Field and Garden with Lisa Mason Ziegler

Latest Episodes:

#239: Realigning Business Priorities May 23, 2023

Show notes

As I am facing the struggle of realigning my business priorities as my book project is wrapping up, I am revisiting class one in Flower Farming School Online which is helping me so much. It is making me take a look at what I’m doing with my business day and what I may need to do to take the next step. If you are overwhelmed in business or looking for your next move, these steps will flush out your path.

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 print or digital subscription.

Lisa's Flower Farming School Online - available now!

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

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!

#238: Daniel Schavey hosts Ask A Flower Farmer Q&A May 16, 2023

Show notes

This episode features a takeover of our popular “Ask a Flower Farmer” live Q&A session on Instagram. This one was hosted by Daniel Schavey of Petal Pickers Flower Co. in Greenville, SC. Daniel is a 7th-year flower farmer growing in zone 8a and an alumnus of most of The Gardener’s Workshop’s online courses as well. Here, he answers questions about lots of flowers, including ranunculus, sunflowers, bells of Ireland, celosia, peonies, anemones, and alliums.

Other topics covered: powdery mildew, high tunnel crops, dahlias, woodies, tulips, daffodils, fertilization techniques, learning what grows best on your farm

Mentions

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

Lisa's Flower Farming School Online - available now!

Daniel's source for High Tunnels: ⁠Farmers Friend LLC

Fox Hollow Peonies on Instagram

The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram

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

#237: Dave Dowling hosts Ask A Flower Farmer Q&A May 09, 2023

Show notes

This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. This one was guest hosted by Dave Dowling of Ball/ColorLink. Dave is also a former flower farmer and the instructor for our online course: Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More. Dave has such a wealth of knowledge to share! Here, he answers questions about lots of flowers, including ranunculus, sunflowers, bells of Ireland, celosia, peonies, anemones, and alliums.

Other topics mentioned: coated seeds, storing seeds, bacterial/fungal issues in greenhouses, growing lilies in bulb crates, storing tulips in a cooler, managing flying insects in the grow room, tarnish plant bug damage, cold-hardy annual seedling care, dealing with aphids & thrips

Mentions

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

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

The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram

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

#236: Val Schirmer Takeover of Ask A Flower Farmer May 02, 2023

Show notes

This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. This episode was guest hosted by Val Schirmer of Three Toads Farm. Val is a flower farmer based in the Lexington, Kentucky area, and also the current president of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, the ASCFG. She’s one of our course instructors here at The Gardener’s Workshop as well. In this Q&A Val answered questions about forcing bulbs to have ready for winter and spring holidays, both as cut flowers and in potted arrangements. She provides tips about amaryllis, paperwhites, tulips, narcissus, hyacinths, and more!

Mentions

YouTube Video: Val Schirmer on Ask A Flower Farmer

Three Toads Farm Instagram, Facebook, Website

Val's Online Mini-Workshop: Forcing Glorious Blooms for the Holidays & Beyond

Greenhouse Megastore for deep plastic 6-packs

Accent Decor for planters (wholesale only)

ADR Bulbs and Ball ColorLink for Bulbs (wholesale only)

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG)

The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram

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

#235: Flower Lover Turned Flower Farmer with Sarah Strouse & Ellen Frost Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

You never know where your interests and hobbies will take you! Here, Sarah shares her dream scenario, going from a flower enthusiast in a busy healthcare career to a successful flower farmer. She was introduced to the world of local flowers and her local flower community when she attended a design class at Ellen Frost's studio, Local Color Flowers. From there, Sarah chose to dive deep into her floral business education and soon moved to the farm that she runs today, called Strawberry Hill. Now she sells flowers to Ellen!

Here Lisa, Ellen, and Sarah celebrate the flower community and the magic of seeing where your interests and passions will lead you. We hope this interview inspires you to seek out your passions and discover where they may take you one day as well.

Mentions

Sarah Strouse of Strawberry Hill: @strawberryhillmd on Instagram

Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers: Website: Local Color Flowers, Instagram: Local Color Flowers, Instagram: Florists Buying Local

Online Courses from The Gardener's Workshop

Lisa's Book: Cool Flowers

Lisa's Hellebore Webinar: Request the Replay

Book: Postharvest Handling of Cut Flowers and Greens (sold by the ASCFG)

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

#234: Ask A Flower Farmer with Amelia Ihlo of Rooted Farmers Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. This episode was guest hosted by Amelia Ihlo. Amelia is a flower farmer based in rural New Hampshire and owns the Rooted Farmers online flower-selling platform. She is also one of our course instructors here at The Gardener’s Workshop. In this Q&A Amelia fielded questions about selling to florists, pricing models, and selling through collectives.

