Growing flowers without chemicals sounds wholesome, and in many ways it is. I love knowing that the flowers we grow are safe for the bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects that visit the farm every day. But as the season progresses, the realities of chemical-free flower farming become pretty obvious.
Nature has a way of reminding you that you aren't the only one enjoying the garden.
My strawflowers are starting to show insect damage on their leaves. Freshly cut peonies often come in covered with ants. Crab grass and bindweed seem to appear overnight and are constantly creeping into the statice beds. Rabbits have also discovered some of the tastier plants and have nibbled more than a few tender seedlings.
The truth is that growing flowers without chemicals takes a lot of time and labour. There are endless hours spent hand weeding, hoeing, watering, and keeping an eye out for pest problems before they get out of hand. I spend plenty of evenings researching natural ways to deal with insects and diseases and trying to decide what approach makes the most sense.
Every season also teaches me something new. I already have a running list of changes I want to make next year. One thing I'm considering is planting some crops more closely together so they shade the soil sooner, suppress weeds, and hopefully produce longer stems. Flower farming often feels like one long experiment, with each season helping shape the next.
Even with all of the extra work, I wouldn't farm any other way. I'd much rather spend more time hand weeding or searching for natural solutions than use chemicals and risk harming the pollinators that call the farm home.
And honestly, I've come to enjoy many of the slower jobs. Hand weeding gives me a chance to slow down and really see what's happening in the garden. It's often when I notice something exciting — a new insect I've never seen before, birds hunting among the rows, or, this week, a monarch caterpillar feeding on our swamp milkweed. We've also been seeing lots of monarch butterflies around the farm, which feels like a small sign that creating habitat is making a difference.
Inside the drying room, bunches of foraged wildflowers are hanging from every available space while I wait for the first flush of statice to mature. The flower stems are finally up and looking strong; now I'm simply waiting for the blooms to open fully.
Chemical-free flower farming isn't always easy. It's messy, time-consuming, and often humbling. But it has taught me to pay attention, be patient, and work with nature instead of against it. For me, that's one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
