Episoder
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Discover essential insights into the world of flower farming, where passion meets perseverance! This episode dives deep into the heart of flower farming, unraveling the layers of determination, business acumen, and preparation needed to thrive.
From the first-hand experience of someone who started their journey 25+ years ago, learn about the highs and lows of stepping into the unknown, the resilience required to overcome the myriad challenges, and the critical importance of a strong business foundation to sustain your passion for flower farming.
Embark on your path to becoming a successful flower farmer today by understanding the importance of preparation and equipping yourself with the tools needed for a flourishing future in flower farming.
Mentions
Book: The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski
Lisa's Online Course, Flower Farming School Online: Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More!
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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Today’s episode features our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram called Ask a Flower Farmer. This one was hosted by Lisa Mason Ziegler, a flower farmer with over 25 years of experience, author, online instructor, founder of The Gardener's Workshop, and self-proclaimed "head bottle washer." During this session in early May, she fielded questions on the following topics...
Topics: buckwheat cover crop, weed suppression & prevention, harvesting strawflowers, how to store seeds, recommended soil for raised beds, perennials for shade gardens, fertilizing cool flowers in the spring, succession planting, protecting plants from squirrels and rabbits, scouting for pest and disease damage, Sweet William varieties & successions, early and late-season sunflowers
Lisa hosts these live Q&As on Instagram every Wednesday at 12:30 pm Eastern time, and we occasionally have guest hosts on as well - we invite you to check it out!
Mentions
Lisa's Online Community: The Gardener's Workshop Club
Our Live Shopping Phone App: Download Link
Lisa's Book: The Cut Flower Handbook
Online Course: Cool Flowers From Seed To Harvest
Products: Stand-Up Hoe, Neptune's Harvest
Catch "Ask A Flower Farmer" live on our Instagram!
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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Mangler du episoder?
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Today’s episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. This one featured guest host Lennie Larkin, author of Flower Farming for Profit and owner of B-Side Farm in Oregon. She is also one of our course instructors here at The Gardener’s Workshop. In this Q&A Lennie fielded questions about bouquet pricing, floral design, how to research your local market, and more.
Topics: Tiered pricing for bouquets, principles of floral design, flower markups, researching your market to develop your business model, building bouquets efficiently
Mentions
Lennie’s Instagram: flowerfarming.forprofit, B-Side Farm
Online course: Profitable Flower Farming
The Gardener’s Workshop on Instagram
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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In this episode, Lisa visits Emma Mobley's flower farm in Suffolk, VA. Emma shares her journey of transitioning to flower farming and discusses her new business model, focusing on spring and fall blooms. Listen as she reveals her selling strategies, challenges, and what the future holds for End of Nowhere Flower Farm.
Note: video version of this podcast available on our YouTube channel
Mentions
Website: End of Nowhere Flower Farm
Find Emma on Instagram or Facebook
Discover our online courses!
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our Farm News emails!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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Today’s episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, normally called Ask a Flower Farmer. This one, however, we called Ask a Florist, and it featured guest hostess Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, MD. Ellen is a floral designer who creates exclusively with flowers and foliage purchased from local growers. She is also one of our course instructors here at The Gardener’s Workshop. In this Q&A Ellen fielded questions about floral design, the different flowers she uses throughout the year, and some great business questions too.
Other topics mentioned: floral design for beginners, long-lasting flowers, arranging in mason jars, what Ellen designs with during the winter months, foam-free floral mechanics, the first steps toward selling your flowers, how to get the best vase life from your flowers, how to sell to a florist for the first time, flower cart sales, flower pricing for florists, buying bulk flowers, using social media as a tool to tell your story, spring focal flowers, price undercutting.
Mentions
Ellen’s newsletter signup
Ellen’s YouTube Channel
Instagram: Ellen Frost Flowers
Instagram: Local Color Flowers
Ellen's courses:
On-Demand Mini-Workshop: Preparing to Sell to Florists
Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing
Field & Garden Podcast #130: Local Color Flowers – A Design Studio’s Year Month-by-Month with Ellen Frost
Seed Talk Podcast #52 – Zinnia Challenges with Florist Ellen Frost
The Gardener’s Workshop on Instagram
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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I had a wonderful time visiting Torrie Anderson's place, The Flower Farm at Youngs Mill, back in June. Located just a couple of miles from my farm here in Virginia, Torrie is one of my dedicated students who has truly embraced the lessons and made remarkable progress! Now in her third year of flower farming with her husband and four children, join me to learn about Torrie's journey and hear her plans for the future.
Mentions
Website: The Flower Farm at Youngs Mill
Find Torrie on Instagram or Facebook
Discover our online courses!
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our Farm News emails!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. It was guest-hosted by Dave Dowling of Ball/ColorLink, a former flower farmer and the instructor for our online course: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More.
Dave is always happy to share his knowledge with our listeners! Here, he answers questions about snapdragons, baptisia, ranunculus, peonies, larkspur, lisianthus, and so much more.
