Field & Garden

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 lots of plants, including snapdragons, lisianthus, astilbe, winterberry, willows, baptisia, anemones, ranunculus, peonies, freesia, tulips, and calla lilies.

Other topics mentioned: stem strength, harvest tracking, bed/path widths, where to start in flower farming, selling to florists, bulb storage, and wholesale cut flower and plug/liner pricing.

Mentions

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

Ellen Frost's Online Courses: ⁠Preparing to Sell to Florists⁠, ⁠Florist School Online: Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing⁠

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

⁠⁠⁠The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠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'm looking over my shoulder as I begin to firm up my business goals and plans for 2024. Lessons learned and reminders of advice given is good food for thought. Learning to say no to great ideas that aren't in my wheelhouse is at the top of my list.

Mentions

The Book That Changed My Life: ⁠⁠Interview with Lynn Byczynski⁠⁠

Pre-Order Now: ⁠The Cut-Flower Handbook⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠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 find that many people struggle and quit flower farming before they really get started. Why do they quit? Not because they aren't trying, but because "they don't know, what they don't know" and get burned out doing the wrong stuff.

How do you learn the right stuff? Networking with those who are ahead of you in their business journey.

Mentions

December 9, 2023: ⁠Gratitude Open Warehouse⁠

Lisa's Book: ⁠The Cut-Flower Handbook⁠

Podcast Series: ⁠Seed Talk with Lisa & Layne⁠

Courses: ⁠Flower Farming School Online⁠

⁠⁠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. This one was guest-hosted by Dave Dowling of Ball/ColorLink. Dave 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 lots of plants, including ninebark, dahlias, cool flowers, gladiolus, tulips, lisianthus, snapdragons, amaryllis, peonies, winterberry, daffodils, hydrangea, and ranunculus.

Other topics mentioned: thrips, raised beds, pelleted seeds, perennials & woodies for warmer climates, sales outlets, and interplanting.

Mentions

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

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

Lisa's Online Course: ⁠Flower Farming School Online: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More!⁠

⁠The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram⁠

⁠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 Lisa Ziegler and Jessi Graven as they discuss the writing of The Cut-Flower Handbook. This book is scheduled for release in February 2024 and is available for pre-order now.

Pre-order The Cut-Flower Handbook directly from TGW to get our FREE bonus resources! ⁠Details HERE.⁠

Mentions

Lisa's book, ⁠The Cut-Flower Handbook⁠

⁠⁠⁠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!

Join me as I catch up with Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm in Columbus, Ohio. In this episode, we talk about how life on the farm has changed with the addition of their first child, get an update on their flower farming biz, and learn of another big development in Steve & Gretel's farm and home life. Listen in for the scoop on Sunny Meadows!

Mentions

Flower Farming School Online: ⁠Growing Cut-Flower Crops in Hoop & Greenhouses⁠⁠ with Steve & Gretel Adams

⁠Learn more about and connect with⁠⁠ Steve & Gretel Adams and their business, Sunny Meadows Flower Farm.

⁠⁠⁠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!

Dried Flowers = Added Value!

My goal was to always sell it all fresh, but, there are always leftovers, right? Why not hang them to air dry and sell them as added-value products?

Dried flowers are back in vogue and an excellent cash crop to sell alongside your fresh fall flowers and those holiday-blooming bulb containers. Dried straight bunches, bouquets, and wreaths are all in demand.

Mentions

About Ellen Frost: ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠YouTube

⁠Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing

Mini-Workshop: Preparing to Sell to Florists with Ellen Frost

Flower Farming Schools Online:

The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More! Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!

Growing Cut-Flower Crops in Hoop & Greenhouses

⁠Mini-Workshop: Forcing Glorious Blooms for the Holidays and Beyond with Val Schirmer ⁠

⁠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!

In this very special episode, TGW staffer Jessi Graven guest hosts as she visits fellow TGW student and established flower farmer Michelle Wheeler of River Bend Blooms in Kentucky!

Here, Michelle tells the story of how she came into flower farming, how the business has grown, the selling outlets she's utilizing, and discusses her plans for the future. During the farm tour, she shows us the wildlife conservation practices in place on the farm and gives us a glimpse of her awesome flower truck as well!

Michelle would like to extend a BIG "Thank you" to all of our TGW course instructors! She says she's taken almost all of them, and each course helped her grow her business in one way or another.

Mentions

River Bend Blooms: ⁠Website⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠

⁠The Gardener's Workshop Online Courses⁠

⁠Arnosky Family Farms⁠

⁠Sunny Meadows Flower Farm⁠

⁠Book: The Flower Farmer⁠ (affiliate link)

⁠CREP Program⁠

⁠Collective: SOKY Floral Exchange⁠

⁠H-2A Temporary Agriculture Labor Program⁠

⁠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!

This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer, hosted by Jennie Love of Love 'n Fresh Flowers. Jennie is a well-known and highly sought-after farmer-florist in Philadelphia specializing in field-to-vase wedding and event work. She is also the author of two of our online courses: Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process, and the online mini-workshop called Making Workshops Work for You. Here, Jennie graciously shares her thoughts on many different topics, including:

• how to get started as a farmer-florist

• where to get floral design training

• and so much more!

Other Topics/Questions Covered:

• Korean Natural Farming treatment for powdery mildew
• Hardening off seedlings
• Fertilizing fall seedlings
• No-till garden bed creation
• Snapdragon succession planting
• Overwintering/perennializing dahlias
• Snapdragon transplant timing
• Recommended woodies to grow
• Bridal bouquet process
• DIY Bucket Contracts
• Crop planning for annuals & perennials
• Finding customers

Mentions

Jennie's Course: ⁠⁠Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process⁠⁠

Jennie's Online Mini-Workshop: ⁠⁠Making Workshops Work for You⁠⁠

Connect with Jennie on Instagram: ⁠@lovenfreshflowers⁠, ⁠@notillflowers⁠

⁠Jennie's Blog ⁠ at Love 'n Fresh Flowers

⁠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!

Time for another great chat between Lisa and expert cut-flower grower, Dave Dowling! Dave is also a bulb and plant broker, and the author of our online course: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More.

In this episode, Lisa & Dave talk about the many ways they've sold their flowers, and how you could be selling the flowers that you grow, too. Topics include:

• Importance of researching your local market to identify opportunities

• Understanding that you'll need to try different types of selling to find the best fit for you & your farm

• Over a dozen different ways to sell your flowers!

Mentions

Online Courses published by The Gardener's Workshop

ASCFG Online Bookstore: Post-Harvest Handling Book

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!