September Flower Farm Update | Why I'm NOT Fall Planting in 2022

[@agardenramble4479]

Thank you for sharing! I’m 53, still trying to figure out flower farming and have come to the same conclusions about cool flowers timing and paring down what I grow to strong flowers that do well. This is also a retirement thing and how hard do I want to work? I want this to be enjoyable. (And I lose my train of thought too. ) I think you did great! Congratulations on the grand babies! Thank you again for sharing!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

That is exactly where I am at with this flower farming thing!

[@michelleodell1236]

I totally understand the points you made. I hope your adjustments for next year bring you more money while spending less time. When my bouquets weren't selling at the Farmers Market I found selling individual stems to be more popular than pre-arranged. I like that it lets you hit a whole different population of people that want something pretty but can only spend a few dollars. I also started pressing the flowers that didn't sell. Then I arrange the pressed flowers in picture frames. They've been a huge hit! I make more money off of the framed flowers than I do from the flowers when they are fresh. It is a bit time consuming, but it's something I can sell all year if I wish.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

That’s very interesting. I’m going to keep that in mind because I’d like to do something “crafty” with flowers too.

[@valerieoster8049]

Yes! Those grand babies and your body come first! I love the build a bouquet idea! Take some time to get your landscape refreshed so that your joy returns!!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you Valerie!

[@danyrob09]

Flower farmer seems like a lot of work. It’s ok to take a break 🙏🏾

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Yes, it is a lot of work!

[@glaizaroe]

Youre back! 😊 I miss your videos

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you so much!

[@beetkvass1730]

These are some great ideas. I can't wait to go find the videos where you share what you decided to stick with. I realize that while I want to do this there is only so much time I really want to put into it. I have an active toddler and homeschool several other children.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Having young children to take care of takes it to a whole other level of work!

[@Chris_Senpais_Mitt]

Love your honesty and hearing about what worked and didn’t work for you. Thanks!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you!

[@margielliott6389]

Great discussion. Curious to hear about your decisions of what to grow next year. Thank you so much for sharing. We all have different time constraints and clientele, and it can be exciting to figure out what works. Providing an experience for people is so rewarding! 😊

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you Margi!

[@sheelaghomalley5459]

I grew,tulips,in crates last year and we had a really dry spring. I was working frontline prehospital at the time. I've now retired really early mostly as a result of working through a pandemic. Anyway, this year I have planted 3,000 tulips in trenches and will be there watching them like a hawk. As you say you cant do tulips if you cant be there at exactly the right time. I lost probably 75% of last years harvest to drought and exhaustion.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Tulips are so pretty. I should just grow them for my own personal enjoyment.

[@sheelaghomalley5459]

@@freshcutflowerfarm I love them. I would be happy if I just grew tulips and fragrant narscissus

[@RuthanneR1]

I really appreciate your thoughts coming after a busy, hard season. It sounds like you have put a lot of thought into what works for you and what you believe will work for you next year. I congratulate you. I am 56 years old finishing up my 1st season and feel your pain. If I were exactly in your shoes I would take all these thoughts and look at them again in the middle of the winter when you are more rested and make sure that they are still the goals you want to have and the ways you want to carry them out. I cannot wait to hear what you are planning to grow for next over next year. Keep your chin up!! You have done a fantastic job this year.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Hi Ruthanne! Now that the season is winding down, it's much easier to look back with a clear vision. I think knowing where my focus will be for next year definitely helps.

[@laurasnowden1759]

I have also decided not to fall plant ( I'm in zone 8a). However I am going to plant those cool hardy annuals that I can direct sow. The cool hardy annuals lasted a long time for me even in our heat and humidity. I'm still cutting yarrow for example. I'll wait to early spring plant my snapdragons and stock, etc . You can only do what you can do. Your grandbabies are precious!! Glad you're back!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you Laura!

[@alisonburgess345]

I'm on the other side of the world to you and did my first overwinter this year (in Australia, it's almost summer here). I found that cornflowers, feverfew, larkspur, dara, nigella, snaps and poppies did very well. I'm off to my first farmers market in a week and a half and my focal flowers will be oriental poppies - they were a revelation! Look em up - they're huge and stunning. Ill be doing basic bouquets, single bunches (snaps, feverfew, cornflowers) and children's posies.. I've really enjoyed your videos!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you Alison! How’s the vase life on the poppies? I’m going to try the giant poppy pods next year.

[@alisonburgess345]

@@freshcutflowerfarm They'll go for 6 days with no treatment. I just use really cold, clean water with a tiny amount of bleach (like quarter of a teaspoon). It's bacteria that really ruins cut flowers and the bleach takes care of that...

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

That’s good to know. I thought it was only 3-4 days.