Other topics include the updated USDA hardiness zone map, managing thrips and aphids, powdery mildew, fertilizing and pinching techniques, his all-time favorite perennials to grow for cut flowers, and making a profit from flower farming.
Mentions
USDA Hardiness Zone Map - updated Nov 2023
Bulb Supplier: Ball/Colorlink, or Call for Account Setup: 800-686-7380
Dave on social: Facebook, Instagram
Dave's Course: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!
Discover our online courses!
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our Farm News emails!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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These are the top 5 mistakes I see folks making related to Cool Flowers, don't be one of them!
1. Not knowing your first & last frost dates, along with your lowest expected winter temperature
2. Not preparing your garden beds ahead of time
3. Not knowing how each seed prefers to be started (indoors or outside, direct sow vs transplants)
4. Not providing the right environmental conditions seed sprouting and optimal seedling growth (light, temperature, air, and water)
5. Failing to realize that you do NOT have to start all seeds yourself (plugs are an option!)
Avoid these common mistakes to save time, money, and most importantly, your sanity!
Mentions
Silage Tarp
Plug Suppliers: Farmer Bailey, Ball Hort/Colorlink
Cool Flower Seeds from The Gardener's Workshop
Lisa's Book, Cool Flowers
Online Course: Cool Flowers from Seed to Harvest
TGW Phone App/Live Shopping Show
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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If you are a Southerner or a Northerner you may think the Cool Flower concept doesn't work for you, but nothing could be further from the truth! When you find your planting time sweet spot you will be the envy of all your grower friends, and your customers will think you are nothing short of a miracle worker!
As a Southerner, I spent years at the farmers market watching customers love on my sweet peas and tell me why they can't be grown here - Ha!
Meanwhile I hear from my northern flower farming friends that they have become driven to find ways to get this plant family in the ground earlier and earlier each year to reap the benefits!
Cool Flowers are for everyone. Myth busted, truth unveiled!
Enjoy this week's episode for my best Cool Flower tips and recommendations for Southerners and Northerners.
Mentions
Request the FREE webinar: 3 Foolproof Steps to Success with Cool Flowers
Lisa's Book, Cool Flowers
Request the Cool Flowers video book study
Online Course: Cool Flowers from Seed to Harvest
Lisa's Book, The Cut Flower Handbook
TGW Phone App/Live Shopping Show
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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Stepping away and looking at the big picture, it is easy to see why and how we have been skipping over spring crops. Some of us go to extremes to get warm plants blooming sooner than they should be and others are still planting this family way too late to reap the rewards that well-established plants give. Warm-season plants are familiar, which makes them seem easier to grow.
I want to fast forward to where this journey of embracing seasonality with cool-season hardy annuals can lead.
This is a trend that I have seen over and over, and I think it is so smart.
My first experience with flower farmers making a clear decision to move away from offering summer crops and focusing on spring and or fall crops was with good friends Megan and Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm in North Carolina. I met them before their babies came, and I watched as they started a family, lived the homesteading life, and grew cut flowers as a piece of their family life, not allowing it to consume them. They developed their model as an early to late spring offering flower farm.
Now we're seeing more and more flower farmers realizing they can maintain control as they grow their businesses, molding them into a more manageable part of their life.
I had the honor of visiting one of my student's farms a couple of years ago. She came to the rescue of furnishing some flower crops for a photo shoot for my newest book, The Cut Flower Handbook.I knew I wanted to revisit her farm with the team to learn and film about how she got into flower farming and where her journey is headed. I was thrilled to hear her story of creating a more manageable flower farming business. Our visit with Emma will be released as a Field & Garden podcast episode later this season.
Mentions
Request the FREE webinar: 3 Foolproof Steps to Success with Cool Flowers
Lisa's Book, Cool Flowers
Online Course: Cool Flowers from Seed to Harvest
Emma Mobley, End of Nowhere Flower Farm
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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Why Grow Annuals?
I stumbled into growing annuals. I initially began planting perennials but I quickly saw the errors of my way-- I was going to run out of space, QUICK!
As my business was gaining more demand than flowers I had-- I became a little crazy figuring out how to make the most of my total property of 1.17 acres that also had my home and outbuildings.
I already had a nice stand of hydrangeas in our landscape and thought-- bingo, use it all. But then I needed a consistent supply-- I didn't see it yet but annual plants were knocking down my door.
Then I got it! To maximize my space and to have a consistent supply I needed annuals.
What I discovered along that journey is that annuals are the perfect fit for the small-space flower farmer.
It's the recommended way all farmers get started to learn how to farm, maintain, seed start, harvest, and find customers:
Low investment, Max production small space, Constant ability to change up-colors & varieties, The annual system has been so misrepresentedA little-known reality of the "Annual Farmer" is that this style of farming can become an asset to your home. I could literally stop farming any day, plant trees or grass, and call it a life well lived.
