Sharing my look back at if only I had known this when I started my flower-growing operation. I could have saved lots of time, money, opportunities, and tears if I had had this advice! 

Mentions:

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

TGW On-Demand Online Workshops

We are so happy about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

Jasmine Star Blog

Irrigation Suppliers: Dripworks  Berry Hill 

Must-Have Supplies: Fertilizer  Support Netting Clippers  Conditioning Supplies

Free Resources from The Gardener's Workshop

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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 learn so much talking to other gardeners and farmers. After my restaurant-owning cousins set up the TGW company picnic here on the farm, we discussed planting flowers. Joy's questions reminded me of the struggle that some folks have figuring out what to plant and when. Between trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals, it can be overwhelming because there is so much to learn. I hope my tips help!

Mentions:

We are so happy about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

Get the TGW phone App: In the iOS App Store(Apple)     In Google Play(Android)

Q-Daddy's Pitmaster

Seed: Love-In-A-Puff

Lisa's Books: Vegetables Love Flowers & Cool Flowers

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Check out our YouTube channel for excellent tutorials, live shows and more!

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!

Many of us naturally think that cool season gardening is more challenging than warm season gardening. I have found this not to be true.

Join me as I run through my thought process to help make my Cool Flowers garden successful!

Mentions:

We are so happy about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles

Cool-Season Seed Category

Row Cover Hoop Kit 

Book: Cool Flowers

On-Demand Workshop: Cool Flowers, Beyond the Book for Flower Farmers

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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 hope this encourages those facing flat sales. We all walk that path from time to time— but during July and August it is especially discouraging. Take heart flower friends—you can overcome this issue when you recognize it and make changes.

We are so happy about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

Book: The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski

On-Demand Workshop: The No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm with Jonathan & Megan Leiss

Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats! We're live on Clubhouse Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern, or you can listen to our chat replays anytime inside the app.

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 my experience, most employee issues can be avoided. An employer's insufficient training, follow up, support, and lack of expectations can set employees up to fail. Going through some steps and thought processes before jumping into hiring can help avoid many of the problems associated with employing others in your business. Having a process for hiring and creating a culture leads to the best crew ever!

Links & Mentions

On-Demand Workshop: Preparing to Sell to Florists with Ellen Frost

On-Demand Workshop: Collectives 101 with Amelia Ihlo

*NEW* Live Shopping Show App:   In the iOS App Store In Google Play

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!

In this recent Clubhouse chat Lisa talks about the wonderful world of Cosmos! She covers common questions about how to grow them, details about the varieties she’s currently growing, and the very important topics of harvesting and post-harvest handling. Cosmos are a late-season tender annual and they come in lots of fun colors! We hope you enjoy this chat and consider giving cosmos a spot in your garden or cut-flower field.

Links & Mentions

*NEW* Live Shopping Show App:   In the iOS App Store In Google Play

Cosmos Seeds in the TGW Online Store

Post-Harvest Treatment Options: CVBN Tablets, Quick Dip

Join TGW’s Facebook Group: The Flower Farmer Show

Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats! We're live on Clubhouse Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern, or you can listen to our chat replays anytime inside the app.

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 recent Clubhouse chat Lisa talks with special guest Ellen Frost about her brand new on-demand workshop called Preparing to Sell to Florists. Ellen’s workshop shares her best tips distilled from fifteen years of experience purchasing locally-grown flowers for her design studio work. Ellen also shares some current state-of-the-industry news and answers audience questions.

Links & Mentions

Podcast: #151: Florist Sales: The Untapped Market

*Available NOW* Ellen’s on-demand workshop: Preparing to Sell to Florists

Join the waitlist for Ellen’s annual online course: Growing your Business with Local Flower Sourcing

Connect with Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers:   Website  Facebook Instagram

Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats! We're live on Clubhouse Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern, or you can listen to our chat replays anytime inside the app.

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!

This is Lisa's most played and downloaded podcast episode so far, and with good reason. Lisa shares a sweet story of how she first got started growing flowers, and the joy it brought to her as well as her friends and family. In her own words: "It all started for me soon after I married this biker dude that came with a heart of gold and a big vegetable garden... Whether you are a home gardener, budding or seasoned flower farmer, make some sweet stories to share and inspire you and others." Flower friends, this one is definitely worth another listen!

Links & Mentions

We are so happy about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

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!

This is a very special edition of Bug Talk! For this episode, Lisa and Rhonda are joined by author and fellow “bug-hugger” Jessica Walliser. They talk about beneficial insects as well as the food chain and ecosystem that exists in your garden, both large and small scale. Did you know that less than 1% of all insects in the world are actually considered “pests” to humans and our crops? Lisa, Rhonda and Jessica encourage you to be an observer in your growing space, appreciate the value that these creatures bring to your world, and strive to manage your space in a way that provides habitat for them. Jessica’s books provide the roadmap for learning to identify insects and learning what to grow to bring them into your garden.

Links & Mentions

Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!

Book: Good Bug, Bad Bug

Book: Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden

More at: Savvygardening.com

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!

Are you growing basil to use in your cut flower bouquets? If not, you should be! In this recent Clubhouse chat Lisa talks about how she got started growing basil, why and how to grow it, her favorite variety, and the very important topics of harvesting and post-harvest handling.

Links & Mentions

Book: The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski

TGW Blog: Basil for the Big Win

Lisa’s All-Time Favorite: Mrs Burns Lemon Basil

Post-Harvest Treatment Options: CVBN Tablets, Quick Dip

Join TGW’s Facebook Groups: The Flower Farmer Show Florist-Farmer Connection

Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats! We're live on Clubhouse Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern, or you can listen to our chat replays anytime inside the app.

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!

Dreaming big can lead to tackling those big dreams, but also getting lost in the weeds along the way. No one knows better how to get lost than me. I continually have to remind myself to reset. To stick with: being consistent, to follow through, and think about strategy. It is not easy for any of us. Remember that the overwhelm we may be experiencing is exactly what we worked for, right?

Links & Mentions

We are so happy about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

New On-Demand Workshops from The Gardener's Workshop: 

Preparing to Sell to Florists with Ellen Frost

Collectives 101 with Amelia Ihlo

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!

In this episode we catch up with Ellen Frost, TGW instructor and owner of Local Color Flowers floral design studio in Baltimore, MD. Ellen says that now, more than ever, florists are looking to local flower growers as sourcing options. As a studio designer purchasing from local flower growers for over 15 years, Ellen heard the call to put together a new on-demand workshop specifically for flower farmers, one that provides a roadmap to getting that first florist connection and sale. If you have been thinking about offering your flowers to florists, you should check it out!

Links & Mentions

Connect with Ellen on Instagram: Local Color Flowers  Florist Buying Local Flowers

Check out Ellen's NEW on-demand workshop: Preparing to Sell to Florists

Learn about Ellen’s annual 6-week Online School: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Are you doing what it takes to get your flowers sold? In this recent Clubhouse chat Lisa talks about the business of flower sales and how you can manage to start selling to florists, grocery stores, etc. She also discusses a way of selling that is gaining popularity, outlined in our new on-demand workshop from instructor Amelia Ihlo of Rooted Farmers, which is called Collectives 101. 

Links & Mentions

Want to know more about selling flowers through Collectives? Check out our on-demand course: Collectives 101

Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats! We're live on Clubhouse on Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern, or you can listen to our chat replays anytime inside the app.

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

It’s easy to be discouraged when we maybe experiencing: exhaustion, crazy heat or rain or cold, flat sales, broken equipment, or maybe a mean comment about your business.

Friends, all of the above mentioned are a part of being in business. We must learn how to thrive not just survive these situations. We are the only ones that have the ability and the choice to choose to thrive in place of suffering.

Try my suggestion of taking some quiet hours alone and imagine what you truly want your business to be in 5 years. Then start running it and making decisions as if it is already so.

I hope this helps—
Lisa

Links & Mentions:

Excited about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

Want to try our new Live Shopping app? Check it out here!  iOS App.  Android App 

Check out our on-demand online courses (including Collectives and No-Till, both mentioned in this episode)

Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Today we're sharing a recent Clubhouse chat with special guest Dave Dowling! In this conversation Dave outlines the basics for getting started with bulbs, perennials and woodies as cut flower crops. This is a fast-paced discussion with lots of questions from the audience, so you may want to listen more than once to soak it all in! 

Dave’s 6-week online course, called Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies and More, has its annual enrollment window open right now in 2022, June 9th-13th. Click here for more details and to register for the course! Click here to watch our other recent live discussions!

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats! We're live on Clubhouse on Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern, or you can listen to our chat replays anytime inside the app. 

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 episode Lisa and Dave Dowling discuss how we can expand our flower farming businesses by adding new crops. They talk about what you could and should add, the various ways to grow these plants, and how Dave’s online course can help you make these decisions now and for many years to come.

Links & Mentions

Dave Dowling's online course, published by The Gardener's Workshop: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!

Request Dave’s Webinar Replay: Peony Planting, Harvesting & Selling 

Podcast: Everything Tulips with Dave Dowling & Jennie Love

Purchase Wholesale from Ball/Colorlink

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!

For this episode I check in with my friend and student Nicole Pitt of Flower Hill Farm. Nicole farms in Boonville, New York on the land of her childhood (and current) home. A former TV news reporter/anchor, Nicole is now in her fourth year of cut flower production, selling through a CSA and to florists. In this interview we talked about how she got into flowers, the challenges faced as she grows her business, and what the future may hold for Flower Hill Farm. Nicole’s story demonstrates how investing in education and applying it to your business’s needs as it grows can be the foundation of success.

Links & Mentions

Flower Hill Farm:  Website YouTube Facebook Instagram

Dave's online course, published by The Gardener's Workshop: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!

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 episode, I sit down with my good friend Dave Dowling to cover the basics of growing peonies.  For home gardeners, we cover where and how to plant them, when and how to fertilize, watering, deadheading and fall cleanup. For commercial growers, we cover varieties to grow for profit, purchasing tips, environmental conditions where they thrive, weed prevention, spacing & bed prep, disbudding, when and how to harvest, and conditioning tips.

Links & Mentions

Dave's online course, published by The Gardener's Workshop: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!

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 recent Clubhouse chat Lisa covered all the basics to get you started with Celosia, including variety selection, seed starting, harvesting and conditioning. Here are some of her highlighted picks:

Best Celosia for Drying: Cockscomb Cramer's Mix

Most Popular with Customers: Cockscomb Spring Green

Most Productive: Cockscomb Orange Red

Sign up: TGW Free Weekly Farm E-Newsletter 

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats!

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!

What is the price we pay by skipping the groundwork? My journey through two decades of learning has brought me some key pieces that help stabilize the craziness of business.

• Why am I in business?
• Do I have a plan?
• What is my risk tolerance?
• How to slow or stop the craziness.

Links & Mentions:

Excited about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!

Jillonmoney.com

Book: Fail-Proof Your Business by Paul Adams

Book: The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski

Book: The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Greg Peterson is the founder of The Urban Farm, a food-growing educator, a permaculture enthusiast, writer, and the creator of The Urban Farm podcast. Here, Lisa and Greg discuss how he became involved in the green living and sustainability movements, how his small urban residential plot in Arizona gradually became a sustainable food-producing powerhouse, and his recent move to North Carolina with his partner, Heidi. Shared philosophies emerge, including the importance of consistency and committing to a goal in business and in life, plus the importance of knowing where our food comes from and playing an active role in producing our own food.

Links & Mentions

The Urban Farm: Website  Facebook Instagram  Twitter

The Urban Farm Podcast

John Lee Dumas, Entrepreneurs on Fire

In Season Cut-Flower Farm on: Facebook  Instagram

Rainlog.org - crowdsourced rainfall tracking site from the University of Arizona

Yoga with Heidi: Heidi@urbanfarm.org

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Today’s episode features a recent interview with Dave Dowling and one of his course students, Tim Pierce from Running Hills Farm. Tim and Betsy's Wisconsin farm has seen dramatic growth in the past couple of years, and Tim shares how they have been putting Dave’s teachings into practice on the farm. There’s a lot of great information in this discussion, including some "hacks" for dealing with weather fluctuations in cooler regions. The live interview was originally streamed on Facebook and YouTube, and Tim had prepared some slides of photos that you’ll hear him referencing during the chat. A link to the original interview video that includes the photo slide show is listed below. 

