Porch Flowers FAQs

Am I in your drop off area?

Our drop off area is Holliday, Lakeside City, HWY 79S, and SW Wichita Falls.  We even go a little further north of Kell Boulevard.  Some of our favorite stops have been off of Park Hill, Kovarik, and Turtle Creek Rd to give you an idea of where we go.  We love to do drop offs around FM 1954 and Sisk Rd which is just up the road from our farm.

How does it work?

Every Tuesday, you get a reminder email (email address at purchase online) to leave a vase/bucket of fresh water on your porch.  Drop offs are on Wednesdays.  Voila!  It’s magical.

How much is it?

The Season Pass includes all five months of weekly drop offs, May through September and costs $600.  Each month is $125, so you save a little by purchasing the Season Pass.  If you like to get the most bang for your buck, we suggest picking a month with 5 weeks instead of 4.  It’s the same price either way.

Can I buy a monthly subscription and have it sent to different addresses every week as a gift?

We ask that you don’t do this.  It sounds like wonderful and good idea in theory.  But behind the scenes, our hourly and mileage pay for delivery drivers is based on mapping a route.  We only do this once a month.  Remember, you’re not paying for a flowers, you’re paying for time.  We’re doing our best to keep costs down.

What if I go on vacation?

Same as above.  We ask that you share your flowers with a friend, family, or neighbor and have them leave a vase on your porch and swing later to pick up and enjoy those blooms.

What day of the week is it?

Porch Flowers drop-offs are on Wednesday mornings.  On especially hot days, we start before sunrise to beat the heat.  You can put your vase out the night before if you like to sleep in.

Can you deliver to businesses?

Absolutely.  Porch Flowers isn’t just for your home.  We do commercial drop-offs.  Also, if you’re at work, we recommend having them dropped off at your place of business so anyway, so that they’re not in the heat all day.

 

 

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Flower Care Tips

Remember, Three Way Flower Farm is not responsible for florals after they’ve been picked up at the farm.  That doesn’t mean it’s difficult to do or that we don’t care.  We want you to succeed! Here are a few tips to help you along the way.

 

Tip #1:

Transport the flowers in your car with the air-conditioning on.

The cooler you keep them, the happier your flowers will be.  Don’t leave your flowers in car without the A/C running.  Even on a cool day, the sun will heat up the inside of your car quickly.  This will greatly diminish the quality of your flowers.

 

Tip #2:

Make sure they always have plenty of water.

Fresh flowers drink a lot of water.  Keep plenty of room temperature water in buckets at all times to make sure they don’t dry out and wilt.  Make sure you check it everyday.  It’s also helpful to change the water every couple of days.  Microorganisms in the water can cause bacteria to build up in the stems, which causes the flower to wilt by not being able to take up water.  Keep water fresh.

 

Tip #3:

For bulk/bucket flowers, trim at least a half inch off the stem before you put them in a vase.

By cutting them stems just before arranging in a vase, you expose fresh plant tissue than can take up water more efficiently.  You also eliminate bacteria build up or air that may be sneaking into the tip of the stem.  Trimming makes for perky flowers.

 

Tip #4:

Keep flowers away from heat and bright light.

These are not seedlings that need light to grow.  They are currently at the peak of perfection.  Sun and heat will trigger flowers to “mature” which will decrease their vase life.  Keep them in the coolest, shadiest area of your home.

 

Tip #5:

Put small personals (corsages, boutonnieres, hair pins, cuffs) in the fridge.

These items are “out-of-water” designs and should be kept cool in the fridge.  Make sure they don’t touch the sides and are not at the back of the fridge, where it’s often too cold.

 

Tip #6:

Do NOT put your bridal bouquet or other bouquets in the fridge.

Just as we mentioned above, refrigerators can be tricky.  Don’t risk bouquet damage by putting them in the fridge.  If they’re too close to the sides or back, it can be detrimental.  Remember, our flowers are picked at the peak of perfection.  Rest assured; they will last for many days at room temperature.  Better safe than sorry on this one.

 

Tip #7:

Put your flowers out at the event as late as possible.

Finished arrangements should be kept in a cool, dark area as long as possible before an event, even more so if it’s an outdoor event.  If you’re hot, they’re hot.

 

Tip #8:

Use sharp scissors when cutting.

