The Annual Seed Audit

Every February, we sit down at the kitchen table with our seed inventory, last year's harvest records, and a ruthless attitude. This is when we decide what earns a spot in the field — and what gets dropped. Space on the farm is finite. Every row planted with something mediocre is a row that could have held something extraordinary.

Our criteria are simple: Does it grow well here? Does it harvest well? Do people love it? If the answer isn't yes to all three, it's out.

What We're Adding in 2026

This year, we're excited about a few new additions to the farm:

  • Ranunculus 'Champagne' — We've trialed these in small batches for two years. The soft peachy-champagne color is unlike anything else we grow, and they hold up beautifully in arrangements.
  • Lisianthus (double rose series) — We're expanding our lisianthus beds from 200 to 500 plants. They're slow to start but the blooms rival roses and last 2+ weeks in a vase. Our wedding clients can't get enough of them.
  • Chocolate Cosmos — Yes, they really do smell like chocolate. A conversation starter in every bouquet.
  • Orlaya grandiflora — The most delicate, lace-like white flower you'll ever see. Perfect filler for garden-style arrangements.

What We're Phasing Out

Every addition means something has to go. Here's what's leaving the rotation:

  • Standard snapdragons — We're replacing these with butterfly snapdragons, which have a more open, airy form that works better in loose arrangements.
  • Rudbeckia 'Cherokee Sunset' — Beautiful flower, terrible vase life. We tried every post-harvest trick and could never get more than 4 days out of them.
  • Marigolds (standard African varieties) — The market is oversaturated. Everyone grows marigolds. We're keeping our heirloom French varieties but dropping the big pom-pom types.

Our Core Crops (Never Changing)

Some crops earn their spot every year without question:

  • Dahlias — Our #1 crop. 50+ varieties, planted across 6 rows. They produce from July through frost and our customers are borderline obsessed.
  • Zinnias — The backbone of our summer bouquets. We grow 'Benary's Giant' and 'Queen Lime' series in massive quantities.
  • Sunflowers — Succession-planted every 10 days from April through August. We can never grow enough.
  • Sweet peas — Our earliest spring crop. They go in as seeds in November (yes, November) and are the first flowers we sell in March.
  • Cosmos — 'Double Click' and standard 'Sensation' mix. They fill bouquets with movement and airiness that no other flower provides.

The Seed Ordering Process

We order from a handful of trusted suppliers:

  • Johnny's Selected Seeds — Our primary source for annual cutting flowers. Excellent germination rates and variety selection.
  • Floret Flowers — Specifically for dahlia tubers and specialty ranunculus. Their varieties are curated for the cut flower market.
  • Select Seeds — Heirloom and unusual varieties that you can't find elsewhere.

We place our main seed order in December and a smaller succession order in February. By March, everything has arrived and we're starting seeds in the greenhouse.

A cutting garden isn't about growing every flower that exists. It's about growing the right flowers incredibly well.

Your Turn

If you're planning your own cutting garden this spring, start with 5 varieties max. Master those, then expand next year. We sell seed packets and tubers for all of our core varieties in our farm shop.

Need help deciding what to grow? Send us a note at hello@sugaroaklane.com — we love talking about this stuff.