My Top Lessons I Learned Growing Cut Flowers in 2022

[@nicolatasker7111]

Aww I love this channel ♥️

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much, that’s really kind of you. I am glad you are enjoying it. Just working on a video for tomorrow now putting a summer bouquet together and how to keep it looking good in this hot weather we are having.

[@cbak1819]

Great idea to put the tulips in used bags❤

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thank you 😊

[@Samantha-ps2vv]

Your tulips are so beautiful!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

I love tulips, especially all the slightly different ones, fringed, doubles or an unusual colour, thanks for watching this video too.

[@chambersjane50]

Another great video, great tips and good insights into giving priority to your own health and wellbeing. Thanks again for sharing Catherine

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks for watching this one 😊 Yes lots I have learnt about me as well as flower growing over the last several years and keeping healthy going through your forties onwards.

[@susanconsidine2648]

Yes 100% Catherine look after yourself.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks Susan. It’s so important for everyone and I think it’s something I am realising more the older I get! Have a nice weekend x

[@Birdflowerfarm]

I am in the states. It's fun to see flower farmers from all over the world!! I struggled with my cosmos too! The family time is so important! I am not going to be chained to my farm this season! Take care! Good luck with 2023!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello 👋 Thanks so much for watching and good luck for next year too. Looking forward to more family time and better cosmos this year! Maybe it was just a bad year for it everywhere in 2022! Happy growing 🌱 x

[@lindseynoel3522]

Thank you Catherine, very informative and an honest account of being a flower farmer. Good luck with your growing season in 2023 x

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks Lindsey 😊 All the best to you for 2023 too x

[@lorilucas8232]

Fantastic video in all ways, for the brain, body, heart and soul. Very best to you, Catherine from 6b Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much, and for watching 😊 Sometimes it’s good to chat about the whole flower farming picture rather than just the pretty bits you see on Instagram. I have learnt so much about me, what’s important in my life and getting the most out of the flower growing while looking after me too. It’s been a steep learning curve over quite a few years but feels good going into 2023. Have a great week x

[@alisonburgess345]

Yes - agree with all this Catherine. Really, we can't do this without support netting, that's for sure. It may even be necessary to set up temporary windbreak fencing using shadecloth, right alongside flower beds.. This year I've realised that I need lots more perennial flowers - they add a dimension that can't be achieved just with annuals 🎉 Terrific video !

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Temporary windbreaks could be a good idea too. I have sometimes double layered the support netting too. Having one lot down the bed at a lower height and then another lot higher up. Perennials are absolutely worth adding more of in the flower patch. I think by the end of this year one entire flower patch of mine will perennials for cutting. Your right they give a completely different dimension you can’t get from annuals. Love them 💕

[@ahavarichardson5426]

I have 300 sunflowers coming up in succession, as well a Benary's Zinnias, and Cosmos are coming up in February!!! I watched mother nature!! She knows best, and you can't grow wrong!!!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Sounds lovely hearing of all your flowers coming up!! Mother Nature is an amazing thing. Even though we had a lot of losses in the greenhouse in December and a very cold stretch of weather it’s amazing walking round the garden now and seeing the snowdrops, hellebores and perennials starting to come out x

[@sofielys5452]

Useful!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thank you 😊

[@kimbradley1292]

Hi Katherine. Great video and an interesting insight into what you do. Some of us feel we struggle at times but you're quite right in what you say, step back and take a breather 🙂

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks Kim. I wanted to do a bit about that in this video as flower farming is all consuming and I know from talking to other flower farmers we are all constantly working at our business while juggling other jobs, family and home life. It’s busy for everyone I know no matter what you do so taking a step back and time for yourself is super important. Have a lovely weekend x

[@newjerseygarden]

Hi Catherine, I discovered your channel recently and I love all your videos!! I live in New Jersey, USA and we have a similar climate in my part of New Jersey. I learned from your channel to buy organza bags to cover my flowers, so thank you for sharing that! Any flowers I grow with petals get eaten by earwigs and also we have brown Asiatic beetles which do a lot of damage. I have been growing flowers for 10 years and a few years ago sold at a farmer's market. That didn't go so well because hardly anyone came to the market but I didn't give up...last summer I did well selling bouquets to a local farm where they have a farmer's market. I will be growing more cut flowers because I live near several small farms, all with markets I can potentially sell at. I will be sure to watch all your informative videos!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello and thanks so much for watching from New Jersey 😊 I hope you have a great 2023. Flower farming is so much trail and error and when something doesn’t work going on to try something new, so good for you. I have tried so many different ways of selling flowers over the years and am still trying new ones now. Eventually I will work out what works best! This year it is more selling to florists. I still don’t know if it will work providing enough income after dropping the weddings but I think for family life and stress levels it will be much better! Asiatic beetles sound as big a nightmare as thrips for petal damage so I am glad the organza bags might be helping you too. Happy growing and all the best for 2023! X