Instead of smashing or damaging the tissue at the end of a stem, make sure you’re making a sharp cut to allow the tissue at the end of the stem to be able to take up water.  Use sharp snips or scissors.

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What is Chicken Confetti?

It’s a snack.  It smells great.  It’s nutritional.  Heck it’s a party!  That’s why we call it Chicken Confetti.
You can give it to your chickens as a tasty snack mixed with their regular feed or in a bowl.  You can sprinkle it in their nesting boxes to make the coop smell a bit better.  And the ingredients are all safe and nutritional.  We’ve tried them out on our chickens.  Here are the benefits below.

The ingredients are as follows: Oyster Shell, Oregano, Calendula, Rosemary, Mint, Cornflower, Chamomile, Lavender, Rose, and Basil.  And our newest ingredient, Crushed Red Pepper.

Oyster shell is the main ingredient because it is so purposeful.  Oyster shell contains calcium and will improve the hardness of the shells from your laying hens.

Oregano is a broad spectrum natural antibiotic.

Calendula is one of the flowers we grow at Three Way Flower Farm in early spring.  Also known as Pot Marigold, it provides egg yolks with a beautiful orange color and also has powerful healing powers.

Rosemary is one of the best herbs you can give your chickens because it is high in a variety of vitamins and minerals that are important for their overall health.

Besides being nutritious for chickens to eat, mint can help repel bugs and mice as well. Place the mints around the coop and it will keep these pests away.

Moreover, for nesting chickens, ingredients such as, cornflower (aka bachelor buttons), chamomile, lavender, and rose can do wonders for the best smelling and tasting eggs.

Basil has essential vitamins and minerals that the chickens need to stay healthy.

Crushed red pepper is a natural dewormer and chickens are not affected by the spiciness of capsaicin.

Treat them like the divas they are, and throw your laying hens a party today!

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The Dirty Dozen and their Care

Some of the most beautiful flowers have an ugly reputation for making dirty water. This list of blooms is referred to and shares a name with the classic war film, “The Dirty Dozen.” There are ways to combat the nasty water they make.

1) Add a few drops of bleach to the water. When I harvest these blooms, I make sure to always add a CVBN tablet to the bucket water. Likewise, if you add a few drops of bleach to your vase you’re doing the same thing, preventing bacteria growth, and keeping the water clean looking.

2) Change the water every day. Dump the old and add new water to your vase every day. Yes, the water dirties up that fast.

3) Try to opt for an opaque vase. While I love the mason jar look, having a non, see-through vase will keep your visitors from seeing unsightly water. If that’s not an option, do your best with the above two tips.

Here is a list of the dirty dozen:

Snapdragons, Marigolds, Amaranth, Dahlias, Sunflowers, Zinnias, Celosia, Daffodils, Bachelor Buttons, Stock, Yarrow, and Hyacinth

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The Top 10 Reasons YOU Should be Growing Dill

What do you think is MY favorite use for dill? Find out at the ends of this blog. But first, let me “farmsplain” why you should be growing it. I’ll think you’ll find a favorite use for it too.

1) It’s just plain pretty. Can’t you tell from the picture? Dill is ethereal. It grows five feet tall. It’s gorgeous.

2) It’s easy to grow. Dill is planted in October in North Texas. It grows over the winter, which means less bug and weeds pressure. It’s the easiest thing to grow and great for beginner gardeners. Fail proof.

3) Great for canning. Who doesn’t love pickles or pickled okra? My grandma used to make the best pickles. She would pick them all tiny because the grandkids loved them snack-size. Every time I think of canning or dill, I think of her.

4) Great for cooking. Dill bread. Dill dip. Watermelon gazpacho. Salmon with dill. Need I go on? I’m getting hungry just talking about it.

5) It seeds itself. You don’t even have to plant it. Just let it head out, seed out, and do its thang.

6) It’s hardy. Dill on my farm survived Snowpocalypse of 2021 without any special care. We had subzero windchills in North Texas and freezing temps for a week. It can survive anything with little or no help.

7) Beneficial for insects. Did you know that dill is the host plant for the swallowtail caterpillar? Swallowtail caterpillars turn into beautiful black swallowtail butterflies.

8) Throw it in your chicken coop. Have you ever heard of using herbs in your chickens nesting boxes. It makes the coop smell better. And chickens can even snack on them. Dried or fresh works fine. They even say it will give a hint of herbiness to your eggs.