Links & Mentions

Running Hills Farm:  Website  Instagram

Dave Dowling's online course, published by The Gardener's Workshop: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!

Purchase from Dave at Ball/Colorlink: wholesale perennials for cut-flower production

Join our networking Facebook Group: Florist-Farmer Connection

View the original interview (with slide show)

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this episode, I sit down with my good friend Dave Dowling to discuss the top five mistakes that people tend to make with perennial cut flower plants. Whether you're a home gardener or a commercial cut-flower grower, Dave offers tips for avoiding these common perennial planting mistakes:

1. Not having weed management practices in place. You can't use chemical treatments on perennial beds, you'll need physical methods of weed prevention that match the growth habit of the plant (clump-forming vs. spreading).

2. Planting a perennial in the wrong place. Pay attention to the particular sun and water needs of each plant and place them in an environment where they'll thrive. Recognize that there are some perennials that you will not be able to grow on your property due to environmental conditions. 

3. Planting the wrong variety. Did you know that there are different varieties of perennials produced specifically for cut flowers? Make sure you're purchasing the correct varieties that grow tall for cut flower production, not the dwarf varieties that are grown as bedding plants. 

4. Not having a watering plan for your perennials. While most perennials, once established, may survive a drier season, they probably won't thrive and may not flower at all. Perennials need regular irrigation to achieve maximum flower production. 

5. Assuming that perennials are less work than growing annuals. Perennials have their own maintenance requirements, including weeding, watering, and fall cleanup. Some perennials need to be dug up and divided every few years. Some are short-lived and need to be replanted every few years. 

*PRO TIP* For a decent volume of cut-flower production, Dave recommends planting at least 25 plants of each variety of perennial that you want to grow. If space is limited, planting a handful of perennial varieties in larger volumes is better than planting just a few plants of more varieties, which won't yield enough of any one thing to sell.

Links & Mentions

Dave's online course, published by The Gardener's Workshop: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!

Published by the ASCFG: Postharvest Handling of Cut Flowers and Greens

Purchase from Dave at Ball Colorlink: wholesale perennials for cut-flower production

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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! 

I first “met” Dee Hall in the pages of the home and garden section of my local newspaper. It was a pleasure connecting with her and hearing about her urban micro-farm called Mermaid City Flowers, located just across the bay from me down in Norfolk, Virginia. In this interview, Dee describes how she came to be a specialty cut-flower farmer, her current business model, and what she sees for the future of her business. We talk about her feature in the book Black Flora, and her involvement in a new group called the Tidewater Flower Collective. I’m so excited for Dee and all that is yet to come for her!

Links & Mentions:

Mermaid City Flowers:  Website Facebook  Instagram

Slow Flowers Society

Book: Black Flora

Tidewater Flower Collective: Facebook  Instagram

On-Demand Course: Collectives 101

Rooted Farmers 

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

I was so pleased to have Wanda Haken as a special guest on Clubhouse! Wanda is a commercial peony farmer located in the Alaskan interior, and she shared with us some great peony harvesting tips based on research performed at the University of Alaska. Wanda is also a student of The Gardener’s Workshop courses, a former school teacher, and a very knowledgeable grower! She offers advice for new and seasoned peony growers - something for everyone!

Links & Mentions:

Fox Hollow Peonies:  Website Facebook  Instagram YouTube

Learn more about peonies in Flower School! Join the waitlist now for annual enrollment in June.

Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies & More! With Dave Dowling

More about Dr. Patricia Holloway of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) School of Natural Resources and Extension

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when we schedule new chats!

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Whether you're a flower enthusiast home gardener or a commercial cut-flower grower, you know that you want your cut flowers to last as long as possible. In this episode, I cover post-harvest care for cut flowers in lots of different scenarios, and the practices that I recommend if you're selling to florists, at supermarkets, at the farmers' market, or at your farm stand. There are 5 general steps that both commercial growers and home gardeners should strive to follow to maximize vase life:

1. Harvest flowers at the proper stage. Each flower has its own ideal cutting stage. Some flowers continue to develop after you cut them (Sunflowers, Snapdragons), but some don't (Zinnias, Cockscomb). Do not harvest wet flowers. 

2. After cutting, allow flowers to rest and rehydrate before arranging. Learn the ideal temperature for resting (conditioning) each type of flower.  

3. Treatments can be added to the water that freshly-cut flowers are conditioned in to improve water uptake, hold color, and improve vase life. 

4. Harvest buckets and vases should be washed and sanitized between uses, otherwise bacteria grows in them that will diminish flower vase life. My saying is that if you wouldn't be willing to drink out of your harvest buckets and vases then they're not clean enough!  

5. Harvest at the ideal time of day (when flowers are more hydrated) to prevent wilting problems - typically early morning after the dew dries.

Amy Stewart’s Book Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful

Products Mentioned: CVBN Tabs, Holding Solution T Bags, Fresh Cut-Flower Food, Bulb Cut-Flower Food

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this episode, I am exploring more entrepreneurship opportunities that grow out of and to the business of flower farming. I was honored to interview the dynamic couple, Daniel Schavey and Wesley Turner who own four businesses:

• Petal Picker Flower Co. (flower farm)
• Roots (a garden boutique and garden center)
• 4Rooms (Home Décor)
• The Nested Fig (Live Shopping Show)

Listen to our conversation as we talk about the fears, the wins, the failures, and how to get through it all.

Connect :

Farmshenanigans Instagram

Petal Pickers Instagram

The Nested Fig Instagram

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this recent Clubhouse chat, Lisa interviewed Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in southwestern Ontario Canada. They discussed what it’s like growing flowers at her farm in hardiness zone 5b/6a, and how it is different from Lisa’s farm in zone 7b/8a in Virginia. Janis shares some tips for northern growers, but also offers great general growing advice about how to learn the best practices for your own particular zone and climate, wherever you are. There’s something in this chat for everyone!

Links & Mentions:

Harris Flower Farm:  Website Facebook Instagram

Harris Farm Tour (August 15, 2022) *open to ASCFG members only*

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers

American Horticultural Society: How to find your local garden clubs and plant societies

Are you a flower farmer or aspiring to become one? Join our private Facebook Group: The Flower Farmer Show

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats!

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

As we are heading into the season here on my little flower farm, I’m reminded just how deep it is about to become as the flowers, the heat, and those weeds are about to get going. Walk with me as I look at the layers of a cutting garden and how I have learned to enjoy the journey.

Links & Mentions:

Bachelor Button Seed Mixes from The Gardener’s Workshop

Excited about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine! A tremendous resource. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers

Sunny Meadows Flower Farm: Website Instagram TikTok

Bio360 Product Page with Install Videos

Dave Dowling’s 6-week course, Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies and More! Enrollment begins June 9th, 2022, More Info & Join the waitlist

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Steve and Gretel Adams have become very well-known in the cut flower growing world. They went from homesteading market gardeners on a quarter-acre plot to “rock star” cut-flower producers with over 17 greenhouses and 20 employees! Have you ever wondered how they got their start? How Sunny Meadows Flower Farm came to be? In this interview they talk through the progression of their business, including:

• Specializing in certain crops
• The fear of hiring and managing employees
• Scaling up over time
• Quality of life investments & finding balance
• The future of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm

This episode is packed with great business and general life advice! 

Links & Mentions:

Book: The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook

Flower Farming School Online: Growing Cut-Flower Crops in Hoops & Greenhouses

More from Sunny Meadows Flower Farm: Website  Instagram  TikTok

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Today I have more "keeper clips" from Clubhouse for you! Lisa hosts a chat called The Flower Farmer Show on the Clubhouse app each Wednesday to cover various flower farming and flower business topics. In today’s episode, I'm sharing clips of Lisa covering the topics of Succession Planting and the 411 on Zinnias! She offers some great tips here that can make a BIG difference for your farm or garden, so I hope you enjoy!

Succession Planting for Consistent Supply: Succession planting annual plants is how we plan for a consistent supply of high-quality flowers, herbs, and vegetables throughout the season. This method of planting also helps you manage common problems like severe weather events and pest or disease outbreaks.

Let’s Talk Zinnias!: Here’s the 411 on Zinnias! Lisa runs through her method of growing them from start to finish, including harvesting and post-harvest care, plus descriptions of the varieties that she grows.

Sign up: TGW Free Weekly Farm E-Newsletter 

Blog: Zinnia Talk

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats!

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Ants on peonies…did you know they are beneficial? Ants patrol the blooms for the sweet nectar and inadvertently protect the nectar and the blooms from pests in their greediness!

Why do we find ants on peonies? Because of all the sweet nectar they produce! Peonies have extrafloral nectaries (EFN) - they exude nectar from other parts of the plant beyond the inside of the flower. Ants feed on this nectar, which becomes more plentiful closer to blooming.

Ants are not garden pests, they are hard workers with lots of garden duties! Ants are predators of garden pests, they aerate the soil, and perform cleanup of decomposing debris. Rhonda encourages you to observe ants in your garden to see what they’re doing, as different types of ants have different jobs. Lisa and Rhonda briefly discuss the differences between native and non-native insects, and how humans affect the spread of non-natives.

Lisa talks about peony harvesting on her farm and shares some great peony tips from Dave Dowling:

• Peony buds can be held in a cooler at 34 degrees for at least a couple of weeks. To store them in water in a cooler, harvest blooms at the “marshmallow stage.”
• Quality and quantity of blooms for next year depend on water intake in July/August of this year, so make sure your peonies get enough water in summer, irrigating if needed.
• Leave as much stem and foliage on the plants as possible so that plants continue to gather energy through the season. Lisa only cuts up to 24” stems no matter how tall her peonies are.

Links & Mentions:

The Gardener’s Workshop Free Resources Library

Dave Dowling’s 6-week course, Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies and More!  More Info & Join the waitlist

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

My fascination with Ellen Frost’s local flower sourcing design studio model, Local Color Flowers, began years ago when we first met. Every flower farmer needs an Ellen on their customer list!

Local Color Flowers is located in Baltimore, Maryland. She buys all her flowers from growers within 100 miles of the shop, and she does it year-round. Let’s walk through a year, month-by-month of what is going on in Ellen’s studio plus what they are buying. Please see the PDF link below for the full outline.

Links & Mentions

PDF: A Designer's Month-to-Month (What they buy) 

Request Ellen’s Dried Wreath Webinar

Connect with Ellen on Instagram: Local Color Flowers  Florist Buying Local Flowers

Learn about Ellen’s Course Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Are floral collectives the key to the future for domestic cut flower growers? This episode features a recent panel discussion about our new on-demand online course, Collectives 101: A guide for joining and selling through regional wholesale hubs, with Amelia Ihlo. Lisa is joined by Amanda Montgomery of River City Flower Exchange and Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm to gain insight into the world of floral collectives and to hear first-hand the potential value of this new course for flower farmers.  Amanda and Jonathan share their experiences with this selling model and offer helpful information for those curious about the opportunity to either start a collective or join an existing one.  

Links & Mentions

Hummingbird Flower Co: Website  Facebook  

River City Flower Exchange: Website  Instagram

Spring Forth Farm: Website  Facebook Instagram

Piedmont Wholesale Flowers: Website  Facebook  Instagram

Stemz: Website  Facebook  Instagram

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers     Localflowers.org

Rooted Farmers: Website  Instagram

On-Demand Course: Collectives 101 

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Let’s remember and keep in focus the big picture of what we are doing, how we are doing it, and why we are doing it. It’s so easy to fall into rabbit holes and to become completely derailed from our “why” we are doing this in the first place! My big picture garden considerations are: How will I tear this down? How will I maintain it day to day? Will it sell easily? On the business side of things, pausing to remember “why” I am doing all this and am I getting there helps to keep me on track.  