Mentions
Online Courses from The Gardener's Workshop
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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This episode features a takeover of our popular “Ask a Flower Farmer” live Q&A session on Instagram. Daniel Schavey of Petal Pickers Flower Co. in Greenville, SC hosted this one. Daniel is an 8th-year flower farmer growing in zone 8a and an alumnus of most of The Gardener’s Workshop’s online courses. Here, he answers questions on topics such as Mother’s Day flowers and pricing, ordering plugs vs. starting from seed, purchasing and saving ranunculus corms, and so much more!
Other topics covered: hydroponic tulips, when to plant dahlia tubers, tuberose growing tips, peonies for Mother's Day, perennial phlox, starting small with flower farming, ranunculus harvest stage, starting zinnias from seed, shipping flowers, foliage and greens for Mother's Day, sunflower seed starting.
Mentions
Petalpickers.com: fresh flowers shipped nationwide, dahlia tuber and fall bulb sales
Follow on Instagram: Petal Pickers, The Gardener's Workshop
Book, The Cut Flower Handbook
Book, Postharvest Handling of Cut Flowers and Greens
High Tunnels from Farmers Friend
Lisianthus plugs: Ball Colorlink, Farmer Bailey, Leo Berbee
Online Courses from The Gardener's Workshop
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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Take control now, because if you don’t, nobody will! Resist distractions, structure your workdays to get the tasks that matter done, grow more of less, endlessly market your business, and streamline everything!
Mentions
Lisa's Favorite Hat to Beat the Heat!
Lisa's Book, Cool Flowers
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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In this episode, Lisa and our newest TGW instructor Lennie Larkin offer a look inside our online course, Profitable Flower Farming.
Mentions
Online Course: Profitable Flower Farming with Lennie Larkin
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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In this episode, Lisa and guest Lennie Larkin discuss her journey into flower farming, her move to Oregon, and the creation of her educational business. They also delve into the challenges of profitable flower farming, the future of the domestic cut flower industry, and introduce Lennie's new online course published by The Gardener's Workshop.
Mentions
New Online Course: Profitable Flower Farming with Lennie Larkin
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. Guest-hosted by Dave Dowling of Ball/ColorLink, also a former flower farmer and the instructor for our online course: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More.
Dave is always happy to share his knowledge with our listeners! Here, he answers questions about lilies, ranunculus, peonies, lisianthus, calla lilies, and so much more.
Other topics include dianthus, sweet peas, eucalyptus, bells of Ireland, viburnum, cosmos, dahlia gall, sunflowers, pinching, new garden bed preparation, and selling to florists.
Mentions
Ball Seed's Cut Flowers Info Hub
Dave's Online Course: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!
Lisa's Book, The Cut Flower Handbook
Facebook Group: Lisianthus Seed Starters
The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram
Discover all of our online courses!
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our Farm News emails!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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Today’s episode features Lisa Ziegler and Layne Angelo as they introduce their new online course. It was over a year in the making and is called Cool Flowers from Seed to Harvest. Listen in as they talk about their inspiration and how the course came to be, what it includes, and answer audience questions.
Mentions
Cool Flowers from Seed to Harvest
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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A quick little set of reminders for busy flower growers!
1) Weeds: You need a prevention plan, plus a plan to extinguish any that survive when they're small.
2) Succession planting: designate resources/time to getting those successions done, it needs to be a top priority.
3) Always be selling: be on the lookout for additional sales opportunities, putting feelers out continuously.
4) Don't run out of supplies: purchase with an entire season in mind so that you're not stuck waiting for something.
5) Do paperwork weekly: put it in your schedule weekly, as this task gets more overwhelming if you don't keep up with it.
Mentions
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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Today’s episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, normally called Ask a Flower Farmer. This one, however, we called Ask a Florist, and it featured guest hostess Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, MD. Ellen is a floral designer who creates exclusively with flowers and foliage purchased from local growers. She is also one of our course instructors here at The Gardener’s Workshop. In this Q&A Ellen fielded questions about floral design, the different flowers she uses throughout the year, and some great business questions too.
Mentions
Ellen’s newsletter signup
Ellen’s YouTube Channel
Instagram: Ellen Frost Flowers
Instagram: Local Color Flowers
Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing
On-Demand Mini-Workshop: Preparing to Sell to Florists
PDF: Pro Tips to Make Your Flowers Last
Follow on Instagram: @florxeight, local rose grower
Floral Hydrator: Quick Dip
The Gardener’s Workshop on Instagram
Postharvest Handling book in the ASCFG bookstore
The Floral Coach®
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
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I don't know about you, but I am always anxious about spring. A lot is riding on it, right? Weather, seed sowing issues, never enough help, everything seems urgent, netting-netting-netting... seedling care, and then bedmaking, planting, and harvesting starts.
What I have learned after decades of facing anxiousness is that constant support, encouragement, and prioritizing are what get me through and have led to less anxiousness overall.
Hope this helps,
Lisa
Mentions
Workshop: Cool Flowers from Seed to Harvest
The Gardener's Workshop Club
Flower Farming School Online: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More!
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!
- Se mer
