Our Fall Favorites

Our Fall Favorites

By: Lindsey Poe on September 15, 2024

​It’s not officially fall until next week,  but it is definitely starting to feel and look like it out here on the farm. The light of day is coming a bit later as the weeks go by and the sun appears to cast a golden glow over the land. The early mornings are cool and everything is covered in a light dew. The summer blooms are starting to fade while the fall favorites are bursting with color. Each season brings us so many different kinds of flowers to enjoy. Here are some of our absolute "must haves" for autumn!

​Amaranthus
While technically not a flower, amaranthus is a grain that we love growing here on the farm. Not only does it come in several unique varieties (upright and hanging) it is super easy to start from seed and can be sown directly into the garden. Amaranthus loves the heat. They do not like cold temperatures and cannot handle the heat, so don't plant it too early. A fall must for us!

​Broom Corn Millet
Broom Corn always puts on an amazing fall show. It is such a unique ornamental grass and is always one of my favorites. The mix of brightly colored seed heads looks amazing in bouquets as well as in fall wreaths. Broomcorn is drought tolerant and is best planted in full sunlight.
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Celosia
This unique flower is definitely on my list of Top 5 Flowers to Grow! It is such a hardworking plant that comes in a vast range of shapes including brains, fans and plumes. Celosia loves the hot weather of summer and will grow beautifully into the fall. While the seeds are incredibly tiny, they are well worth the patience it takes to start them by seed. Celosia is generally drought-tolerant and thrives in full sunlight.
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Dahlias
No fall-cutting garden would be complete without the beauty that comes from dahlias. While they may seem a bit complicated to grow, it may not be as difficult as you think. So many books and resources have been written on the subject of this flower. Take some time to do your research and try your hand at growing these beauties. Dahlias can be planted from tubers or grown from seed. Be sure to choose a warm, sunny location with well-drained, fertile soil. You can also start dahlias in pots indoors and then transplant them outside. The varieties are absolutely endless! For more information on planting dahlias, be sure to check out my blog on Digging Up Dahlias.
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Sunflowers
Nothing says fall like sunflowers. Just a single stem or a large bunch of these cheerful beauties seems to brighten up any day! Sunflowers are not difficult to grow and come in range of colors and sizes. Plant sunflower seeds directly in the ground after the last frost in a sunny spot with well-drained soil, spacing them 6-12 inches apart depending on the variety. The closer you plant them together the smaller your flowers and stems will be. You can also choose from single stem varieties that give you one perfect bloom per plant or branching varieties that produce multiple blooms on shorter stems. Just be sure to choose a pollenless variety, if allergies a concern.

Tithonia (Mexican Sunflowers)
These late-season beauties love to attract all the beneficial insects around. Butterflies just love them! They bloom midsummer until the first hard freeze and their bright, bold color adds such an intense beauty to any cutting garden. Plant in spring after the last frost, when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees. Tithonia grows best in full sun with well-drained soil. An absolute must grow!
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Zinnias
You just can't beat all the bright colors and varieties of the beloved zinnia. They are such a happy flower and a definite must grow. They are super easy to start from seed and can also be direct seeded into the garden after the weather warms up in the spring. Zinnias are one of the first flowers we ever grew on our farm and we continue to grow thousands of them every season. A true favorite!

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​I would love to hear your experiences with any of the flowers listed above. What are some of your fall favorites to grow? Or, what varieties are you hoping to add to your garden next year?

Happy Planting!
XOXO