Links & Mentions:  

Excited about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription. 

"Bug Talk" podcasts with Lisa & Rhonda: Field & Garden episode #112, episode #121 

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

An introduction to these showy greenhouse-grown spring blooms from Steve & Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm. They cover lots of important topics, including:

• When to order corms for best selection
• Building relationships with your vendors
• When to plant (and successions)
• Best varieties for beginners
• Basic growing & harvesting tips

Links & Mentions:

Request the PDF: Favorite Ranunculus & Sources

Request the PDF: Favorite Anenomes & Growing Tips

Request the PDF: Ranunculus Stages of Harvest

Flower Farming School Online: Growing Cut-Flower Crops in Hoops & Greenhouses

More from Sunny Meadows Flower Farm: Website  Instagram  TikTok

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this episode, we're revisiting an interview that Lisa did in October 2020 on The Flower Podcast, with host Scott Shepherd. Scott and Lisa covered a broad range of topics, including: 

• Where Cool Flowers can be grown and how they can increase your farm's production dramatically
• Marketing: finding your niche in "outside the box" selling opportunities
• Understanding how learning via courses saves time and money 
• Creating a business model that suits your lifestyle
• Lisa's Top 5 Warm-Season Annuals 

Links & Mentions: 

The full-length episode on The Flower Podcast 

Online Courses & Schools offered by The Gardener's Workshop

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this episode I am sharing the bottom line friends: you are the only one that can change the way things are going for you and your flower farming business.

If we think back to why we started our own business:

• To be in control
• To do things the way we think is best 
• To make the choices
• To guide the way
• To do what we want to do, when we want to do it

Now we have to exercise the muscle that can help us get there: the choices we make and how we respond to failures. 

The difference between success and failure can be this simple.

Hope this gives some food for thought!

Links & Mentions:

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

Book: Vegetables Love Flowers

Podcast: Jennie Love & Dave Dowling discuss Tulips

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Ellen Frost joins Lisa to discuss the unique business model of her floral design studio, Local Color Flowers, and how it has continued to evolve over time. Topics include: supporting local flower farmers, community building through regular studio events, and ramping up subscriptions.

Links & Mentions:

Ellen’s Design Studio, Local Color Flowers:  Website   Instagram  Facebook

Florists Buying Local:  Facebook  Instagram  and #floristsbuyinglocal

Course: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In October 2021 Lisa was featured on the Joe Gardener podcast. She joined host Joe Lamp'l to discuss how nature can balance itself when you incorporate flowers and native plants in and around your garden space, attracting beneficial insects and providing them with a consistent habitat. They covered topics such as:

• Succession plantings of flower “recipes” to overcome common pests, weeds, and diseases
• Variety selections for cut flowers, supporting taller flowers, and harvesting tips
• The importance of providing habitat (both food & shelter) for beneficial creatures in spring, summer & fall

Links & Mentions:

Full Joe Gardener Episode #231 Blog Post Available Here

Request Lisa's Free Resource: 6 Steps to a 3-Season Cut-Flower Garden

Online Courses published by The Gardener’s Workshop

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this episode, Lisa Z and Collectives 101 instructor Amelia Ihlo discuss what it takes as a flower farmer to be ready to join or start a floral collective. They touch on common indicators for success, such as knowing your market & your customer’s needs, examining your grower network & relationships, thinking about short and long-term plans, and building resources. 

Links & Mentions: 

Collectives 101 On-Demand Online Workshop *AVAILABLE NOW*

Considering using Rooted Farmers for your collective? More info Here

Book: A Complaint Is a Gift

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Today, Rhonda Graves returns to join Lisa for another “Bug Talk.” And beneficial creatures too! They all have a purpose in a balanced ecosystem. Rhonda & Lisa discuss how to invite and maintain these beneficial creatures in your garden or on your farm, including pollinator garden plots, native tree and shrub plantings, “Beetle Banks” and “Habitat Islands.” Together they share the joy of getting to know the beneficial creatures in your garden and how to create a year-round habitat to keep them nearby.

Mentions:

Bugguide.net

iNaturalist app

Book: Attracting Beneficial Bugs To Your Garden by Jessica Walliser

Book: Wasps  by Heather Holm

Book: Grow Organic by Doug Oster & Jessica Walliser

Lisa's book: Vegetables Love Flowers

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Today I have more "keeper clips" from Clubhouse for you! Lisa hosts a chat on Clubhouse each Wednesday to cover various flower farming and flower business topics as well as answer listener questions. This episode has some great clips covering the topics of Early-Season Sunflower Growing and Prepping your Beds for Weed Prevention. Lisa offers some great tips here that can make a BIG difference for your farm or garden. So here you go!

Links & Mentions:

Sunflower Seeds in our Online Shop

Bio360 Install Video 

Video: Weeding with a garden hoe

Blog: Weed-Free Direct Seeded Beds

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats!

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this episode, I am exploring the question: "What is a floral Collective, and how is it different from a Co-op?" I discussed this and so much more with Amelia Ihlo of Rooted Farmers. Amelia lays out the ins and outs of this flower selling model that I believe is a key piece of the future locally-grown cut-flower industry. 

Amelia has plenty of boots-on-the-ground experience with this business model as a flower farmer herself. She was part of starting a collective several years ago to better serve her customers and to work with other growers in the Boston area.  She went on to start RootedFarmers.com, an online marketplace connecting flower buyers with flower sellers. Rooted Farmers now works with collectives nationwide.

Today we introduce the launch of Amelia's on-demand workshop published by The Gardener's Workshop, called Collectives 101: A Guide for Joining & Selling through Regional Wholesale Hubs. Read more about Amelia and her new on-demand online workshop here. 

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Friends, Lynn Byczynski's book, The Flower Farmer is what redirected my life path. While Lynn and I have come to be friends through the years, it was a surreal moment to chat with her about the book that changed everything for me. 

I also loved hearing about her other major contribution to the farming world, founding Growing For Market over 30 years ago. It is a magazine for farmers by farmers and also played a key role in forming me as a flower farmer. One of Lynn's longtime passions has been growing delicious food. It wasn't surprising to learn that Lynn's family's business has become the USA distributor of the Seeds From Italy line of seeds.  

Mentions:

Seeds From Italy, include Lynn's Blog, vegetable and flower seeds, tools, and books. Connect: Instagram 

Dee Hall of Mermaid City Flowers: Instagram, Website, and the group Black Flower Farmers

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Hello and welcome to the Field & Garden podcast! I'm Jessi Graven with The Gardener's Workshop. Today I’d like to share some clips from an interview that Lisa recently did on The Urban Farm Podcast with host Greg Peterson. Here they discussed Lisa’s book Vegetables Love Flowers and also covered topics such as beneficial insects & creatures, the importance of native plants, succession planting, and starting a 3-season cut-flower garden in your vegetable patch. I hope you enjoy!

Mentions & Links:

The Urban Farm Podcast with Host Greg Peterson

Lisa Mason Ziegler’s book, Vegetables Love Flowers

Jessica Walliser’s book, Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden

Doug Tallamy’s book, Bringing Nature Home

Online Courses from The Gardener's Workshop

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

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.

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

I hope you enjoy this episode.

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Listen as Jennie Love of Love n' Fresh Flowers in Philly and I discuss the evolution of her flower farm and business. From starting a cutting garden in a community plot to blazing the way as a pioneer in the farmer-florist industry. Named by Martha Stewart as one of the top 10 Farmer-Florist.   

Jennie shares the changes to the way she farms and to her business -- all-natural evolution to staying relevant and successful. Join us for a candid chat. 

Mentions: 

Connect with Jennie:   Love n' Fresh Flowers Website  Instagram  Pinterest  No-Till Flowers Podcast 

Jennie's courses: Making Workshops Work for You  Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process 

I hope you enjoy this episode.

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Hello and welcome to the Field & Garden podcast! I’m Jessi Graven from The Gardener’s Workshop. Today I’d like to share a chat between Jennie Love of Love 'n Fresh Flowers & Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers, in which they discuss their top books for flower farming, floristry, and business. As you may know, both Jennie & Ellen are online course instructors for The Gardener’s Workshop, but they’re also good friends on top of that. In 2020 Jennie hosted this chat with Ellen on Instagram Live and then shared it with us, so we hope you enjoy! 

Jennie's Full Book List 

Read more about Jennie Love, Love 'n Fresh Flowers and her online course here.

Ellen's Full Book List 

Read more about Ellen Frost, Local Color Flowers, and her online course here.

Thank you everyone for joining me here on The Field & Garden Podcast, I’m Jessi Graven with The Gardener’s Workshop and I hope you have a great day!

Friends, I don't know if anyone has noticed it yet, but I have been trying to bring to the forefront that farming is the root of many good things. This episode with Andrew Mefford of Growing For Market is another example of the many opportunities that farming affords us. There are many roads less traveled from the farming world that may be a fit for you too.

I came to know Andrew after reading his book,  The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution, and through his taking over Growing For Market magazine.  

Take a listen to see how being a plant nerd led Andrew to farming and with journalism in his past, Andrew, in his words, now has a hand in advancing the state of local farming.

Mentions:

Request a free digital or print copy from the Growing For Market magazine.

Subscribe with a 25% discount code: Workshop

Find Andrew's books HERE.

I hope you enjoy this episode.

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Warning friends, this is an episode that may change the way you garden, farm, and view it all. 

Meet Rhonda Graves the warehouse manager here at The Gardener's Workshop. But more importantly, Rhonda has a passion (truthfully an obsession) for all that is happening out in the garden, and friends you won't believe what is going on out there. Rhonda is a lifelong gardener, an active master gardener, and a master naturalist.

Did you know that the good beneficial bugs in the world outnumber the bad pest bugs by a longshot? 

Rhonda and I are sharing our experiences encouraging the good bugs to combat the bad pest bugs. When invited to the garden and kept happy, beneficial insects will do the heavy lifting on pest control. 

We want to whet your appetite, share some of the resources we use with the hope that it will inspire you to step away from pesticides. Join us to give a hand to what is going on just outside your backdoor.

Mentions:

Jessica Walliser's books: Attracting Beneficial Bugs To Your Garden and Good Bug Bad Bug

Doug Tallemy's book: Bringing Nature Home

Mary Gardiner's book: Good Garden Bugs

Xerces Resources 

Xerces book: Farming For Beneficial Insects 

Lisa's book: Vegetables Love Flowers

We hope this episode helps you.

Lisa & Rhonda

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Hello and welcome to the Field & Garden podcast! I’m Jessi Graven from The Gardener’s Workshop. Today I’d like to present a conversation between Lisa Mason Ziegler and Dave Dowling from 2019 in which they tackle some of the most common challenges that people face while working to become a flower farmer. There are also some great stories in here about when Lisa and Dave were first starting their flower farming journeys, so I hope you enjoy!

Challenges mentioned: Lack of Experience, No Cooler, No Acreage, No Greenhouse or Hoophouse, No Money, No Delivery Vehicle, No Tractor, Nowhere to sell flowers nearby, No Hired Help, Too Old, Single Parent

Lisa & Dave explain how we can overcome these challenges to achieve our flower farming dreams!

Mentions: 

Lisa Ziegler's Online Course: Join the Waitlist

Dave Dowling's Online Course: Join the Waitlist

Available Now: On-Demand Online Workshops 

Connect with Lisa on Social Media 

Thank you for joining me here The Field & Garden Podcast, I’m Jessi Graven with The Gardener’s Workshop and I hope you have a great day!

A part of building a successful long-haul business is not putting all your eggs into one basket. Adding workshops and experiences to your business may be the perfect profitable next step. 

Listen as Jennie Love of Love n' Fresh Flowers in Philly and I discuss the ups and downs, the how-to and how-not-to add workshops to your businesses lineup. Jennie has years of workshop experience on her farm and taking her workshops on the road. 

