the shed at the end of the day, there were two bags of 20 remaining to be planted. Alas!
Here is a list of the unmixed daffodil varieties I purchased:
40 Delnashaugh
40 Replete
40 Snow Paradise
40 Sweet Paradise
40 Squaw Valley
40 Tahoe Valley
40 Yellow Paradise
40 Sir Winston Churchill
Week 46: November 18-November 24
Blooming: Scabiosa and Calendula (!).
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Noteworthy: On November 24, I transplanted eight unidentified peonies: 4 shrub, 4 tree, all purchased from A&D peonies. There are 4 more shrub peonies to transplant, but I have to figure out where, and the tree peonies were most urgent. I am regretting not buying more already.
Also: Some time this week, perhaps two or three days after soaking them, I moved my ranunculus and anemone corms into pre-sprouting vessels. I subsequently moved them under a tarp for a couple of days, and then into the greenhouse on the farm. During the process of covering them in dirt, I noticed some sprouting! I am more optimistic about my sprouting medium and location this year than last—last year, I used clay soil from around my house, and the corms and ranunculus were outside for a very long time after soaking—well into December. I lost many anemones by turning them to a horrible mucus mush. This year, I’m using some garden soil, which is very very light and rich, and I am cautiously optimistic about the warmth of the greenhouse.
I also read a few articles about the history of citrus in Europe, and now I’m dreaming of limonaia.
Week 45: November 11-November 17
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This week, I planted about 500-550 of the 600 (non-Columbus) tulips I purchased, in a somewhat raised bed. They’re in blocks of 50 (10x5) interplanted with a mix of double daffodils, from C&J farms, to prevent dear munching. I haven’t received my 125 Columbus yet. I constructed the bed on November 14.
I have tried to remove all anemones from the area of last year’s anemone and ranunculus bed which will this year (hopefully) be a covered deck area. I transplanted them to a bed in the North Paddock with a bunch of daffodil bulbs from last year and the remaining new double mix from C&J.
Also, on the 16th, I soaked my ranunculus and anemone corms.
The particular daffodil mix in question was comprised of 300 daffodils, all mixed doubles, from C&J. I was invoiced for them on November 3, and ordered on April 7. These are the varieties included:
Acropolis
Art Design
Delnashaugh
Double Star
Full House
Gay Tabor
Isha
My Story
Obdam
Replete
Salou
Tahiti
Week 44: November 4-November 10
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Week 43: October 28-November 3
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On November 3, I received and paid an invoice for 300 mixed double daffodils. I ordered them on April 7, and planted them between the 11th-17th of November. They consist of the following:
Acropolis
Art Design
Delnashaugh
Double Star
Full House
Gay Tabor
Isha
My Story
Obdam
Replete
Salou
Tahiti
Week 42: October 21-October 27
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Week 41: October 14-October 20
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Week 40: October 7-October 13
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Week 39: September 30-October 6
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Week 38: September 23-September 29
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Week 37: September 16-September 22
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Week 36: September 9-September 15
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Week 35: September 2-September 8
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Week 34: August 26-September 1
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Week 33: August 19-August 25
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Week 32: August 12-August 18
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Week 31: August 5-August 11
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Week 30: July 29-August 4
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Week 29:July 22-July 28
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Week 28: July 15-July 21
Blooming: Chocolate lace flower, strawflower, dahlias, nigella, cress (with pods), Gomphrena (strawberry fields and raspberry cream), feverfew, yarrow (summer pastels), marigold (sugar and spice white) zinnias (Oklahoma ivory, Oklahoma formula mix, Queen lime series), linaria, amaranth, statice, crimson baby’s breath, unripe blueberry foliage, sunflowers (white lite, white nite, sunfill green, precut gold, unknown yellow with black center), huckleberries, sweet peas, Monticello mystery rose, calendula (ivory princess, bronze beauty, cantaloupe mix), snapdragons, briza maxima, cosmos (double click mix, cranberries), clematis, lemon balm, oregano, California poppies
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Week 27: July 8-July 14
Blooming: Chocolate lace flower, scabies (white maiden), strawflower, dahlias, nigella, cress (with pods), Gomphrena (strawberry fields and raspberry cream), feverfew, yarrow (summer pastels), bachelor buttons, marigold (sugar and spice white) zinnias (Oklahoma ivory, Oklahoma formula mix, Queen lime series), linaria, amaranth, statice, crimson baby’s breath, unripe blueberry foliage, sunflowers (white lite, white nite, sunfill green, precut gold, unknown yellow with black center), huckleberries, sweet peas, Monticello mystery rose, calendula (ivory princess, bronze beauty, cantaloupe mix), snapdragons, briza maxima, cosmos (double click mix, cranberries), clematis, lemon balm, oregano, California poppies
Noteworthy: Ginger Willow is really cranking. We are having trouble keeping up with the sweet peas, and we definitely need to invest in more cold storage. Oklahoma ivory is truly a winner. Calendula is a pain to harvest out of hortonova; the unsupported calendula seems fine. The additional water from the hose seems to be pleasing the sweet peas! The truest solid red sweet pea has consistently too-short (and wimpy) stems. Enchante is gorgeous; we must plant more next year. There is a dusky peach sweet pea which seems to have purple around its edges, which I absolutely love. Purples and blues seem to do especially well at market. The heat was punishing this week.