9) It’s multi-purpose. Use the seeds (dill seed). Use the foliage (dill weed). It’s the give that keeps on giving.

10) Looks great in bouquets. Duh. I couldn’t get out of here without discussing its benefits as a cut flower. It provides so much textural interest to a bouquet or arrangement. Makes them smell great too.

So, what’s my favorite use for dill? Butterfly habitat. While I love to pick it for bouquets, I always relocate the caterpillars to several plants I don’t use for harvesting. That way, they can chow down, make their chrysalis and turn into beautiful butterflies. We even just brought some in the house so that we could watch them during the whole process and do a butterfly release at the end. Isn’t nature great? Dill is too. Believe me now?

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Herbicide Damage in Landscaping, Gardening, and Flower Farming

This year has been the hardest flower farming year I’ve had. As a farmer you know not to complain much. If it’s not one thing, it’s another, whether that be bugs, hail, etc. This year, we’re still suffering from drought in North Texas. May and June have seen above average temperatures, extending up and over 100 degrees for successive days. But what hit hard this year was the herbicides.

Let me tell you about something you might not know about. You may think you have a black thumb, when in fact, it’s not your fault. Several years ago, I landscaped in my flower bed with some native perennials. They died. I thought it sure was strange that a Blackfoot Daisy couldn’t survive. Turns out, I was poisoning my landscaping by having my yard sprayed for weeds. Whaaat?! That was my first introduction to herbicides. Herbicides target broadleaf weeds. Flowers are basically the same thing. All that’s left to grow is grass. I quickly cancelled my yard spraying service and things have grown much better since. Did you know you don’t even really need to spray for weeds in the spring? I know it’s an eyesore, especially if you live in town. But when things warm up, those weeds will die off anyway. Bermuda grass will choke them out. Plants like Chickweed are beneficial to insects and feed the bees in the spring. Just promise me you’ll consider it.

My second encounter with herbicides came from using manure. What I didn’t know is that even though cows have four stomachs, they don’t break down herbicides that are used on the hay and grass that they eat. Herbicides such as 2, 4-D and picloram can have half-lives of hundreds of days, meaning they may be in soil for years. A lot of people amend their soil with compost, manure, or lay hay down for mulch. You have to know the source of these products to know whether or not they’ve been treated with herbicides. Otherwise, you’re poisoning your garden and not giving yourself a fighting chance.

Spraying grass leads me to my main topic. This year I got hit hard with herbicide drift. Herbicide drift occurs when spray planes spray and the product drifts onto plants that it wasn’t intended to kill. Did you know?…herbicides can drift up to one mile in a less than 5 miles per hour wind. Some states have websites such as driftwatch.org which let you sign up and be notified when spraying will occur. Likewise, it lets the spray pilots know who to protect, therefore protecting specialty crops. Texas does not have a website like driftwatch.org. But after contacting the landowner and the spray plane company, I’m hoping that better lines of communication will help prevent this in the future.

All is not lost. Not all of my flowers died. Of the cool-season hardy annuals, the scabiosa was hit the hardest. It started to grow out of it, but the delay in growth caused these cool loving flowers to have to bloom when it was just too hot outside for them. Of the warm-season tender annuals, the zinnias (pictured) and sunflowers were most damaged. I lost a succession of sunflowers. The zinnias are just not starting to grow out of it. Kind of.

What do you need to look for? Herbicides kill plants by messing with their growth hormones. They cause the leaves and stems to twist and curl, and the abnormal growth kills the plant. Think this may be happening to you? You can always double check by sending off a plant sample to the TAMU plant clinic listed at the following URL:

https://plantclinic.tamu.edu/

Also, if you grow tomatoes, keep an eye on them and watch for irregular growth. Although there are viruses and fungus that cause leaf roll in tomatoes, I’ve found that they are the “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to identifying herbicide drift. They are very susceptible to it and can signal to you what might be happening to your other plants. I hope this information helps you prevent mistakes in your own garden or landscaping.

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Gardening with Kids

Getting kids outside nowadays can be a struggle. There’s so much competition. First of all, let me just say that we’re all busy out of our minds. Second of all, give your child and option between going outside and screentime? And I would bet they pick an electronic over you. Some of the competitors in our house are TV, Youtube, ipads, Minecraft, and Among Us to name a few. Peeling those kiddos away from screens is hard. You feel me?

