Field & Garden

A quick little set of reminders for busy flower growers!

1) Weeds: You need a prevention plan, plus a plan to extinguish any that survive when they're small.

2) Succession planting: designate resources/time to getting those successions done, it needs to be a top priority.

3) Always be selling: be on the lookout for additional sales opportunities, putting feelers out continuously.

4) Don't run out of supplies: purchase with an entire season in mind so that you're not stuck waiting for something.

5) Do paperwork weekly: put it in your schedule weekly, as this task gets more overwhelming if you don't keep up with it.

Mentions

⁠⁠Shop the TGW Online Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa's Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

Today's episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, normally called Ask a Flower Farmer. This one, however, we called Ask a Florist, and it featured guest hostess Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, MD. Ellen is a floral designer who creates exclusively with flowers and foliage purchased from local growers. She is also one of our course instructors here at The Gardener's Workshop. In this Q&A Ellen fielded questions about floral design, the different flowers she uses throughout the year, and some great business questions too.

Mentions

⁠Ellen's newsletter signup⁠

⁠Ellen's YouTube Channel⁠

Follow on Instagram: ⁠⁠Ellen Frost Flowers⁠⁠, ⁠Local Color Flowers⁠

⁠Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing⁠

On-Demand Mini-Workshop: ⁠⁠Preparing to Sell to Florists⁠⁠

⁠PDF: Pro Tips to Make Your Flowers Last⁠

Follow on Instagram: ⁠@florxeight⁠, local rose grower

⁠Floral Hydrator: Quick Dip⁠

⁠The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram⁠

⁠Postharvest Handling book in the ASCFG bookstore⁠

⁠The Floral Coach®⁠

⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠

⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠

The⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠ Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠, owner of⁠ The Gardener's Workshop,⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠ and the publisher of⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠ and⁠ Florist School Online.⁠ Watch⁠ Lisa's Story⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

I don't know about you, but I am always anxious about spring. A lot is riding on it, right? Weather, seed sowing issues, never enough help, everything seems urgent, netting-netting-netting... seedling care, and then bedmaking, planting, and harvesting starts.

What I have learned after decades of facing anxiousness is that constant support, encouragement, and prioritizing are what get me through and have led to less anxiousness overall.

Hope this helps,

Lisa

Mentions

Workshop: Cool Flowers from Seed to Harvest

The Gardener's Workshop Club

Flower Farming School Online: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More!

Shop the TGW Online Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa's Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. Guest-hosted by Dave Dowling of Ball/ColorLink, also a former flower farmer and the instructor for our online course: ⁠⁠Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More⁠⁠.

Dave is always happy to share his knowledge with our listeners! Here, he answers questions about peonies, snapdragons, lilies, stock, and so much more.

Other topics include dried flowers, tulips, how long it takes to grow seedlings, fertilizing in the field, cosmos, when and where to pinch plants, treatments for aphids and thrips, viburnum, orlaya, grow lights, dahlia tubers, fertilizers, poppies, RootShield, calla lilies, and celosia.

Mentions

Dave's Online Course: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!⁠⁠

Lisa's Books: ⁠Cool Flowers⁠, ⁠The Cut Flower Handbook⁠

⁠Ball Seed's Cut Flowers Info Hub⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Discover all of our online courses!⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our Farm News emails!⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠ ⁠Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠ ⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠ ⁠The Gardener's Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠ ⁠Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ ⁠Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠ ⁠Lisa's Story⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

Don't allow these things to hold you back from pursuing your flower farming business dreams. No acreage, tractor, or greenhouse? No problem. I didn't have any of those during the first decade of my flower farm.

Originally aired 9/27/22

Mentions

⁠Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers⁠ (ASCFG)

⁠Online Courses from The Gardener's Workshop⁠

⁠Shop the TGW Online Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa's Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

This episode features a takeover of our popular "Ask a Flower Farmer" live Q&A session on Instagram. Daniel Schavey of Petal Pickers Flower Co. in Greenville, SC hosted this one. Daniel is a 7th-year flower farmer growing in zone 8a and an alumnus of most of The Gardener's Workshop's online courses. Here, he answers questions on topics such as high tunnel growing, lisianthus, tips for new cut flower growers, hydroponic tulips, and so many more!