Mentions:

Connect with Jennie:   Love n' Fresh Flowers Website   Instagram   Pinterest    No-Till Flowers Podcast

Jennie's courses: Making Workshops Work for You   Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process

Your host Lisa Mason Ziegler

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Friends, I hope this episode inspires and encourages you! Seed starting is a challenge and our first tries don’t always work out. My experience sure didn’t. 

I hope this reminds and helps you.

Lisa

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Welcome to the Field & Garden podcast, I’m Jessi Graven from The Gardener’s Workshop. Today I have for you some excerpts from Lisa’s recent Clubhouse chat with Jonathan & Megan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm. During this conversation, Jonathan & Megan discuss their recent business changes, farming with young children, answer audience questions, and offer a brief description of their on-demand online workshop, The No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm. For more details and to purchase the course, visit their course page.

Discover Spring Forth Farm: Facebook, Instagram, Website

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats!

Thank you for joining me here on another episode of The Field & Garden Podcast, I’m Jessi Graven with The Gardener’s Workshop and I hope you have a great day!

In this episode, I'm sharing the reminders I wish someone would have tapped me on the shoulder to say: remember this!

If you are an avid gardener or as I was in the beginning, a gardener gone wild-- you can disregard this list. 

These reminders are for those that want to build a successful, profitable business:

1. Remember the point: to spend less money than you bring in, better known as profit.
2. Flowers do not sell themselves.
3. You must get up every day and keep doing it.
4. Prevent weeds: paramount. (takes down many potential growers)
5. Grow what sells.
6. Stop comparing yourself.
7. Be a professional no matter what.
8. Every failure is a potential lesson.
9. You can do hard things.
10. Pick up where you are. STOP looking back. 

I hope this reminds and helps you.

Lisa

P.S. I can't wait to meet you at school! Get on my waitlist HERE. 

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this episode, I am sharing my journey of how I came to grow sunflowers and then how I pushed the envelope to get them even earlier in the season. 

Mentions in this episode:

Amy's Garden Instagram

Request my webinar: Sunflowers For the Win!

ProCut & Sunfill Sunflower seeds

Hydrator: Quick Dip

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Hey Everyone! Welcome to the Field & Garden podcast, I’m Jessi Graven from The Gardener’s Workshop. Today I’ve pulled together some clips of Lisa speaking over on the Clubhouse app for your enjoyment. If you’re not familiar with Clubhouse, it’s an audio-only social media app, sort of like a group phone call but with more features. Lisa and I go on there once a week on Wednesdays to cover various flower farming and flower business topics as well as answer listener questions. Today I have for you a couple of great clips from our February chats, covering topics including Lisa’s cool flower successes and failures, a debate about row cover usage, and a rundown of what is currently sprouting in Lisa’s grow room. 

On Clubhouse each week we include a link to more information on the topic we're covering, such as links to blog posts and webinar replays. Here are the ones that we included in these chats: 

Webinar Replay Request: Cool Flowers Refresher

Blog: Seed Starting Schedule for Summer Flowers

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats!

Thank you for joining me here on another episode of The Field & Garden Podcast, I’m Jessi Graven with The Gardener’s Workshop and I hope you have a great day!

In this episode, I'm walking down memory lane of how I came to be such an avid soil blocker seed starter. 

I'm sharing how I learned about this method that the Dutch and English have used for decades to start seeds and the journey of tweaking it into a tabletop seed starting method. 

Mentions in this episode:

• The book The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski
• The book The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman
• Soil blocking and seed starting equipment

Why I use soil blocking:

• Super easy to use inside of a home
• No transplant shock
• High rate of germination
• Grow a lot of transplants in a small space
• Transplants grow fast
• Plant and handle earlier
• No thinning or potting up
• Once equipped with the tools just add blocking mix and seeds each season. 

The discovery and pursuit of soil blocking allowed me to launch my cut-flower farm. Sharing this revolutionary in-home easy seed starting method with soil blocking surely changed the course of my life.

Thanks for letting me walk down memory lane!

Lisa   

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

In this episode, I'm sharing what I'm doing and thinking about with my Cool Flowers garden in very early spring. Remembering to make simple notes on the calendar is so helpful the next time around to refer back to. 

Fall Planting Checkin

• What made it?
• When to remove covers?
• Weeding, support, and feeding

Very Early Spring Planting

• Deciding factors on what to plant in VES?
• Why I don't direct seed in VES.
• Later blooms, support and feeding

When the Blooms Start

• Make notes on first blooms!
• Having a cooler or at least a cellar or AC room is beneficial

Learn more about growing Cool Flowers.

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Hello and welcome to another special episode of the Field & Garden podcast! I’m Jessi Graven from The Gardener’s Workshop. I’m here today to continue what we started last week, the recap of the panel discussion and review of The No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm online workshop. If you missed last week’s podcast that featured Jennie Love’s review of the workshop, you can find that on our website or wherever you listen to podcasts, it’s episode #100.

So as you may know, we offer an On-Demand Workshop called The No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm with Jonathan & Megan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm. Jonathan & Megan’s workshop offers over 4.5 hours of instruction on their no-till practices and micro-scale farming techniques. When the course first launched, Lisa Ziegler invited industry professionals to review the course and attend an online panel discussion.

Today I have for you an excerpt from that discussion featuring Andrew Mefferd. Andrew is the editor and publisher of Growing for Market magazine as well as the author of the book The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution. Andrew has spent over 15 years working on farms, including a year working on a no-till research farm, and seven years in the research department at Johnny's Selected Seeds. We loved hearing his insights about this workshop, and I hope you will too.

*Special Announcement* Jonathan & Megan Leiss are hosting a LIVE Q&A session on Earth Day! (Friday, April 22, 2022) ALL students of their workshop are invited to attend, and we hope to see you there! Details will be emailed beforehand to everyone who has purchased the workshop. NOW is a great time to purchase the workshop if you haven’t already, dive into the material, and get your questions ready for the LIVE Q&A.

More info is available on our website: About the No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm On-Demand Workshop

To learn more about Spring Forth Farm: Instagram,  Facebook,  Website, View the full-length panel discussion

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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!

Enjoy this short podcast to get relieved of the pressure to start seeds now—

In the episode, I share the reality that this rush and pressure we feel to start seeds in early spring is a result of marketing--it is not the only time to start seeds! Many of us could really start seeds 12 months of the year.

Hope this gives you the nudge to jump on where you are and not feel behind.

Hosted with Lisa Mason Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode, Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm and I discuss how his focus on flower colors is directly connected to what his customers want and need. His specialized business model is harvesting and selling flowers in early spring to early summer when demand and profits are high. This model allows them to fully embrace their homesteading lifestyle and pursue a business that fits their family.

To learn more about Spring Forth Farm:

Instagram  Facebook  Website

Jonathan and Megan's online course: The No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm  

Flowers mentioned in our discussion:

Here's a list of the white flowers we grow:

• Ammi majus
• Anemones Galilee White -- most profitable crop on our farm
• Campanula Champion White
• Dianthus Bodestolz White 
• Digitalis Camelot White or Cream
• Larkspur -- any series they all seem similar to us
• Oralya
• Peonies -- varieties appropriate for your climate
• Ranunculus -- Amandine White, Half-Clone Iceberg
• Saponaria White -- favorite filler of all time
• Snapdragons Chantilly White, Madame Butterfly Ivory
• Stock Noble White, Cheerful White, Cheerful Midseason White (all high double -- we found the HD Katz White to have weak necks)

We no longer grow:

• White Yarrow (the regular millefolium white -- heads not large enough for our market)
• Agrostemma -- pain in the butt to harvest
• Lisianthus -- amazing white varieties available, but don't fit into our season. We grew ABC but there are lots of new options
• Godetia White -- we grow other colors. The white was a little boring and didn't sell well

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Welcome to a special episode of the Field & Garden podcast! I’m Jessi Graven from The Gardener’s Workshop, and I’m here to bring you something a little different today. As you may know, we offer an On-Demand Workshop called The No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm with Jonathan & Megan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm. Jonathan & Megan’s workshop offers over 4.5 hours of instruction on their no-till practices and micro-scale farming techniques. 

When the course first launched, Lisa Ziegler, invited industry professionals to review the course and attend an online panel discussion. Today I have for you an excerpt from that discussion featuring Jennie Love of Love n’ Fresh Flowers. Jennie is an industry-leading farmer-florist, a flower farmer with a strong interest in regenerative agriculture, a past president of the ASCFG, and a fellow TGW course instructor. We loved hearing her thoughts about this workshop, and I hope you will too. 

*Special Announcement* Jonathan & Megan Leiss are hosting a LIVE Q&A session on Earth Day! (Friday, April 22, 2022) ALL students of their workshop are invited to attend, and we hope to see you there! Details will be emailed beforehand to everyone who has purchased the workshop. NOW is a great time to purchase the workshop if you haven’t already, dive into the material, and get your questions ready for the LIVE Q&A.  

More info is available on our website: About the No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm On-Demand Workshop 

To learn more about Spring Forth Farm: Instagram,  Facebook,  Website, View the full-length panel discussion 

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining 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! 

In this episode with Dave Dowling we are discussing Lisianthus. From favorite varieties to treatment to prevent root rot to netting. 

Dave's comments are loaded with good information. This episode along with episode #97 is a great taste of Dave's teaching style!

Learn about Dave's online course and get on his waitlist: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!

Hosted with Lisa Mason Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

I've been growing snapdragons for over two decades and thought I had a handle on it---but NOT after this discussion with Dave Dowling! 

In this episode, we are talking about extending the harvest season, how to do that but variety selection, harvesting, conditioning, and more!

This is but a small sampling of what it is like to learn from Dave. I am so pleased to have Dave as one of our online course instructors. 

Learn more about his course and get on the waitlist for his June enrollment for Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!

Connect with Dave on Instagram & Facebook

Hosted with Lisa Mason Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Talking one of my favorite subjects with Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm located in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina: sunflowers. We both agree that sunflowers can be major contributors to the bottom line of most flower-growing operations.  Jonathan's go-to sunflower is VIncent's Choice with a new addition this year of Premier for its short seed to bloom and shorter height.  Connect with Jonathan and Megan and learn more about their unique business model in their online course:  Instagram  Facebook  Website Jonathan and Megan's online course: The No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm   The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode with Val Schirmer of Three Toads Farm, Val paints the picture of the possibilities of growing lilies to grow your business. She shares how she built her business by using big bulbs to grow big beautiful flowers that stopped people in their tracks. See Val's favorites below.

Connect with Val:

Instagram Facebook

Val's online course: Forcing Glorious Bulbs for the Holidays and Beyond!

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers

Have a look at Val's favorite lily list on the HOME of the Field & Garden Podcast.

Enjoy!

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Loved chatting with Val Schirmer of Three Toads Farm. Val has been a friend for years and getting to know more about her journey of becoming a flower farmer was great. Connect with Val: Instagram  Facebook Val's online course: Forcing Glorious Bulbs for the Holidays and Beyond! Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers Enjoy! Hosted by Lisa Ziegler The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode, I am doing a run-through of the things I consider and do when starting a specific seed. Hope it helps!

1. Is it a cool or warm-season annual seed?
2. When should be planting cool or warm-season transplants?
3. What is this seed's preferred method to start?
4. Based on 1-3 answers, when should I start the seed it?
5. With soil blocking, remembering to shave off 1/3 of the time recommended to sprout and grow into a transplant as with conventional methods.

My process of seed starting to grow awesome quick transplants with soil blocks:

• Place the trays of just sown soil blocks on a seedling heat mat.
• I aim for air temperature in the growing area to be: 65-70 degrees for cool-season annuals and 70-85 degrees for warm-season.
• Move from seedling heat mats to grow lights when 50% of seeds show signs of life.
• Provide 16 hours of intense bright light daily with grow lights.
• Water all soil blocks (on mats and under lights) each morning. Blocks should be dry or close to it each morning. If still moist in the morning adjust your air temperature to warmer.
• Once a week I include in my watering can for morning watering chores: Monday--Seaweed Fish fertilizer according to directions (grow light only trays), Wednesday--Gnatrol according to directions for fungus gnat control (all trays lights and mats).

