By Adam Calder, Produce Manager
March 2018 Produce Parable

It’s spring, and that means it is time to start your flower seedlings.  If you’ve saved your own seeds from last year’s garden flowers, then good for you! If the birds and back yard critters ate all your flower seeds, or if they were dispersed to the winds before you could get to them, fear not!  Wheatsfield Cooperative has an excellent selection of flower seeds that will thrive in the rich Iowa soil.

Our seeds come from Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah.  Their website has a wealth of information on it if you want to learn more about saving seeds and the work being done to help preserve the genetic heritage of as many plants as possible.

So what have we got in stock you say?  Bee’s Friend, Bells of Ireland, Black Velvet Nasturtium, California Poppy Mixture, Color Mix Pincushion, Firmament, Globe Amaranth, Hungarian Blue Poppy, Johnny Jump-up, Old-Fashioned Vining Petunia, Sea Shells Cosmos, Starfire Signet Marigold, Strawflower Mix, Butterfly Milkweed, Ring of Fire Sunflower, Rostov Sunflower, Titan Sunflower and Torch Sunflower is our response.  There are also several herbs that also have beautiful flowers, such as St. John’s Wort, Garlic Chives, English Lavender and German Chamomile.

While you’re looking at the flower seeds, don’t forget to check out our selection of vegetable and herb seeds which, while not necessarily known for their blooms, all still produce their own unique flowers.  Bright yellow tomato flowers with their piquant aroma; the pink and purple curves of bean flowers; the lacy tendrils of a zucchini blossom; all of these flowers are in their own ways as glamorous as plants grown for their ornamental blooms.

These flowers are not only a source of beauty for you to behold, as they are also food and home to a wide variety of insects and animals.  Planting a flower garden isn’t just a way to bring a little splendor to your yard.  When you plant flowers, you are forced take a step back from the hectic pace of modern life and into the world of nature.  If you’ve never felt the burdens of a weary world melt away from your shoulders as you poke, prod and plant a spring flower garden then perhaps this is the spring you give it a try.