PLANT CARE GUIDES

My goal is to help you create your dream garden. These guides give you my best tips and tricks on growing flowers here the Phoenix Valley and other warm climates.

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Flowers John Miller Flowers John Miller

Feverfew

Feverfew aka matricria, is a dainty, fun, wildflower-esque flower. Feverfew comes in many different varieties, but I usually grow double varieties. It’s something that florists usually do not find in wholesale flower shops or grocery stores. It’s a cool season annual planted in the fall, but this flower is one of the later cool season plants to flower. Buds are initiated by longer day lengths, so typically they won’t flower until after mothers Day.

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Craspedia

Craspedia was a new flower I grew in the 2022-2023 season. I was blown away, to say the least. They produced strong, loli-pop blooms that were the perfect addition to all my spring bouquets. The plants stayed on the short side, like a clump of grass, with blooms reaching 18” tall. some people call this flower ‘drumstick flower’ or ‘Billy balls’. This flower dries perfectly, it’s as beautiful dried as it is fresh.

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Statice

Statice is one of my favorite filler flowers and can be used fresh or dried to make some magical arrangements. I love using them for wreath making. They start blooming in April and I am harvesting them typically through June here in the Low Desert. I’ve seen these flowers survive the summer, and bloom again the following spring. I don’t rely on them to do this, but can be an added bonus.

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Garden Basics John Miller Garden Basics John Miller

Indoor Seed Starting

Creating healthy, vigorous seedlings is so essential when bringing seedlings to life. A properly cared for seedling will translate to the future success of the plat. Here is an overview of how I start a lot of my seeding for my operation, and the products that I use to do so.

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Sunflowers

Sunflowers are an American classic, they are easily recognized for their bright cheerful colors. They come in lots of different colors now and are easy to start from seed. They are native to North America and are commonly found growing wild in parts of Arizona.

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Herbs John Miller Herbs John Miller

Basil

Basil is a lovely foliage to have throughout the warm growing season. There are so many different kinds of basil, that each has unique qualities to them. 

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Amaranth

Amaranth is technically an edible grain, but we are cut flower growers who use or ornamentally for its beautiful autumnal plumes. They thrive in poorer soils and come in shades of green, copper, red, magenta, and blush.

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Celosia

Celosia is some of my favorite flowers to have in the field for late summer and Fall. They come in colors from pink to orange and red. They also make great dried flowers for crafting projects. These flowers can re-seed readily in the garden, which I don’t think is a bad thing!

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Seasonal Tips John Miller Seasonal Tips John Miller

Monsoon Planting Guide

Monsoons are seasonal rains here in Arizona during the summer months. This season officially starts on June 15th, but we typically don’t see rains start until after the 4th of July. Monsoons bring slightly higher humidity levels, which makes it a great time to sow warm-loving annuals. With a few Tips and tricks, you can have some great flowers to cut from this late summer into fall.

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Dwarf Lisianthus

Lisianthus are one of Phoenix's best-kept secrets! These flowers take the heat, and will actually last a few years with proper care. Dwarf lisianthus are relatively new to the market, and they are coming out with better and better varieties every year.

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Lisianthus

Lisianthus are one of Phoenix best kept secrets! These flowers take the heat, and will actually last a few years with proper care. They flower in the summer and can give you multiple flushes per plant. They can come in an array of colors from blue to peaches & pastels.

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Zinnias

Zinnias are one of the quintessential summer flowers that THRIVE in the summer heat, even here in Phoenix. They come in a rainbow of colors, from bright neons to soft blushes. Zinnias come in dwarf forms perfect for a container or border, to tall giant forms perfect for your cut flower garden. They love the dry heat that phoenix offers, you just have to make sure to water them to keep them happy.

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Muscari

Muscari aka ‘Grape hyacinth’ are short blooms that resemble a cluster of grapes. They typically produce 2-3 bloom stalks per bulb and stay less than 6” tall. They are a classic spring flower, perfect for any cottage or container gardens. They have a faint grape scent, thus the name grape hyacinth. They pair well with tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, pansy’s and more.

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Foxgloves

Foxgloves are the quintessential cottage flower. Their long floral spikes paired with their tubular flowers make for a bumble bee dream palace. I love pairing these with delphiniums, snapdragons, and bells of Ireland in the garden for a truly magical, whimsical feel.

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Delphiniums

Delphiniums are up there with foxgloves,  as some of the most magical garden flowers. They give that instant cottage feels to the garden, with their striking columnar colors of blue, white, and lavender tones. In greek myology, this flower translates to ‘Dolphins’based on their petal structure and color. 

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Tulips

Tulips? In Phoenix? yes! People are usually shocked when I tell them they can grow these beauties here in the desert. They are treated as annuals here, but they are totally worth the time and effort. I'm going to explain some crucial steps on how to grow these flowers for the best results and maximum lifespan. If planned properly, tulips would be the perfect addition to your valentines day bouquets.

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Snapdragons - Groups 1 & 2

Snapdragons thrive in cooler weather, Grop One can be trickier to start from seed than other snapdragon groups. Place seeds in the fridge for a few weeks and sow them in September or October indoors.

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