Seed Starting Made Easy online course

My Learning Center

Field & Garden Blog

My YouTube Channel

Seed Starting Equipment 

All Things Soil Blocking

Enjoy!

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Wondering when and how to plant cool-season hardy annuals in very early spring? You are not alone my friend, I am getting lots of questions and this episode is addressing some of the most commonly heard.  

Mentions: 

The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles This page has the 5-video series plus many other resources you can request.  

The book: Cool Flowers 

The Course: Cool Flowers Beyond the Book for Flower Farmers 

So enjoy this journey from yesteryear that I have dug up and dusted off!

Field & Garden Blog

My YouTube Channel

Enjoy!

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode, I am continuing to revisit a project I did 4 years ago called Seed Starting Saturdays. My initial intention was to listen to it to redo it for today--- but guess what? After listening I realized it's great information that is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow for seed starting. 

Week 2 includes my planning and gathering tips. So enjoy this journey from yesteryear that I have dug up and dusted off! 

So enjoy this journey from yesteryear that I have dug up and dusted off!

Field & Garden Blog

My YouTube Channel

Seed Starting Equipment 

All Things Soil Blocking

Jumbo Calendar  (this is not an affiliate link)

Enjoy!

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

We all may start growing flowers for different reasons, but the end can be the same: to beautify our yards and farms, restore nature, have fresh flowers on the table, and restore our souls.  My book Vegetables Love Flowers is about a 3-season cutting garden and all the goodness it can bring to the vegetable patch.  In the episode, I invite you to consider the big picture of what flowers can do for you. 

I'd love to sign a book for you! 

Get the book: Vegetables Love Flowers 

Grab the free companion video Book Study no matter where you purchased the book.

Enjoy!

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode, I revisited a project I did 4 years ago called Seed Starting Saturdays. My initial intention was to listen to it to redo it for today--- but guess what? After listening I realized it's great information that is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow for seed starting.

Week 1 includes what you should do or at least consider before you start seeds.

So enjoy this journey from yesteryear that I have dug up and dusted off!

Field & Garden Blog

My YouTube Channel

Seed Starting Equipment 

All Things Soil Blocking

Jumbo Calendar  (this is not an affiliate link)

Enjoy!

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

My love of rudbeckias has turned into a bit of an obsession. They are, after all, a pretty easy family to fall in love with. 

Some of the reasons I love them:

• Easy to start (most are anyway)
• Need little tending other than full sun and a little water to get started after transplanting
• The abundance of stems to harvest will wear you out,
• Long-lasting in the vase
• The variety of native bees you meet there is fascinating
• The occasional aphid outbreak is a treat for my beneficial insects just waiting to eat them
• The cleanup crew (goldfinches)  swoop in and eat the seeds developing on old flowers
• If you play your cards right—they will reseed in the garden.
  

The cut stems are major contributors to my flower farming business and a key ingredient that makes my farm attractive to so many native bees.

Bonus: they are winter hardy to zone 5 which means they can be fall planted for earlier blooms in zones 5,6,7,8,9 for taller stems, and more abundance. Early spring plantings can extend the season but won’t deliver as tall stems or abundance in my experience.

Frankly, I never knew there were so many varieties until I started farming. Most are excellent long-lasting cut flowers plus there are always extra blooms for the pollinators and hungry birds.

I am growing several new to me this season: Sahara, Cherokee Sunset, Denver Daisy, and Cherry Brandy.

Find all my favorite rudbeckia seeds here: Indian Summer. Prairie Sun, Goldilocks, and Double Daisy. 

Honorable mentions but not in the R. Hirta family: R. triloba and R. maxima

I’m interested in the coloring which is so difficult to see true in images and if these will invite any new visitors to my garden.

I love what this family offers as cut flowers and beneficial creatures. The fourth section in my book Vegetables Love Flowers is titled "Heros of the Garden" and features the image I love of a goldfinch sitting on my rudbeckia-- iconic!

Enjoy!

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Lots of folks reaching out because of fears they are experiencing about their Cool Flowers facing cold weather.  I understand and suffer from the same thing from time to time. It's natural, but we need to do all we can to meet their needs to maximize success.

I'm sharing the replay from a Clubhouse chat I hosted that includes encouragement and some steps to follow to stack the cards in favor of your cool-season hardy annuals. 

Mentions:

The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles includes 5 videos and the doorway to other resources. 

The Secret Sauce Cool Flowers article 

Enjoy!

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Overspending is a common struggle we face in life,  being in business is no different. 

The point of going into business is to make a profit. Many businesses never make it because of habitual business overspending. It is challenging enough to only spend on what is really needed to succeed — throw in overspending and it’s easy to see how so many fail. Many fall for spending unnecessarily before it's even known if it is needed yet. 

Start small and grow slowly, keep it simple, learn how to flower farm efficiently to turn a profit, and step away from the catalogs! 

Excited about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Do you make more to-do lists than you can ever get to? I do. This year I decided to make a new list, what I have done, and friends, it made me feel a whole lot better! In this episode, I am sharing how I got to the place I am today. The piece that I believe is key to how I was able to succeed and more. 

For more on my gardening love story of marrying Steve read my book, Cool Flowers. Learn about going from a novice gardener to starting a flower farm in my book Vegetables Love Flowers.

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

I didn't love it when I was told I had to clear my mind and rest, BUT it did prove to be essential for my business's success. Honestly, I thought it was a waste of time, but the advice was dead right. Enjoy this replay of a Clubhouse chat sharing that I've learned that taking a few deliberate steps to benefit my business in the dead of winter---helps to get me through the heat of summer.  Enjoy! Hosted by Lisa Ziegler The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out. It can happen to anyone and I hear from lots of folks struggling with it.

Sometimes we just feel like we’ve missed the right timing or aren’t getting the results we see others getting that can lead to: FOMO, fear of missing out. Resist it y’all!

Learn more about Cool Flowers, get the book and the related resources.

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

I can feel the pain in the messages I receive about the worries folks have about their Cool Flowers facing the cold. Should I cover? What about snow? And then there are the calls asking us to rush their row cover orders cause cold is coming! I get it because I've been there and still revisit those fears occasionally.  

In this episode, I am sharing what is this cool-season gardening concept and even a few tidbits to help ease fears. It all comes down to planting timing, knowing your winter hardiness zone, and the winter hardiness zone of the plant you are planting. 

To learn more about growing cool-season flowers: 

Check out my book Cool Flowers and the free video series The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles and related free resources.   

Connect with my good friend and cool-season vegetable garden expert: Niki Jabbour Instagram Facebook. 

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Designers and florists if you are looking for a good "business" reason to take your staff on a field trip that will inspire their design work and creativity (not to mention yours) plus boost morale: flower farm tours are the ticket. 

In this episode, Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers shares why she closed her shop for a day and took her team on an ASCFG member tour.   A great idea to kick off this time of high demand, low import supply that is going to continue for sure into 2022. This is good team builder stuff!

Connect with Ellen: Local Color Flowers Instagram

Florist-Farmer Connection private Facebook Group

Florist Buying Local: Instagram Facebook

Ellen’s course: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode, I am sharing the What, When, Why, and How I use lightweight floating row covers. I know that I totally underestimated the power of lightweight covers and the many uses they lend themselves to including preventing wind and pest damage.

Floating row covers

Hoops

Weight bags

Kit with all above

My favorite gloves that help push hoops into the ground 

Facebook Live video demonstrating installing the cover. The demo starts at minute 27:00.

My book: Vegetables Love Flowers

– Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

I think that the quiet days of winter make some of the best times to do a few of the steps we can take to learn and grow a great garden. In this episode, I am giving 5 tips that can lead to a great gardening experience come spring. -Start small. -Determine your sun conditions. -Prepare the area and prevent winter weeds. -Map seed starting dates and when your should plant warm and cool-season plants. -Be patient and strong. To learn more about succession planting and growing a cutting garden, check out my book Vegetables Love Flowers. Visit our Learning Center. – Lisa Ziegler The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Learn from Megan and Jonathan Leiss what is included in their on-demand course, The No-Till Micro-Scale Flower Farm. This course is not just about farming on a small space and doing it no-till, it's about goals, business models and so much more that plays a key role in business success. Connect: Spring Forth Farm Instagram Facebook The No-Till Micro-Sacel Flower Farm

In this episode, I'm sharing a chat about how I use leaves, other mulches, and compost in my garden. I believe the use of mulches and the benefits of leaf litter are grossly overlooked in the gardening and farming worlds. 

Join me on Wednesdays at 1 pm on Clubhouse to join the live conversation. Download the phone app, join Clubhouse and join my Flower Farming Club. 

– Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

I am often asked: why do I grow so many annuals in place of growing more perennials? This episode explains.

The bottom line for me is I get more bloom bang for my square footage, I never run out of space, I am able to always try new finds, and I get to feed my love of tending a garden.

It seems to me that I was missing out on the "gardening" part of gardening when I first started decades ago. I was busy filling up all available space with perennials and other permanent plantings to soon be dismayed that I had run out of space. There was nowhere left to plant the seeds I wanted to start, plant, and tend.

I hope this gives you a new understanding of the world of annuals and how embracing the succession planting's of both families: cool-season hardy annuals and warm-season tender annuals can change your gardening life.

My book Vegetables Love Flowers is about a 3-season cutting garden and how flowers benefit the vegetable patch. It offers my method of succession planting, my go-to annuals, setting up and maintaining a cutting garden all-naturally, and even harvesting tips. It includes diagrams in the back of the book of how succession plantings in a garden can happen.  

To learn more about cool-season hardy annual flowers, my book Cool Flowers shares the rekindled concept of days gone by with this amazing family of flowers like Bells of Ireland, Sweet Peas, Snapdragons, and many others.

My on-demand online course Seed Starting Made Easy can help you master starting seeds indoors with soil blocking and how to start seeds out in the garden--- PLUS how to know which way you should start them! 

Fondly,

Lisa

Lisa Mason Ziegler

Founder of The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers shares when it may be a good idea to say no to a client. How to do it and to even get comfortable doing it. A great topic in this year of high demand that is going to continue for sure into 2022-- great lessons. 

Connect with Ellen: Local Color Flowers Instagram

Ellen’s course: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing

Florist Buying Local: Instagram Facebook

Hosted by Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Loved catching up with Megan and Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm in Hurdle Mills, NC. I know you are going to find their business model inspiring and perhaps even a goal!

As I have come to know these two better, I found that it wasn't just their farming systems and model that were so extraordinary, it was the farmers behind this farm that set this place apart and how it works.

Enjoy!

Mentions:

Spring Forth Farm  Instagram  Facebook

The No-Till Micro-Sacel Flower Farm

– Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

It all started for me soon after I married this biker dude that came with a heart of gold and a big vegetable garden. Adding a row of zinnias to the veggie patch to cut a few to take to my grandma in the nursing home literally opened the door to my love of a cutting garden. Whether you are a home gardener, budding or seasoned flower farmer, make some sweet stories to share and inspire you and others.

In this episode, we have combined two interviews of some pretty fabulous flower entrepreneurs: Amy Cordy of Drive By Flowers and Sue Dykstra of Creekside Growers.  I came to meet these ladies by way of that they are students of our online courses. I loved learning more about their businesses and how they shared the benefits of Ellen Frost's course Florist School Online: Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing. Be sure to visit both of their websites. Amy's sells her flowers online for delivery and Sue's includes workshops and more. Connect: Amy Cordy of Drive By Flowers Instagram Facebook Website Sue Dykstra of Creekside Growers Instagram Facebook Website Learn more about Ellen's course Florist School Online: Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing

In this episode, we are chatting about ideas for value-added items to sell at holiday markets. From gatherings from the farm to items to crafts, and plants to grow. 