Other topics covered: microclimate trial & error, selling to florists, ranunculus, tuberose, aphids, deer fence, roses, dahlias, sunflower successions

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⁠⁠Petalpickers.com⁠⁠: fresh flowers shipped nationwide, dahlia tuber and fall bulb sales

Follow on Instagram: ⁠⁠Petal Pickers⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Cuts of Color⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Scratch House⁠⁠, ⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop⁠⁠

⁠Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers⁠ (ASCFG)

Lisianthus plugs: ⁠Ball Colorlink⁠, ⁠Farmer Bailey⁠, ⁠Leo Berbee⁠

⁠Online Courses⁠ from The Gardener's Workshop

⁠⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠

⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠

The ⁠⁠Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of ⁠⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠⁠, owner of ⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠ and the publisher of ⁠⁠Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Florist School Online.⁠⁠ Watch ⁠⁠Lisa's Story⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

Join Rhonda Graves and Lisa for another episode of Bug Talk! Today, they expand into the broader topic of restoring the natural order on your farm or in your garden: the benefits, the methods, and the rewards. They share all of their favorite resources for learning more about what YOU can do to improve the natural conditions in your space.

Recommended Reading

⁠Vegetables Love Flowers⁠

⁠Bringing Nature Home⁠

⁠Good Garden Bugs⁠

⁠The Life Cycle of Butterflies⁠

⁠The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs⁠

⁠Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden⁠

⁠Good Bug Bad Bug⁠

Other Resources

⁠Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation⁠

⁠Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)⁠

⁠Start A New Habitat: Homegrown National Park⁠

Identify Bugs: ⁠iNaturalist phone app⁠

Identify Birds by their call: ⁠Merlin phone app⁠

Other Bug Talk Podcast Episodes:

⁠Japanese Beetles⁠

⁠Bug Talk with Nancy Lawson, The Humane Gardener⁠

⁠What Happens to Bugs in Winter?⁠

⁠Native Bees with Dr. Barb Abraham⁠

⁠Bug Talk with Author Jessica Walliser⁠

⁠Bug Talk: Ants on Peonies⁠

⁠Bug Talk: They All Have A Purpose⁠

⁠Bug Talk with Lisa & Rhonda⁠

⁠Shop the TGW Online Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa's Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

We are so hard on ourselves when we hit a wall or fail. I've found that the reality so often for me is that my expectations weren't based on any facts or experiences, just hopes, and dreams. No wonder it didn't work out!

Stepping back and rethinking the process can change it all. Hopes + Dreams + Experience + Knowledge = a smoother and straighter road to success.

I hope this episode meets you where you are, encourages you, lets you know you are not alone, and sows the seeds of hope that there is another way.

I hope you enjoy this episode. ~Lisa Z.

Mentions

Request the webinar: ⁠What It Takes To Be A Flower Farmer⁠

Sunny Meadows Flower Farm: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠

Flower Farming School Online: ⁠The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More⁠ with Lisa Mason Ziegler

Flower Farming School Online: ⁠Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More⁠ with Dave Dowling

⁠Shop the TGW Online Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa's Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. Guest-hosted by Dave Dowling of Ball/ColorLink, who is also a former flower farmer and the instructor for our online course: ⁠Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More⁠.

Dave has such a wealth of knowledge to share! Here, he answers questions about dahlias, hydrangeas, tulips, lisianthus, and so much more! Other topics include pest management, crop rotation, organic vs. conventional fertilizers, seedling care, zinnias, sunflowers, celosia, and gladiolus.

Mentions

Other Ask A Flower Farmer podcast episodes featuring Dave Dowling: ⁠#269⁠, ⁠#266⁠, ⁠#247,⁠ ⁠#244⁠

Dave's Online Course: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!⁠

⁠Ball/Colorlink: Wholesale Plant, Bulb, & Seed Supplier⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

⁠Discover all of our online courses!⁠

⁠⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠

⁠⁠Sign up to receive our Farm News emails!⁠⁠

The⁠ ⁠Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠ ⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠⁠, owner of⁠ ⁠The Gardener's Workshop,⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠ ⁠Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠ and⁠ ⁠Florist School Online.⁠⁠ Watch⁠ ⁠Lisa's Story⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

Lisa was recently featured on Growing For Market podcast, joining host Andrew Mefferd to discuss concepts from her new book, The Cut Flower Handbook.

Topics covered include:

• The current US market demand for cut flowers

• Cool vs. warm season flower crops

• Professionalism in flower farming

• Succession planting concept for continuous blooms

Podcast excerpts are published with permission.

Mentions

Lisa's Book: ⁠The Cut Flower Handbook⁠

Full original Growing For Market episode #55 podcast ⁠Available Here⁠

Book: ⁠⁠The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski⁠⁠

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG)

The Slow Flowers Society

Discover our online courses!

⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠

⁠Sign up to receive our Farm News emails!⁠

The ⁠Field and Garden Podcast⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of ⁠Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers⁠, owner of ⁠The Gardener's Workshop,⁠ ⁠Flower Farming School Online,⁠ and the publisher of ⁠Farmer-Florist School Online⁠ and ⁠Florist School Online.⁠ Watch ⁠Lisa's Story⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!