In my recent Instagram post, I filmed a quick video of myself transplanting eucalyptus seedlings from mini soil blocks to larger ones.

There’s something so satisfying about working with soil blocks! If you’re curious about trying them out before the rush of seed-sowing season begins, I’ve written a short “how-to” blog to get you started.

Hustling to Beat the Cold

The mild late fall temperatures have spoiled me, and I’ve been procrastinating on many of my cold-weather tasks. But with temperatures expected to dip into the 20s this weekend, I’m hustling this week to protect my plants.

Protecting the Roses

We have over 40 rose bushes in our perennial bed, and I absolutely adore them! In spring, when they’re in full bloom, their intense fragrance drifts through the kitchen windows, which face directly toward the garden. Our flower stand customers also get to enjoy their beauty and scent when they park near the rose garden.

To prepare the roses for winter, we:

• Remove any leaves and buds still on the branches.

• Blow off dead leaves from the ground to reduce the risk of leaf fungus contamination next year.

• Mound the roots with a generous amount of compost for insulation.

We’ll wait until late winter—when the forsythia blooms—to do the final pruning.

Peonies, Peonies, and more Peonies

This year, we added 25 more peony roots to the farm—much to Mr. Seashore Flower Farm’s dismay (he gets the challenging job of finding space for them!). Peonies are second only to roses as my favorite flower.

At this point, we’ve lost count of how many we have, but it’s somewhere between 70 and 75 plants!

Preparing for the Cold Snap

The last big task for this week is protecting my fall-planted seedlings. Hardy varieties like larkspur, bachelor’s buttons, and corn cockle can handle the cold without help, but less hardy plants like sweet peas, snapdragons, and stock need extra protection. A layer of frost cloth works perfectly to keep them warm enough to survive.

If you’ve got seedlings outside, I’d recommend doing the same for any varieties that aren’t as cold-hardy whenever temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing. Just remember: if the days warm up, you’ll need to remove the frost cloth to prevent overheating—welcome to the fun game of “frost cloth musical chairs”!

A Note on Garden Cleanup

Lastly, if you can, leave your garden cleanup until spring. Fallen seeds, leaves, and branches provide vital food and shelter for beneficial insects through the winter months. It’s a simple way to support your garden’s ecosystem.

Bring Joy All Year Long with a Flower Subscription!

Give a gift that blooms beyond the holiday season! With our flower subscription, your recipient will receive a lush, hand-tied bouquet each month for three months (per season).

🌼 Perfect for Anyone on Your List

Each bouquet is more than flowers—it’s a shared experience between you and your loved one. Every delivery is a little reminder of how much you care, bringing light, color, and happiness into their life. With every bouquet, your loved one will feel the thrill of unwrapping a thoughtful, handcrafted surprise.

Our bouquet subscription offers a one-of-a-kind gift that delivers joy, connection, and beauty for months to come.

🌸 How It Works

Choose Your Season(s):
Spring: Late March/April, May, early June
Summer: Late June, July, August
Fall: Late August, September, October

Or delight them all year with all three seasons!

Reserve Now, Enjoy Later:
When you purchase a subscription, you’re reserving some of our most special blooms. When the season arrives, your recipient will receive freshly harvested, premium flowers arranged and beautifully wrapped—ready to brighten their home.

🌷 What Flowers to Expect
(Our subscribers get first pick of our premium blooms!)

Spring: Narcissus, tulips, ranunculus, anemones, peonies, roses
Summer: Roses, ranunculus, anemones, sweet peas, sunflowers, lisianthus
Fall: Dahlias and heirloom mums

Pick-up & Delivery Options
Local Pick-Up: Choose the farm or Nikki’s Café in West Cape May (5-order minimum required for café pick-up).

Shipping: We offer overnight shipping nationwide (excluding Alaska, California, and Hawaii).

🌸 Reserve Your Subscription Today!
Whether it’s for a loved one or yourself, our flower subscription brings joy, beauty, and a touch of nature to every season.

NEW: DRY FLOWER WREATH WORKSHOP

During the cold, dark days of winter, bring the essence of the height of summer with our beautiful, dried flowers and learn to craft your very own forever dry flower wreath.

Two workshops are scheduled in January:
Saturday, January 18, 10am-noon
Saturday, January 25, 10am-noon

Spots are limited to 10 people for each workshop to ensure plenty of one-on-one guidance and support.

Need a Unique Hostess or Teacher Gifts?

These pre-paid, printed gift cards make unique hostess, teacher, or an all-around thoughtful token gift (gift them to yourself!). Each card is priced to work with our flower stand pricing, making it convenient for you and your recipient to use in lieu of cash (or the other payment options), just drop the cards in the cash box).

Virtual Gift Cards

While fresh flowers may not be in bloom right now, you can still share the joy of flowers with our gift cards! Available in amounts from $10 (perfect for hostess or teacher gifts) to $200, these cards never expire and can be used for any of our offerings—bouquets, flower subscriptions, workshops, or even U Pick events.

🌟 Bonus perk: For every $40 in gift cards you purchase, you’ll receive a $5 credit added to your account!

Interesting Gardening Reads:

• Bloom Calendar for Better Design

• Side Yard Cunundrum

• Smart Bird Feeding

• Good Bug Guide

Happy Holidays!

Your support means everything to us! 🌸 If you know someone who’d love what we do—whether it’s our flowers, weddings, workshops, or just a peek into farm life—please share us with them. Every little shoutout or share makes a world of difference to our small family business. 🌸

And if you’ve enjoyed visiting or working with us, we’d love it if you could leave a Google review too. Your words mean so much and help others find us!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 💕