Remember, expectations minus reality equals disappointment. Relax. And remember these tips. It’ll set your quality time up for success.

1. Use BIG seeds

Have you ever seen a snapdragon seed? They’re tiny! I know, because I plant them with toothpicks and make sure to have my reading glasses nearby (yeah, I turned 40 this year…tell me about it). Can you imagine tiny hands and fingers trying to plant tiny seeds? It would be a lesson in patience and a disaster, I’m sure. Use BIG seeds like sunflowers. They’ll be easier to hold and see. Seeing what they’re doing more easily will make those memories really stick with the kiddos.

2. Use seeds that germinate and grow quickly

Germination is the amount of time for a seed to break out of its shell and show growth. Some seeds can take two weeks to germinate. All that watching…waiting. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time for that. I know children don’t. Use seeds that germinate (and grow) quickly. Zinnias and marigolds are some of my favorite warm weather flowers that germinate quickly. When I start them inside the house, they start growing in just a few days. Don’t waste your time starting them indoors though. Sow them straight into the garden. Your kids will be amazed that they pop up so fast.

3. Think about what they like to eat

Gardening isn’t just for flowers at our house. We grow a home vegetable garden too. Get your kids excited. Ask them what they like to eat. Do you children love pulling carrots out of the ground and eating them raw? Grow carrots. Do your kiddos love pickles? Mine do. Grow some cucumbers and dill. The possibilities are endless. Getting kids to eat healthy and get outside are both hard. This is a win, win!

I’m a mom but I’m no expert when it comes to gardening with my kids. My biggest tip is to have fun. Just roll with it! I’m sure you’ll come up with some good tips on your own.

Let me end by saying this. I was not an outdoorsy child. I’m still not especially outdoorsy. But my parents “planted a seed.” They role modeled the benefits of gardening – having extra money from a bumper wheat crop or getting to pick exactly what veggies I got to eat for supper from the garden’s bounty. What an exciting childhood, even if I didn’t appreciate it then. I appreciate it now. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) Keep trying and those kiddos will grow up to surprise you and be exactly who you hoped they’d be with the character you hoped to instill.

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My Tomato Story

Everyone has a story, right?  THIS is my tomato story.  I struggled for years being able to grow tomatoes.  Everyone else was doing it so well.  Tomato jealousy?  Maybe.  Do you ever feel this way?  Can you grow tomatoes?

I happened on a few things that finally helped me get it right.  Three actually.  Hopefully, my trials will help this process be a bit easier for you.

First, get a head start on the hot summer.  I grow in hardiness zone 7B.  The US Hardiness Zones do not account for heat in the summer, only winter low temps.  Those maps DO NOT take into account the hot summer we have in North Texas combined with very direct sun.  We’ll get back to that direct sun thing in a bit.  Anyway, it gets hot, fast.  Tomatoes need every chance they can get to put on fruit before it’s 100+ degrees Fahrenheit for 30 days straight.  I start my tomatoes indoors around Valentine’s Day to give them a headstart.  The method I use is a little unconventional but it works great.  I make 3/4-inch soil blocks with a Ladbrook soil blocker.  About a month after that, I move the seedlings to a 2-inch soil block (see those healthy roots in the pics below!)  I plant outside when the nighttime air temperature is 60 degrees or warmer.

Check out my other blog “Indoor Seed-Starting How Tos” on tips for starting seeds indoors and the setup you’ll need to accomplish it effectively.

The second thing I figured out that helped me is to know the difference between determinate and indeterminate. Determinate varieties will put on fruit after a certain amount of time, then die.  Indeterminate varieties will grow and put on fruit all summer long, until the first frost.  I grow indeterminate now.  Fall tomatoes are THE BEST! and my tomatoes plants grow over 12 feet tall.  You can usually find whether the seeds are determinate or indeterminate on the seed packet.

I would grow determinate instead of indeterminate varieties if I wasn’t able to grow in the shade.  This brings me to my third point.  Grow in shade!  It is said that “direct sun” on a label means 3 hours of sunlight a day in North Texas. My hoophouse has a shade cloth over the top that provides 50% shade.  You can buy shade cloth at your local home and garden store or call your local extension office.  Sometimes they give it away.  The tomatoes from a determinate variety would be harvested and the plant done, by the time the terrible July and August weather hits.  Indeterminate varieties have to have shade.