Mentions

Blog: Rooted Farmers

Book: Specialty Cut Flowers*use code "Lisa" at checkout for free domestic (US) shipping!*

Amelia talks pricing on the Flower Podcast

The Gardener's Workshop Blog: All About Seed Starting

On-Demand Mini-Workshop: ⁠Collectives 101⁠ with Amelia Ihlo

The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram

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

#233: Ask A Florist with Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

Today’s episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, normally called Ask a Flower Farmer. In this episode we instead did an Ask a Florist session with guest host Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, MD. Ellen is not a flower farmer, but a 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 many questions from flower farmers about the details of selling to florists, which is also the topic of her on-demand mini-workshop, link below.

Mentions:

Website: Local Color Flowers

Instagram: Local Color Flowers

Instagram: Florists Buying Local

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

The Gardener's Workshop on Instagram

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG)

Boston Terminal Ornamentals Wholesale Pricing

The Floral Coach®

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

#232: Big Changes, Lisa's School is Now On-Demand! Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

Today I have BIG NEWS to share! For the first time EVER, my flower farming course is now available ON-DEMAND! Course: Flower Farming School Online: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More! Who Is This Online School For? • Flower Gardeners who want to level up their game • Flower Farmers (Beginner To Advanced) Course Info: • Comprehensive Step-By-Step Guidance for growing, harvesting, marketing, and selling cut flowers! • 54 Video Sessions • 40 Printable Handouts • Keyword Search inside the course to find what you need, WHEN you need it! • Online Learning at Your Own Pace • Receive the ENTIRE course immediately, watch at YOUR Convenience • Lifetime Unlimited Access • Private Online Student Community Course Includes: • Class 1 - Starting and Sustaining a Business • Class 2 - Building and Managing the Working Garden • Class 3 - Selling What You Grow • Class 4 - What to Grow • Class 5 - Starting Seeds • Class 6 - Harvesting and Conditioning Cut Flowers • BONUS 1: “Cool Flowers” Field Grower’s Report • BONUS 2: Exclusive 1,700+ Member Facebook Community • BONUS 3: Access to Our Gallery of 200+ Flower Images • BONUS 4: 34 Bonus Training Videos ⏰ OFFER ENDS SOON! ⏰ • LIMITED TIME - GIFT 1: Cool Flowers, Beyond the Book Online Mini-Workshop • LIMITED TIME - GIFT 2: Preparing to Sell to Florists Online Mini-Workshop with Ellen Frost I'm so happy that we could make this course more accessible and help more people move SUCCESSFULLY and PROFITABLY along their flower farming journey. I hope you join us! Your Friend, Lisa Z. Click Here to Learn More

#231: Battle of My Head vs. My Heart Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

I question everything this time of the season just before the farm bursts into bloom. Will it survive? What is eating that? Why this year? I must remind myself to step back and allow my mind to overrule my impulsive heart's reaction!

Hope this brings you relief,

Lisa

Mentions

Lisa's book: Cool Flowers

Seed Starting Saturdays on YouTube

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG)

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

#230: Pre-Chilled Tulips with Gretel Adams Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

Think you can't grow tulips in your climate? Struggling with really short tulips? Have great tulips, but wish you had them earlier in the season? Gretel and I cover all this and more! Join me as I chat with Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm in Columbus, Ohio. In this episode, we cover the timely topic of pre-chilled tulips, an option that might just be the solution for you! Included is a great companion resource supplied by Gretel, so be sure to check out the links below! Topics covered:

1) What are pre-chilled tulips?

2) Who can benefit from planting pre-chillled tulips?

3) Where to get pre-chilled tulips, and the different types (5C vs 9C)

5) What problems can arise when planting these tulips?

6) Do you save tulip bulbs?

7) At what stage do you harvest tulips?

Download the FREE PDF featuring the Sunny Meadows info sheet about Pre-Chilled Tulips! Link below.

Mentions:

Request Gretel's free guide: Pre-Chilled Tulips

Learn more about and connect with Steve & Gretel Adams and their business, Sunny Meadows Flower Farm. Check out their tulip videos on Instagram!

Learn more about the course: Flower Farming School Online: Growing Cut-Flowers in Hoops and Greenhouses

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