Join me on Wednesdays at 1 pm on Clubhouse to join the conversation. Download the app, join Clubhouse and join my Flower Farming Club. – 

– Lisa Ziegler

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

I loved catching up with Wanda of Fox Hollow Peonies and Jonalyn of Blossom Lane Farm. I came to know both of these ladies because they are students of our courses. They became standouts and kept showing up on my radar because of how they were pursuing their businesses. Learn more about our courses mentioned: The Gardener's Workshop  Connect with these two gals: Fox Hollow Peonies  Instagram  Facebook Blossom Lane Farm Instagram  Facebook I hope you are inspired by their stories! – Lisa Ziegler The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

I love stories of people returning home to the family business. Even though, in this case, it may be a new twist on the business. Doing it with family is just the best. I enjoyed chatting with Dani WInters of Winters Farm Florals to learn about her family's farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and how she has taken a little piece of it to start her cut-flower growing business. Dani grows on 1 acre and sells to florists and designers.  She shares how the course Growing Cut Flower Crops in Hoop and Greenhouses is helping her to grow. Connect with Dani: Instagram  Website Learn more about Steve and Gretel Adams course: Growing Cut-Flower Crops in Hoop and Greenhouses – Lisa Ziegler The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode, we go inside the syllabus/outline of Gretel & Steve Adams course: Growing Cut Flowers in Hoop and Greenhouses. If you have questions on what is included in this course, this deep dive with Gretel and Steve should answer them. The once-a-year enrollment opens in mid-November and school starts in January and runs for 6 weeks.  Learn more about the course and get on their waitlist: Growing Cut Flowers in Hoop and Greenhouses Connect with Steve and Gretel: Sunny Meadows Flower Farm website Instagram Facebook – Lisa Ziegler The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

This episode is about the struggle I was up against while I was writing Cool Flowers.  When I first saw the surveyors next door it paralyzed me. I wasn't sure how I would focus to write a book, but I did it and came through with a fresh perspective.   I hope that sharing this may help others that are facing this type of loss.  Read the blog This Side of the Fence. Doug Tallemy's book Bringing Nature Home – Lisa Ziegler Founder of The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

I loved talking to Steve and Gretel about all that's happening on their farm. Boy, they just keep moving forward in the flower farming industry! I highly recommend following them on social media because the posts and videos are inspiring. Sunny Meadows Flower Farm Website Instagram Facebook Learn more about Steve & Gretel's course plus get on their waitlist: Growing Cut-Flowers in Hoop and Greenhouse

In this episode, Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers, a design studio in Baltimore, Maryland, explains how flower subscriptions were one of the first pieces of starting her business over a decade ago.   She shares the styles of flowers she offers using locally sourced flowers. She shares marketing tips and how subscriptions evolved to a new model during the pandemic.  Ellen answers lots of great questions from farmers and others. Good info! 

Connect with Ellen: Local Color Flowers Instagram

Ellen’s course: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing

Florist Buying Local: Instagram Facebook

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode, Ellen (the florist) is chatting with Laura Beth Resnick (the farmer) of Butterbee Farm. Laura Beth is one of Elen's main suppliers for her Baltimore Maryland design studio.  Laura Beth is answering questions along with Ellen and Laura Beth shares her journey of building her customer base. Connect with: Florist Buying Local on Instagram, Clubhouse, Facebook Laura Beth Resnick on Instagram, Facebook Ellen Frost on Instagram, Facebook Learn more about Ellen's course: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing

What an inspiring conversation! I loved learning about Becca Muller and her flower shop LocaFlora. Her shop is located in Gettysburg, PA, and sources all of the flowers, plants, and gifts locally year-round. Such an inspiring business model and journey. Becca shares her experience as a student of Ellen Frost and her course Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing.  Be sure to check out this VIDEO and ARTICLE about LocaFlora. Connect with Becca: www.locafloradesigh.com Instagram Facebook Get on Ellen's course WAITLIST

I was so pleased when Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers agreed to create an online course with us. Her design studio business model was exactly what I saw as a perfect match for my cut-flower growing business. I literally thought, if only my commercial customers could learn from her how local is really a benefit for designers, florist shops, and really anyone in the cut-flower chain.  Join me as Ellen and I walk through all the sessions in her course and hear from her what they are all about. I can say wholeheartedly that this course will benefit anyone in the cut-flower industry. It is targeted at florists, farmer-florist, and event designers, but if these people are your customers, it can help your business too.  Mentions: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost. Syllabus from Ellen's Course Book: Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart  Connect with Ellen: Florist Buying Local Instagram Local Color Flowers Instagram

I loved this conversation with Ellen of Local Color Flowers. I feel like I am even more equipped to talk about why local flowers are better all the way around. It's another important piece of the pie of building our respective businesses.   Enjoy! Mentions: Request Ellen's replay webinar:  Dried Wreath Making Tips  Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost. Syllabus from Ellen's Course Connect with Ellen: Florist Buying Local Instagram Local Color Flowers Instagram

I met Steve and Gretel Adams years ago at an Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers conference where we were both speakers. Before I really got a taste of their teaching style, I was struck by how connected they are to each other. I recognized immediately that this type of relationship can lead to great things in a business and that is exactly what these two have created with Sunny Meadows Flower Farm located in Columbus, Ohio.

This episode is a replay of a Facebook Live we did with Steve and Gretel in 2020. It will introduce you to them and what they are doing plus they answer questions submitted during the live event. 

Steve and Gretel are innovative, smart, and hardworking--- the recipe for amazing success.

I am so pleased to be able to bring you their teachings and vast experience and knowledge in a course. Links below to connect with them and to learn more about their course in the Flower Farming School Series.

Flower Farming School Online: Growing Cut-Flowers in Hoop and Greenhouses with Steve and Gretel Adams

Get instantly Steve & Gretel's PDF: Favorite Ranunculus & Sources.

Learn more about Sunny Meadows Flower Farm

 

Ellen Frost, a designer in Baltimore, MD, continues sharing her strategies of sourcing from local cut-flower growers. In this episode with Ellen Frost, she is sharing how to educate customers about seasonality and locally grown flowers. Ellen discusses this and so much more plus answering your questions. Follow and share with florists and designers: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost Instagram: Florists Buying Local Flowers Facebook: Florists Buying Local Live Show on Clubhouse Tuesday 8 am ET: Join the Club: Download the phone app and join. No invitation is needed. Ellen's Studio: Local Color Flowers

My chat with Heather of Heather's Flower Farm about her business and the nuggets she took away from the Farmer-Florist School Online brought several great points to light. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!  Connect with Heather's Flower Farm on Instagram. Learn more about the course Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process. Visit TheGardenersWorkshop.com for more farming and business online courses. 

This episode is a replay of a live Clubhouse chat with Jessi Graven of Blue River Blooms and Anne Phythyon of Franklin Farm.  They are sharing their takeaways from Jennie Love's course Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process.  Interestingly enough, neither of these flower farmers do weddings- yet...feel like anyone selling flowers will benefit from this business packed course.  Learn more about Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process with Jennie Love. Join us on the Clubhouse every Wednesday at 1:00 PM ET for a live chat and ask your questions. Download the phone app, join Clubhouse and then join our club: Flower Farming.  Learn more about our farming and business schools: TheGardenersWorkshop.com

Just as promised, we are going through another of our School course lessons with the instructor! Jennie Love's course: Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process is all about the business side of doing weddings--BUT here's the thing the lessons in this course can be applied to any flower-related business. From finding clients, marketing, managing bride customers, crop planning, top crops to grow, contracts, pricing and so much more! Join Jennie and me as we walk through the syllabus. Learn more about Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process  Jennie also has an on-demand course Making Workshops Work for You that includes all the steps to offer, host, sell, and manage workshops.

This episode is packed with information from cut-flower industry leaders that have firsthand experience of where we are and what the future holds for flower-based businesses. Join me along with Dave Dowling, Jennie Love, Ellen Frost, and Steve & Gretel Adams for an inspiring and informative talk. Guests online course pages for more information on each: Farmer-Florist School: The Wedding Process, 2021 Enrollment October 15-19, School starts November 3 Florist School School: Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing, 2021 Enrollment November 5-9, School Starts January 3 Flower Farming School: Growing Cut-Flowers in Hoop & Greenhouses, 2021 Enrollment November 19-23, School Starts January 5 Flower Farming School: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, & More! 2022 Enrollment June 14-18 2022, School Starts July 8 Flower Farming School: The Basics, Annual Crops. Marketing, & More! 2022 Enrollment October 1-5, School Starts November 1, 2022

Ellen Frost, a designer in Baltimore, MD, continues sharing her strategies of sourcing from local cut-flower growers. In this episode with Ellen Frost she is sharing what we can expect from the 2022 wedding market. Plus, how florist sourcing local flowers and growers can best prepare for the coming season. Ellen discusses this and so much more plus answering your questions and we even hear from one of the Growers that Ellen buys from each week and actually multiple times a week enjoy. Follow and share with florists and designers: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost Instagram: Florists Buying Local Flowers Facebook: Florists Buying Local Live Show on Clubhouse Tuesday 8 am ET: Join the Club: Download the phone app and join. No invitation is needed. Ellen's Studio: Local Color Flowers

The Flower Farmer Show is a recording of my casual live discussion that is about all things flower farming that airs LIVE each Wednesday at 1 pm ET on Clubhouse. In this episode, I am answering some questions submitted on The Flower Farmer Show Facebook Group, join us there! Clubhouse: Join my Flower Farming Club. Download the Clubhouse phone app to join. Visit our virtually Learning Center and Shop our garden store at TheGardenersWorkshop.com

Ellen Frost, a designer in Baltimore, MD, continues sharing some of her strategies of how she continues to source from local cut-flower growers during winter: altering her designs. Follow and share with florists and designers: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost Instagram: Florists Buying Local Flowers Facebook: Florists Buying Local Live Show on Clubhouse Tuesday 8 am ET: Join the Club: Download the phone app and join. No invitation is needed. Ellen's Studio: Local Color Flowers

Ellen Frost, a designer in Baltimore, MD, shares in this episode how she continues to source from local cut-flower growers during winter. Follow and share with florists and designers: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost Instagram: Florists Buying Local Flowers Facebook: Florists Buying Local Live Show on Clubhouse: Join the Club: Download the phone app and join. No invitation is needed. Ellen's Studio: Local Color Flowers

I know from firsthand experience how fear can derail us. I was so afraid of taking my flowers to that first florist I almost didn't do it! I'm sharing my experience of how I overcame that fear. Learn more about me and my course: Flower Farming School Online: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More!

What is holding you back from pursuing your flower farming dreams? Is it because you don't think you have enough land, or a tractor, or even a greenhouse? I am living proof that to get in and start a flower farming business you do not have to have this long laundry list of what we think are "must-haves"! Plus, in this episode, I am busting other common myths. Friends, there has never been a better time to become a flower farmer or to hit the reset button on an existing business. I'd love to walk with you! Lisa's Course: Flower Farming School Online: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, And More!

Friends, I am so pleased to introduce two ladies to you that I came to know as students of our courses. Both have gone on to become valuable team members here at TheGardenerWorkshop.com.  Please welcome Anne Phythyon of Franklin Flower Farm and Jessi Graven of Blue River Blooms. I asked them to share some insights into our course communities and lessons, and how the courses have affected their businesses. I am so grateful to have them on board! Learn more about Lisa's course and the other TGW flower-based business courses here.