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Week 26: July 1-July 7
Blooming: Strawflower, dahlias, nigella, cress (with pods), Gomphrena (strawberry fields and raspberry cream), feverfew, yarrow (summer pastels), bachelor buttons, marigold (sugar and spice white) zinnias (Oklahoma ivory, Oklahoma formula mix, Queen lime series), linaria, amaranth, statice, crimson baby’s breath, unripe blueberry foliage, sunflowers (white lite, white nite, sunfill green, precut gold, unknown yellow with black center), huckleberries, sweet peas, Monticello mystery rose, calendula (ivory princess, bronze beauty, cantaloupe mix), snapdragons, briza maxima, cosmos (double click mix, cranberries), clematis, lemon balm, oregano, California poppies
Noteworthy: Dahlias are getting up to speed. Bounty bloomed and it is gorgeous. Lisianthus are budding up. Sugar and spice marigolds have a lovely green cast, but they’re really too short for decent cutting. We did the 4th of July event in Carnation, and the heat was punishing.
Low: 45.2° High: 94.6° Average: 67.56°
Rainfall: 0”
Week 25: June 24-June 30
Blooming: Zinnias! Linaria, amaranth, statice, crimson baby’s breath, unripe blueberry foliage, sunflowers, huckleberries, saponaria, salmonberries, sweet peas, Emily Bronte, roses, calendula, snapdragons, briza maxima, seashell cosmos, clematis, lemon balm, oregano, California poppies
Noteworthy: Our first dahlia bloomed! It looks like it’s Verrone’s Obsidian. Vase life testing shows properly conditioned soapwort lasts at least a week indoors; the same applies to toadflax, lemon balm, and young salal growth. Foxglove seems to last even longer.
Low: 48.8° High: 84.3° Average: 64.33°
Rainfall: 0”
Week 24: June 17-June 23
Blooming: Sunflowers, huckleberries, saponaria, salmonberries, sweet peas, roses, calendula, snapdragons, briza maxima, cosmos, honeysuckle, clematis, iris, lemon balm, oregano, California poppies
Noteworthy: Some dahlias have buds! Did a lot of pinching for annuals; almost all dahlia pinching has already been done. Large plantings of gladioli and tuberose (50).
Low: 46° High: 83.2° Average: 56.9°
Rainfall: 1.65”
Week 23: June 10-June 16
Blooming: Huckleberries, saponaria, salmonberries, sweet peas, roses, foxglove, calendula, snapdragons, briza maxima, cosmos, honeysuckle, clematis, lemon balm, oregano, California poppies
Low: 46.5° High: 88.7° Average: 60.26°
Rainfall: 0.3 ”
I just received the invoice for 600 tulips from C& J farms for the pre-order I made on February 28.
Week 22: June 3-June 9
Blooming: Sweet peas, roses, foxglove, calendula, snapdragons, briza maxima, cosmos, iris, peonies, honeysuckle, clematis, lemon balm, oregano
Low: 37.5° High: 89.2° Average: 60.95°
Rainfall: 0.46”
Week 21: May 27-June 2
Blooming: Sweet peas, salmonberries, roses, foxglove, peonies, clematis, honeysuckle, anemones
Low: 37.7° High: 75.1° Average: 57.04°
Rainfall: 0”
Week 20: May 20-May 26
Blooming: Sweet peas, roses, foxglove, anemones, salmonberries
Noteworthy: started selling sweet peas at market.
Low: 50.3° High: 81.2° Average: 61.25°
Rainfall: 0.21”
Week 19: May 14-May 19
Blooming: Anemones, ranunculus, sweet pea, lilac, salmonberries
Low:48.9 ° High: 93.7° Average: 68.48°
Rainfall: 0.35”
Week 18: May 7-May 13
Blooming: Anemones, ranunculus, lilac
Low: 39.1 ° High: 90.2° Average: 58.9°
Rainfall: 0.01”
Week 17: April 30-May 6
Blooming: Daffodils, anemones, ranunculus, lilac
Low: 45.4 ° High: 80° Average: 55.5°
Rainfall: 1.11”
Week 16: April 23-April 29
Blooming: Daffodils, anemones, and tulips, ranunculus
Low: 38.9° High: 74° Average: 52.16°
Rainfall: 0.7”
According to my records, I ordered 320 Daffodils on April 26. I was invoiced for them on October 10, after which time they shortly arrived. I planted them in the last week of November and the first week of December. The daffodils were as follows:
40 Delnashaugh
40 Replete
40 Snow Paradise
40 Sweet Paradise
40 Squaw Valley
40 Tahoe Valley
40 Yellow Paradise
40 Sir Winston Churchill
Week 15: April 16-April 22
Last frost of Winter 2022-2023: April 20th
Blooming: Daffodils, anemones, and tulips
Low: 30.8° High: 65.1° Average: 45.09°
Rainfall: 0.68”
Week 14: April 9-April 15
Blooming: Daffodils, anemones, and tulips
Low: 31.1° High:59.2° Average: 44.9°
Rainfall: 1.33”
Week 13: April 2-April 8
Blooming: Daffodils, anemones, and tulips
Low: 35° High: 56° Average: 44.41°
Rainfall: 0.9”
Week 12: March 26-April 1
Blooming: Daffodils, anemones, and tulips
Low: 33° High: 59° Average: 46.1°
Rainfall: 0.4”
Week 11: March 19-March 25
Blooming: Daffodils and anemones
Noteworthy: Transplanted Lisianthus plugs.
Low: 31.6° High: 65.6° Average: 45.2°
Rainfall: 1.72”
Week 10: March 12-March 18
Blooming: Daffodils and anemones
Week 9: March 5-March 11
Blooming: Daffodils
Week 8: February 27-March 4
This seems crazy to say, but apparently I placed a 600 tulip pre-order on February 28 (according to my records). I just ordered mixes, so I imagine I was expecting to order more specific varieties later. The only variety I ended up ordering was Columbus.
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The Paddock
Carnation, WA 98014
claire@thepaddockblooms.com