I hope this helps you grow tomatoes.  This year, we are growing the following indeterminate varieties: Amish Paste, Celebrity, German Striped, and Brandywine.  Happy growing!

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Tips for Foraging Wildflowers

Spring is in the air.  That means, wildflowers are in the ditches.  Foraging native flowers for bouquets or arrangements can be fun to do.  Just keep a few tips in mind.

  1. Safety First – Whether you’re traipsing through a pasture or cutting in the bar ditch, there are things to keep in mind.  Make sure you never trespass.  Always ask permission to be on someone else’s property, especially in Texas where we shoot first, ask questions later.  Ha!  If you’re in the bar ditch, no need to ask for permission.  Keep in mind, you need to be parked safely, off the road, on the shoulder, or in the ditch.  You may even want to turn on your hazard lights if it’s a busier road.  Don’t be surprised if someone stops to ask for help.  Lastly, watch for rattlesnakes.  Warmer temps mean wildflowers blooming, but it also means snakes are out of their dens.  Look before you reach down and cut a flower.  And it’s always a good idea to wear boots and long pants.  If you see a snake, freeze and back up slowly.
  2. Know What You’re Picking – Flower farmers pinch their flowers when they’re small to increase the amount of branching stems.  Some wildflowers are actually noxious weeds.  That means they’re invasive to our area and it’s illegal for a landowner not to control their spread.  By cutting what you think is a pretty flower, you may actually be increasing the amount of stems and therefore, the amount of seeds a plant puts off.  An example of a noxious weed in North Texas is the Musk Thistle.  Flowers can also be dangerous to you.  Euphorbia, also known as Snow on the Mountain, would be a beautiful foliage for bouquets with it’s variegated leaves.  But…it gives off a sap that causes very bad irritation if it gets on the skin or in the eyes.  Don’t believe me?  Just google “Snow on the Mountain Wedding Disaster.”
  3. Leave Some – My last tip is to always leave some.  If you want to keep enjoying Mother Nature’s bounty, you have to leave some flowers to set seed.  Don’t be greedy.  Don’t pick it all.  That way, you can keep enjoying foraging wildflowers for years to come.

Some of my favorite blooms to forage in North Texas include Liatris mucronata, also known as Texas Blazing Star or gayfeather.  I also enjoy the entoxicating scent of Bee Balm or Monarda, known locally as Horse Mint.  You can find it growing in ditches.

If you’re interested in knowing more about wildflowers, check out these books,  Range Plants of North Central Texas and Roadside Flowers of Texas.

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Indoor Seed-Starting How Tos

Get a jump start on the growing season by starting seeds indoors.  There are two main things you need, heat and light.  It gets a bit technical, but stick with me.  It’s much easier than it seems.

Most people think the kitchen windowsill is the perfect place to start seeds.  It’s actually one of the coolest, draftiest places in your home.  All  seeds need heat to germinate.  Cool season flowers and vegetables typically like soil temperatures between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit.  Warm season flowers and vegetables like soil temps between 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit.  That’s just a rule of thumb.  Check the seed packet to make sure.  Now, I know what you’re thinking…”perfect, that’s the temperature of my house.”  Hold on, that’s the air temp, but the soil temp is going to be much cooler.  I present to you, seed starting mats.  You can purchase one like I use at the link below and it will increase your soil temperature about 10 degrees.  Just be sure to double check soil temperature periodically with a thermometer.

iPower Seedling Heat Mat 10" x 20.5" Warm Hydroponic Heating Pad w- Durable Waterproof Design

Next up, light.  That infamous kitchen windowsill is insufficient here too.  Here’s the technical part. You need a shop light with bulbs that are between 5000-7500 Kelvin.  That’s because blue light or cool light is the best for vegetative growth.  Fluorescent or LED, doesn’t matter.  Now, just hang it 2 inches above your seedlings (from a rack or underside of  a cabinet).  Seedlings prefer 16 hours of light.  You can even put them on a timer, or use your Christmas tree timer, if you’re forgetful like me.

Now all you need is soil, pots, seeds…and a little bit of gumption.  Happy planting!

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