In this replay of The Florist Buying Local Show, Ellen Frost is sharing about some of the flower co-ops she does business with. Follow and share with florists and designers: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost Instagram: Florists Buying Local Flowers Facebook: Florists Buying Local Live Show on Clubhouse: Join the Club: Download the phone app and join. No invitation is needed. Ellen's Studio: Local Color Flowers

Revisiting and reconnecting with why we are cut-flower grower business owners or aspiring to be. There is only one person in a business that can change the way business goes -- the person at the top, us. Burnout and overwhelm are most often self-induced problems, and we allow it. It doesn't have to be this way.  Hope this gives you ideas and hope.  ---Lisa

The Flower Farmer Show is a recording of my casual live discussion that is about all things flower farming that airs LIVE each Wednesday at 1 pm ET on Clubhouse. In this episode, I am talking with Val Schirmer about forcing amaryllis & paperwhite bulbs and her online course. Clubhouse: Join my Flower Farming Club. Download the Clubhouse phone app to join. Visit our virtually Learning Center and Shop our garden store at TheGardenersWorkshop.com Val's course: Forcing Glorious Blooms for the Holidays and Beyond! Connect with Val on Instagram: Three Toads Farm

I believe this topic is the one piece of going with locally grown flowers that holds conventional florists and designers back from taking the local plunge. But as Ellen reveals in this episode, that with a different approach to selling weddings locally grown flowers actually opens the door to new markets and allows the creative juices to really start flowing. Follow and share with florists and designers: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost Instagram: Florists Buying Local Flowers Facebook: Florists Buying Local Live Show on Clubhouse: Join the Club: Download the phone app and join. No invitation is needed. Ellen's Studio: Local Color Flowers

I haven't done this before. Running you through our flagship course, class-by-class, session-by-session Flower Farming School Online- The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, & More!  I'm sharing the lessons, topics, what I was thinking, and why I felt like it is important. Plus, I'm answering those questions I hear the most and sharing what some of my students are saying about the course.  I loved reviewing my course again to record this episode-- it lights me on fire to be reminded of all the pieces and parts that I've gathered to help you find your treasure in the flower farming business. Friends, I hope this helps you to see what could be just around the corner for you. Get on my waitlist! Enrollment for my course only opens once a year for 5 days in October. Once on my waitlist, we will send you reminders when enrollment opens, PLUS I will send you my very best resources!  Learn more about Flower Farming School Online: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More!

Folks this is the first time I've offered something like this. In this series of six episodes, I am going to walk with you through our flower-based business courses, course-by-course, session-by-session along with the respective instructors.  We will be answering all those questions we hear over and over like: Who is this instructor to teach this course? Who should take these courses? What exactly does this course teach? How long does it take to go through the school course? What kind of results should a student expect after taking this course?  Can't wait to share these episodes in the coming weeks!  Want to learn more about our courses? Visit TheGardenersWorkshop.com and sign up for the waitlists!

Florist Buying Local is a movement. It is the effort of Ellen Frost, the owner of the Local Color Flowers that is leading the way for florists and designers to learn that it is possible and profitable to source locally grown flowers. In this episode, Ellen shares the process she follows sourcing thousands of stems of locally grown flowers for this 6 wedding weekend that also has other events. Follow and share with florists and designers: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing with Ellen Frost Instagram: Florists Buying Local Flowers Facebook: Florists Buying Local Live Show on Clubhouse: Join the Club: Download the phone app and join. No invitation is needed. Ellen's Studio: Local Color Flowers

Well, folks after 23 years of intense flower farming (and lots of other stuff) we are transitioning my urban flower farm into a Virtual Learning Center. The only real change is we are no longer selling flowers---we are still growing a huge garden as in the past but with a different purpose: for teaching. This will allow us to focus our efforts on helping others grow! This is an exciting shift and also a bit hard for me--- but I'll push through my fear! Learn more about all that we are doing at TheGardenersWorkshop.com. Fondly, Lisa

Talking about my book Vegetables Loves Flowers and how it is truly a snapshot of how I garden and farm. Kinda the driving forces behind why and how I do what I do.  I am a very simple-minded person and tend to do things in a straightforward manner. In fact, so simple most people either miss my point or just don't believe it really works that way.  Grab an autographed book here. Request the free companion video book study here---no matter where you purchased it.  Enjoy. Lisa 

Listen in on a conversation I had with Jennie Love talking flower coolers. We met up on Instagram Live and talked about our coolers and answered many of the questions submitted.  Mentions: Storeitcold.com  FREE Webinars to request: Growing Dahlias for Weddings Navigating Covid as an Event Florist Jennie's online courses: Making Workshops Work for You (available anytime) Farmer-Florist School Online: The Wedding Process (get on her waitlist for her once a year October enrollment )

Are you overwhelmed by social media? If so my friend, you are not alone. I use to be right there with you.  We have to face the reality that social media is important for your business when you manage social media, not let social media manage you.  Food for thought mentions in the podcast from my online course Flower Farming School Online:  Why social media matters to your business  Where to start  Building a community  Take great photos Organization for easy posting  Connect with me to ask your questions LIVE: Facebook Instagram Clubhouse 

What is holding you back? Think it's because you aren't ready or not sure about taxes, pricing, and on and on??? Is this you? Friends I am afraid it isn't this or that that's holding you back, it is fear! Fear of failing, fear of screwing up, fear of looking dumb or bad, and fear of a whole bunch of other stuff... I hope this little chat will let you know that the more fear you face, the more success that will knock on your door. Remember the road to success is paved in failures. I believe there is no other way to get there.  Get on the wait and resource list for:  Flower Farming Schools Online: Lisa Mason Ziegler's course: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More!  Dave Dowling's course:  Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More! Steve & Gretal Adams course: Growing Cut-Flowers in Hoop and Greenhouses Farmer-Florist School: Jennie Love's course: The Wedding Process Florist School: Ellen Frost's course: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing

The Flower Farmer Show is a recording of my casual live discussion that is about all things flower farming that airs LIVE each Wednesday at 1 pm ET on Clubhouse.  In this episode, Dave Dowling joins us to help navigate wholesale purchasing as a cut-flower grower.  Clubhouse: Join my Flower Farming Club. Download the Clubhouse phone app to join.  Visit our virtually Learning Center and Shop our garden store at TheGardenersWorkshop.com 

This is a recording of our casual show that airs live each Wednesday at 1 pm ET on Clubhouse. This episode shares some of the tips and tricks of efficiencies we learned on the farm.  To join the Clubhouse show LIVE, download the phone app. Search for Lisa Mason Ziegler or click this link and follow me. Join my club Flower Farming to be notified when I go live. Visit TheGardenersWorkshop.com online garden shop and learning center.

This is a recording of our casual show that airs live each Wednesday at 1 pm ET on Clubhouse. This episode shares the additional Cool Flowers we added since the book was published. To join the Clubhouse show LIVE, download the phone app. Search for Lisa Mason Ziegler or click this link and follow me. Join my club Flower Farming to be notified when I go live. Learn more about Cool Flowers HERE. Visit TheGardenersWorkshop.com online garden shop and learning center.

This is a recording of our show that airs live each Wednesday at 1 pm ET on Clubhouse.  This episode shares the up and downs of not sticking with your timing to plant cool-season hardy annuals.  To join the Clubhouse show LIVE, download the phone app. Search for Lisa Mason Ziegler or click this link and follow me. Join my club Flower Farming to be notified when I go live. Learn more about Cool Flowers HERE. Visit TheGardenersWorkshop.com online garden shop and learning center.

This week learn how cold-season hardy annuals don’t just survive cool-to-cold weather, but thrive in those conditions. Overcome the fear and frustration of planting this group of spring-blooming flowers. Resist the urge to complicate when to plant this group of flowers. Do Week 1’s homework and bring it to Week 2 to learn what flowers to plant when! Watch the videos and request the resources:  The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles series  Links mentioned in the video: Introducing the Dragon Series Snapdragons:TGW Pink Dragons TGW White Dragon TGW Yellow Dragon TGW Sunset Dragon

Remember, it’s not about you when deciding how-to start seeds. Often I hear folks speaking of why they decided on which method of starting their seeds and honesty, their reasons had nothing to do with the best method for a particular seed! Here’s the thing, once you realize that seed starting can be easy once you know what it needs and give it to them— success is eminent. It is really that simple. The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles Week 4 is all about making the choice, do you plant the seeds in the garden or do you start indoors. I hope it sheds some light for you! Next week is the final night in the series. I hope you’ll join me for the grand finale! Watch the videos and request the resources:  The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles series  Links mentioned in the video: Biodegradable mulch film Bio360 Garden Hoe Row Cover Kit Link to cool-season seeds by category: Category–Plant seeds directly in the garden Category–Start seeds indoors All cool season flower seeds The Umbel family: Dill Ammi Majus False Queen Anne’s Lace

This week learn how to provide the growing conditions that help Cool Flowers thrive in cold weather. Watch the videos and request the resources:  The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles series  Links mentioned: Biodegradable mulch film Bio360 Silage Tarp Garden Hoe Row Cover Kit Link to cool-season seeds by category:Category – Plant seeds directly in the garden Category – Start seeds indoors Category – All cool season flower seeds Get the online course Cool Flowers, Beyond the Book for Flower Farming Why I love Poppies:Iceland Poppies Giant Poppy Pods

This week learn when and what to plant based on your winter hardiness zone and first and last frost dates. KUDOS to all that did their homework!!! Remember: The greatest Cool Flowers fail is to not plant them at ALL!!!!! Watch the videos and request the resources:  The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles series  The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles videos and resources HERE. Blog: Store Seeds Longer Why I love Rudbeckia— so many, long cut, pollinators, bright, easyPrairie Sun Indian Summer Goldilocks Triloba Double Daisy

This week talking about the life of the cool-season hardy annual and so much more. Everyone can plant this group---it's just that we may all plant at different times depending on where we are gardening.

Watch the videos and request the resources:  The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles series 

Find me over on TheGardenersWorkshop.com!

Such a frustrating subject, how to price your flowers? Warning this episode is not going to tell you how much to sell a flower for. My suggestion is to stop asking how much? but to ask how do I figure out how much I need to sell my flowers for? Professional education is the ticket. If this question had a simple answer, it won't be in the top 5 questions I get weekly. Here is the thing-- pricing is unique to your business. You need to compare the fair market price (learn where to find reliable information), you have to know what you need to charge to make a profit. This process is very personal and unique to each business.  There are no correct blanket pricing answers. The answer is found as a conclusion based on researching your region, the types of markets selling in, the market, and other variables.  Pricing structure should be one of the early steps in starting your business. Having the flowers in a bucket harvested and not knowing is stressful and avoidable. Being a member of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is the beginning of that journey.

My struggle since day one as a flower farmer? Thinking I needed more and more growing space.  I expanded and expanded as I could being a city dweller and it worked. I successfully commercially farmed, made money, provided employment to my family and friends, and flowered southeastern Virginia for over 2 decades.  Now, I’m in a full-circle moment. I am excited to take all my experiences and to focus my intentions on “growing intensively” on a smaller space as never before.  Mentions:  The Flower Farmer Show on Clubhouse (Audio Social App) Wednesdays at 1pm ET The Flower Farmer Show Facebook Group Connect with Lisa Live page Lisa's Blog: Hertzler Farm Going Down

Oh boy, are you as exhausted, hot, overwhelmed, and as behind as I am? Sometimes just hearing others are suffering too helps—I know just recording this helped me! I hope one of my fixes will help you.  Here are the two links I mentioned:  Webinar request: Sunflowers for the WIn! Connect with me!