[@sunniesflowerco]

It's always so very interesting to hear what works for other people! The part about ditching the farmers market for your grandbabies made me smile. Grandma's are just the best, it's how my mom was with my boys, they're just all teenager-y now. 😅 I totally understand the back pain. If I keep up with just 15 - 20 minutes of yoga a day it helps my back so so much. Maybe give it a go and see if it helps! 🌼 Can't wait for the next video! I'm also making a list for next year focusing on long-lasting blooms, both in the ground and vase. One and done plants are mostly out. One of the best greens for me is Bells of Ireland because you can just keep harvesting off of it and if you take a break from harvesting it will still be there ready for you whenever. At least here in WA state. Cress however turns brown if you don't get it pretty quickly so you've gotta stay on top of it.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

I have definitely considered doing yoga! Bells seem to be hit or miss for me. I think it is because we so rapidly transition to those hot, humid days of summer.

[@zennlaacres7342]

Thanks for the honesty. I am 51 and I hurt way more this year.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

This year was a rough one for me.

[@ElderandOakFarm]

I agree with you 100%! Unless it's something very very useful for bouquets early in the season after my ranunculus & anemones I won't be fall planting it. I will fall plant just a few things. I also don't have a ton of customers right now, so it's just not worth it for me, because I toss 90% of them in the compost!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

So true! It’s so easy to try to do what everyone else is doing and not what is best for your own business.

[@wildbirdfarm]

It’s great to hear about your experience and what changes you are making. For me, I see a slump in July (retail shop sales) and have moved to You Picks during that time. I am definitely going to be paring down what I grow and ramping up perennials! Can’t wait to hear about what varieties and colors you are keeping for next year!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

It’s so easy to get caught up in all the beautiful flowers.

[@shawnsg]

@wildbirdfarm2947 If you have the time, do you have personal suggestions or thoughts about revenue routes to take beyond sales at the farmers market?

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Hi Shawn! I think events would be a great source of revenue. I’ve found that doing the farmer’s market is great advertisement for your business when it comes to selling directly to the customer. Of course you can always sell directly to florists or a wholesaler or do a CSA.

[@bettyreed2469]

Great video, I completely agree with you. I’m not going to fall plant and I’m not growing tulips or daffodils. I’ve been growing 2 years and it’s hard work, our plan for next year is very similar.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

I’m always looking to streamline 🙂

[@katebarrett1924]

Great video! Thank you for sharing your REAL experience. I can not wait to hear what you're not planting next year! Also, your experience with cool flowers - makes a lot of sense! I'm in 6b too!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Yes, I’m figuring out that cool flowers can be a bit tricky.

[@alisonburgess345]

The bouquet bar idea is interesting ..

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Customers really seem to enjoy the experience.

[@janpapworth7956]

I completely agree about not having focal flowers when your autumn sown hardy annuals bloom. I don’t really understand how other people deal with this.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Me either. Even my husband commented on how “boring” they looked.

[@shawnsg]

@@freshcutflowerfarm lol when the husband gets up enough interest to comment it must be bad haha.

[@lorilawton9546]

Thank you for your honest opinions on what works in your garden. I’m taking some advice and cutting out some underwhelming performers!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

So true. No need to waste the space.

[@shawnsg]

Welp, we are about to be hit with this random cold arctic air thing. Seems like you were a bit prophetic. There's a couple tinder things but I just can't be bothered with trying to race and figure out how to protect it from 9° temps. I definitely think the bouquet bar sounds like a really good idea that I'd like to try. They want a small bouquet; they can make a small one. They want a big bouquet; they can make one. I definitely struggled making bouquets at price points they seem to want to purchase at and not feeling like I'm selling a bad product because it looks underwhelming. Then I do the thing you mentioned where you start sticking a few extra stems which adds up in the long run.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

You’re so right!

[@janepeters5732]

Not Cornell bronze must be the honey one😊

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Hi @janepeters5732, one of these days I’ll actually label my flowers. 😄

[@beetkvass1730]

Well I looked and I don't see a video on what you are keeping. Did I miss it?

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

You haven’t missed it! It is on my agenda to do this weekend. 😊

[@BeccaNiederkrom1]

How do we affordably get into dahlias? I am new to gardening and love them!! Do they bloom once and you cut them or do they come back and multiply on their own? I know these are prob insane questions, if any other newbies know any info please LMK.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Dahlias are my favorite flower! Dahlias will give you multiple blooms per tuber. You can dig your dahlias up at the end of the season and divide your tubers. Another option is to take starts from your tubers once they have pre-sprouted.

[@BeccaNiederkrom1]

@@freshcutflowerfarm thank you for this info, I'm feeling encouraged to dive into them for the next planting season.

[@shawnsg]

@@BeccaNiederkrom1 they can be costly upfront but they can multiply really quickly depending on your available effort. If you get them early enough, you can sprout the tubers and take cuttings. The plant from the cuttings will grow just as well as if it came from a tuber. Then at the end of the season everything has self multiplied again.

[@annelefevre9457]

It seems like you are experiencing great burdens. Why don’t you drop your Flosstube all together? It’s no fun to have so few and long apart videos. You will probably lose subscribers. But, good luck!

[@emmyhusfloen]

I like your idea for the bouquet bar at the farmers market... Then people get to create all their own looks... Thank you for sharing.. I will have to add you on Instagram.. Thanks..

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you Emmy!