[@catreeves963]

Great video, thanks for sharing with us :-) and totally agree with looking after yourself, and planning for r n r before we get to the actual burn out part!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thank you 😊 yes it’s getting things planned to look after yourself before burn out sets in which I have learnt the hard way! It can make such a difference 😊 Have a great week x

[@md_al_mamun06]

Very nice video. I am always here your side

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much 😊

[@md_al_mamun06]

@@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm welcome I'm always here your side

[@mc9856]

Hi - have you ever done Winter Sowing in plastic milk jugs?. I’ve had great successes every year starting hardy annuals and hardy perennials in January and February with strong young plants ready to plant out in Spring. I live in zone 8b Hertfordshire, UK

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

I haven’t tried this although have seen it done before and it does look very successful and something most people have at home rather than having to buy in more plastic seed trays. Have you overwintered the seedlings in your milk cartons outside, in a greenhouse or cold frame? Thanks for watching 😊

[@mc9856]

@@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm Hi. You just leave them outside, preferably on a hard surface. I put mine on the patio or garden tables. They survive the coldest of weathers so great if cold stratification is needed and when you open them in Spring they are already hardened off. I make holes in the bottom of the jugs and all over the top and you must take the cap off to allow rain in. You cut the bottle 3/4 of the way up , nearly all the way round so you have a hinge.Fill with about 4 inches of compost , water, sow your seeds and then seal the cut bottle with duct tape. I use a permanent marker to number the bottles and keep a record in a notebook of what’s in each bottle, this way I can reuse next year for different seeds. In mid March and April I do my tender or half hardy seeds. You can also grow vegetables with this method but I just like flowers😀

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

@@mc9856 thanks so much for all the info on how to do it. It’s a great idea and I will have to give it a go.

[@onetwocue]

This year, im going to try tree lilies and see how they do vs the oriental lilies.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

That’s a great idea. Tree lilies is something I haven’t tried growing before but they look really interesting to grow and should come back year after year.

[@annecoogan5164]

Just found you on Instagram and following you👍 You’re info is invaluable.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much Anne. I am so glad you have found some of the videos helpful.

[@cheriedodd9358]

Firstly... You're 43??!!!. Must be that Scottish air. I would have said 33! Such an informative video. I live in Dunedin, NZ, which is the Edinburgh of the South. I can see why as it feels very Scottish here. We are also having what you experienced in your last summer... Flooding up north but drought here in the south of NZ. My flower growth is small like yours, due to lack of rain. Zinnias I'm working on again for next summer. We have an amazing tree/shrub here called purple Akeake, great for foliage filler and also beautiful purple /pink flower seed heads. As it grows here in cold winter climate it should survive over there if you can get hands on it. Wouldn't be without it for my bouquets now 💐

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello Cherie, thanks so much! Sometimes after a hard days gardening I definitely feel my 43 years now!! My husbands favourite place was Dunedin in New Zealand when he visited. It sounds a really great part of the world to live. I just looked up the purple akeake as I had never heard of it. It sounds great and fantastic that it’s so fast growing if you use it a lot in bouquets. I wonder if it would survive here over the winters. I lost all my pittosporum to the harsh winters we have had which I used to love using so am always on the look out for tough ones that will survive that are great to use in floristry. Have a great week x

[@williammenor7290]

New subs.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much for subscribing. I hope you enjoy the videos.

[@Tea_and_thyme_2012]

Hi Catherine, I live in Yorkshire and I’ve just acquired an allotment which I’m super excited about. However, there is a small problem with rabbits which I’m worried about, can you tell me how you protected your patch from rabbits as best you could. Great video again. Thanks.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

That is exciting! Rabbits is something I have had lots of bother with! But our fencing has worked the last few years. I will go out tomorrow when it’s light and measure it up etc so I can tell you a bit more about it properly.

[@Tea_and_thyme_2012]

@@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm Thanks Catherine that’s really kind of you. I thought your video was great and I could really resonate with it as I’m beginning to feel a little overwhelmed at the minute but it’s all my own doing. I try to do 100 things at once!!!!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

@@Tea_and_thyme_2012 I know that feeling well! Good luck with the allotment this season.

[@cbak1819]

What is your FFD and last? And zone.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hi, thanks for watching. I am in zone 8b. The first and last frosts dates are getting more variable but around the last week in May for the last frost and anywhere between last week in September and mid November for the first frost date.

[@sarahshea3229]

What size organza bags do you use?

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hi, thanks so much for watching. I have a couple of different sizes I use, 16 x 22 cm and 20 x 30cm.

[@sofielys5452]

Are you 43? Wow, gardening has anti-age properties! 😂

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

😂 thank you! will be 45 this year and things definitely ache a lot more these days after a big gardening session! It definitely keeps you fit!