Friends, are you considering doing events? Wondering how to make more from the flowers you grow? This episode can answer some of your questions and plant the seeds of opportunity.  Jennie shares from her experiences that it is a reality to generate a 6-figure net income as a professional farmer-florist.  I hope this episode gets you thinking outside of your current business box.  Jennie's Online Courses: Making Workshops Work for You, on-demand and available year-round. Farmer-Florist School: The Wedding Process, enrolls October 15-19, 2021, and school stats November 3. Enjoy! Lisa

Well, friends more on growing Lisianthus. When I posted on social media about the way I handle growing them in the field of my little urban farm--it really sparked questions and conversation. So this episode touches on more and recaps some of those posts and the video I previously shared on social media. You will find links to all here on my post: Answering Lisianthus Questions. I hope this is helpful and encourages you to grow these beauties. Lisa www.TheGardenersWorkshop.com

I am so pleased to share our latest project: The Flower Farmer Show.  Currently, it is a talk show that I host over on the Clubhouse social media app on Wednesdays at 1pm ET. But expect more coming down the pike friends! The Clubhouse app is available to iPhone and Android users. It is a social media platform that works through your cell phone number. You can't just join, but have to have an invite. So, if you want to listen in, download the app and ask around on other social media platforms if anyone has invites to share-- you'll get one :). At this time Clubhouse does not offer recordings for replays, listen live. Request to join the closed Facebook Group: The Flower Farmer Show Clubhouse

Friends I want to encourage you to keep after your dream! Even if you are a new gardener, live in the middle of the city, don't have much land, and/or can't have a greenhouse---you can become a flower farmer, I did! Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't do with what you have. Mentions: The Flower Farmer book By Lynn Byczynski Our flower-based business online courses.

This simple step is so easily forgotten or brushed aside. It is so great to baste in the wins but also to talk about and note the fails. Debriefing at key times can help so much! While I think journaling is great for a release, I find that noting on the BIG CALENDAR is an easy to read method that is the most helpful to your flower farming business.  I am all about my people (crew), our processes, and the product (the flowers, or whatever you sell).  The Big Calendar Let off some steam and ride the high of success! Lisa TheGardenersWorkshop.com

Are you a dabbler? Want to become a professional cut-flower grower? Dave Dowling and I are offering up what you need to take the plunge with Flower Farming School Online.  Links: Lisa's course page: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, & More! Dave's course page: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, & More! Hope to see you in school someday! Lisa

Again folks Dave is offering up his practical approach and sharing tips. In addition to those shared in this episode, Dave made a PDF with additional farm hacks.  Dave's generous sharing from his years of farming can change the way you farm and do business. I know he has had a profound effect on me and my business.  Did you know that Dave has created an online course that is packed with his style of information? Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More! has growing and harvesting information for over 70 crops plus Dave will answer all your questions! Request the PDF: Flower Farming Hacks

As I sift through the mountains of resources we have created over the years, I am finding some real gems.  I had to share a portion of my conversation with Dave Dowling that took place on Facebook last season. As usual, he is providing those priceless firsthand experience tips that he has become so well known for in the cut-flower industry.  Resources mentioned: Request the PDF: Dave's Favorite Bulbs Dave's online course: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, & More Enjoy!

I think when we hear the term "mulch" many of us automatically think of the wood chips that are so commonly used in landscapes, but there are many other choices and different ways to use them. The definition of mulch is simply a protective layer of material that we lay on the soil surface to protect the soil. It can be organic like leaves, bark, straw, etc. or inorganic like landscape fabric, plastic, and biodegradable film.  All have a use in different applications. In this episode I share how my practice of mulching has evolved as the size of my gardens increased over the years. I use a mix of of methods depending on the season and what is available to me to use.  Please consider subscribing and reviewing my podcast if you are enjoying what I share. It will help me so much! Mentions: Bio360 biodegradable film Visit my website to learn about our online courses and shop our online garden store.

Have you learned from Dave Dowling? Saying that Dave is a veteran flower farmer is a bit understating it. He is known in flower farming circles as the walking encyclopedia, I call him our flower genius. And he has such a heart for teaching. Dave's depth of knowledge from what to grow, where to get it, which way to grow it,  and how to harvest and sell it is a business changing experience.   I am sharing a portion of a conversation I had with Dave about the many choices we face when diving into growing more crops and his take on some of these. Sign up for Dave's Course News and waitlist and instantly get his webinar "Success with Succession Planting"  Learn more about his online course: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More! Registration is only open once a year for 5 days: June 14-18, 2021. Expand what you grow and sell more to your existing customers!!

Flower support netting, love it or hate it? That's the question! I love it and consider it an important part of my farm. Just the mention of it and I see peoples lips start to twitch. It doesn't have to go that way friend!  Sharing what it is, what it does, what you should net, when you should remove it, and my tips to make using it easier.   Flower support netting product page that includes videos. Happy supporting! Lisa

I am coming to you the week before Mother's Day and thought now is a great time to talk about helping fresh cut flowers last longer. Lots of mentions in this episode and below are the links: Request my article with all the steps to follow: Making the Most of Your Cut Flowers Flower conditioning products: CVBN Tabs, Quick Dip, Flower Food Flower Caddy Dave Dowling's online course: Bulbs, Perennials, Shrubs, and More!  Cool Flowers, find most of my resources for cool-season flower growing: The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles Sunflower Seeds Cool season seeds including the Dragon Snapdragons Our flower sales program details, they are sold out but you can see the details. I hope you enjoy! Lisa

Many years ago when I became heavily involved with the sport and hobby of dogs, I also went to work at a very busy veterinary hospital. This opportunity gave me a unique point of view. I learned about the good of a owning and loving a dog and also just how bad it can go for a dog and how often that happens.  With a little bit of deliberate thought and process you can select a family dog that will fit in and become a part of your family with as little struggle and issues as possible for you and the dog.   

I hope that taking a walk through a year on my farm, month-by-month will help you see the big picture of gardening and flower farm.  What is the big picture? Creating a garden that you you love and enjoy. Not a place that you always feel behind and all you see is work.  Embrace succession at it's best and create a garden you can love.  My book: Vegetables Love Flowers 

Folks, I am so pleased to share part of a conversation I had with Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers on the florist and the farmer coming together to network, learn from each other, and to do business together. I hope you get some good take away tips!  Learn more from Ellen: Ellen's online course Growing Your Business With Local Flower Sourcing enrollment is open April 19-23, 2021. This is a special accelerated presentation in our efforts to help florist that are facing global supply disruption to connect with local sourcing. This course is also an excellent doorway for farmers to begin or ramp up selling to florists and designers.  Hope to see you in school! Lisa 

As I thought about the subject of this podcast, I began to realize that this topic maybe what truly led me to become a successful business owner. I either set myself up to always have options or I actually have just gotten good at seeing them. Not sure which, but I guess it really doesn't matter.  Not backing myself into a corner in business, in farming, and in life has served me well. I hope this inspires you to consider options.  Lisa Z

Friend are you feeling like you are behind in planting your cutting garden? Please don't! After you listen to this podcast you will understand that embracing the 3-season cutting garden means you are never behind.  Learn my approach to flower farming 100% outdoors in a garden and how it leads to garden you love and want to live with. Not the dreaded garden that you feel like you are always behind on doing things for. Mentions: The Gardener's Workshop website My book: Vegetables Love Flowers Already have the book? Request the companion video book study HERE. Get Vegetables Love Flowers and The Cutting Garden Seed Collection My book: Cool Flowers Already have the book? Request the companion video book study HERE. Watch The Cool-Season Flower Chronicles 

This is a special edition podcast. It includes the audio from the great conversation I had with Ellen Frost and Dave Dowling on the developing issues with the shortages of imported flowers and the problems that are developing as a result.  Mentions in the Podcast: Request the replay of Ellen and Dave's webinar: 10 Reasons that Florists Don't Buy Local Join the Closed Facebook Group: Florists Buying Local Ellen's Online Course the enrolls April 19-23, 2021: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing Get on Ellen's waitlist, signup on her course page! Ellen Frost, Local Color Flowers: Instagram  Facebook Dave Dowling, Ball Horticulture, DDowling@ballhort.com

Living with dogs and a garden can be harmonious, but it takes some work, it doesn't just happen. Because my goldens have always been a big part of my public life, I get lots of questions about how I managed to get them to be so well trained in the garden.  I am sharing my dog stories and the wisdoms that have been shared with me. I was so fortunate to have connected with such gifted dog people through the years. Steve and I, with our dogs live a great life together because of these women.   Enjoy. Lisa Book: Farm Dog Babs, The Sweet Brown-Eyed Girl

We are heading into the time of the year that folks start thinking it's to late to start seed, when in fact there is almost always seeds to be started. When we embrace annual seed starting fully--- both cool and warm season, the possibilities are endless. Part of the secret sauce to a longer and easier season is to learn when to plant each group in your garden and to run with it!  Checkout: Warm-season flower seeds. Cool-season flower seeds.  Seed-starting equipment.  

Where does your mind go when you close your eyes? What do you see? I see where flower farming has led me and I'm so happy to be here. Steve and I are both owners of small businesses. Like all business owners we have worked so hard, made sacrifices, and kept our heads down and continued doing it even when we didn't want too.  Now, as we are entering the time of life that we can stop peddling quite so hard, we are reaping the benefits of all of those years of hard work. Part of that is our forethought of building our farm assets for our golden years beyond the bank account.  We are working towards creating that place we see when we close our eyes. 

Starting and being in business is overwhelming. Yep, it's true, the overwhelm doesn't just stop one day. You have to decide to stop it and take control and make it happen. You are the only one that has that choice. Add on top of starting and being in business, a flower farming business--- and it comes clear how so many new growers never make it out of the gate. I tend to categorize folks pursuing or already in the cut-flower growing business in one of two groups: Those that indulge in endless dreaming, planning, and learning. Those that pursue learning and then do the work. In this episode I'm sharing one of the keys to getting started and staying in business as a flower farmer. Consider it.  Allow yourself the fair opportunity to learn how and join the ranks of a cut-flower grower. I highly recommend it!

I was right there with you and the other 98% of the world trying to start seeds, failing and feeling defeated. I gave up and moved on to buying plants---but then I stumbled onto the a few simple steps to follow on seed starting and I literally became an overnight success. Well, maybe not a "success" out of the gate, but I began starting from seed and growing plants. I can't even tell you how rewarding, satisfying, and happy this made me. Success came when I: Selected seeds to start that were easier to succeed with while learning. Learned what each seed needed to start and then provided it. Provided the basic care to grow healthy transplants. Resources Mentioned: Seed Starting Made Easy, my 90-minute online course teaching starting seeds indoors using the soil blocking method and how to plant and start seeds outdoors in the garden. Easy flower seeds to start that I also grow in my garden. I have learned through the years that there are tons of easy seeds to start and grow. They are the foundation of my flower farming business. Seed Starting Equipment. Having the tools you need to provide what the seeds need to sprout and then to grow indoors until they can be planted outdoors is essential to success. Have questions? Join me on my weekly LIVE events and I do my best to answer your questions. If you are enjoying my podcast please share it with your friends! It helps me so much. Fondly, Lisa

Did you know that very early spring is your 2nd opportunity to plant Cool Flowers? Wait, what are Cool Flowers?? I’m talking about those cool-season hardy annuals that don’t just tolerate cold, but thrive in these conditions. I’m sharing my tips on how to make it possible to get these spring blooming beauties in your garden and farm.

I am so proud of the online course that I have created and published. As more and more styles of learning are becoming available I thought I’d share from the heart why I’ve developed our platform into what has become a medley of flower-industry leaders offering what is needed to start and expand a flower-based business in unlimited ways. I hope it shares a snapshot of what we offer and how it can grow into a lifelong relationship.

Have you ever considered how much being afraid is costing your business? Little did I understand that being afraid led me to chase shiny objects and it held me back from finding the meat and potatoes of my business for years. All because of my fear of being that “simple” field growing flower farmer on that little urban farm. Join me as I share how I believe each one of us brings our unique way to set us apart in staple cash crops and being a flower farmer. I also share from the heart on how my dyslexia is affecting my podcast.

My first episode y’all!!! As I am aligning my thoughts to share with you, I thought I would take you along as my season is already unfolding here.

Visit my online garden shop to watch videos and learn more! The Gardener’s Workshop

The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online.  Award-winning Author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers. Watch Lisa’s Story and view her blog Field & Garden. Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Instagram!

Hey friend I can’t wait to connect with you here! I’m talking all things cut flowers, the urban farming life, business, and even having a large garden with a giant golden retriever roaming around!