Summer flowers at Fern Verrow

Summer Flowers at Fern Verrow

Harvesting Flowers

We grow a lot of zinnias at Fern Verrow and they're very generous plants. Generally, you can get at least ten flower stems off each plant, but if you want to encourage long stems, you need to be mindful of how you cut the plant.

To encourage stronger growth, you need to cut the flower stem much lower than you probably think you should. Although you may sacrifice some buds as a result, in the long run you will end up with more blooms.

This process is similar to deadheading and will help the plant to produce more blooms.

Dried Flowers

Dried flowers are becoming very popular nowadays, particularly in winter when there are no English blooms available. By using dried flowers, we can be more sustainable and avoid importing blooms from abroad.

At Fern Verrow, we dry things like strawflowers, marigolds and calendula.

How to dry flowers:

1. Harvest on a warm, dry and breezy day.
2. Tie together in a small bunch.
3. Hang upside down in a dark and dry place with good air flow.