What I wish I knew My First Year of Flower Farming

Your first year being a flower farmer is full of lessons--some easy to learn from, and others that are hard won. If I could go back a year and tell myself something before I started flower farming, here's what it would be.
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[@StuckInTheToolies]

I'm so glad I found you! I'm in the early planning stages and your information will be invaluable! Thank you! NE Oregon!

[@warmgreenshade1210]

Watering was such a chore this summer. It inspired me to get drip tubing in this year. Colour trends is something I have to think harder about too. Thanks for the video! I'm going to grow all the flowers this year. 🤞🤞

[@ShiftingRoots]

Colour trends are tricky too, they definitely come and go.

[@backyardgardenhighlights]

You are a great motivational speaker and thanks for sharing your learnings! ❤your videos.

[@cynthiagustafson2541]

Thank you, Kristin. I appreciate the honesty. Helps me keep my feet on the ground!

[@kathypope3010]

Thank you I'm so glad I found your channel!!!

[@SimpleLifePortugal]

Hey :) I just wanna say thanks for another good video but mainly for a great thumbnail that was totally inspiring to me :) Good luck with the move :)

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you! I so appreciate your kind words. We’re almost done the move, we’re so tired!!

[@SimpleLifePortugal]

@@ShiftingRoots It will all be worth it in the end :) xx

[@filmseedstudio1610]

Thank you so much for taking the time to help educate others! This is wonderful information. 🥰🌻🌻

[@altheab.8907]

So good to see you, Kristen. Your videos are always interesting and informative. Your total sales numbers are very impressive, especially with all the obstacles you encountered last year. When you crunch your numbers and find what your profit was don’t be discouraged. I don’t think you will be. You have a very positive attitude. Just remember that many (probably most) new businesses make no profit or even have a loss for the first few years. You don’t have the overhead of a brick and mortar facility and that is helpful, but you did have a lot of expenses….probably some you didn’t even take into account. Don’t know what your tax structure is in Canada, but here in the US we can deduct all sales tax we paid on items for resale, all mileage for purchases, deliveries, etc., items such as paper, pens, any office supplies we use for accounting, etc. I would think hoses, some of your water costs if you have city water, some of your electricity costs, lumber to make your grow light system, perhaps some of the cost of your high tunnel. There are always some things we don’t think about when running a business from home. Today with the internet I’m sure there are sites that can help with that…and that’s another expense…any software you purchased. One thing I did when I had my little part time business was to open a separate credit card account and use that just for the business purchases. I just opened a personal account, not in the business name, but didn’t use it for anything other than business purchases. I found that helpful. I watched your homemade noodle video the other day. You are amazing…..making noodles with the kids while in the process of selling your house and moving! It was such a joy to see how much your children enjoyed helping you. Your son was really into it. Perhaps he’ll try making some other things and try new foods and be less picky. (You can always sneak nutrients into his food. I am a big vegetable eater, but no one else in my house is. I grind up zucchini and stick it in everything I can….meatloaf, meatballs, sauces. It just melts away, doesn’t changeAnxiously looking forward to a tour of your new home and property.

[@ShiftingRoots]

You’re probably right-and it is tricky because some of those expenses also count towards the main Shiftingroots Blog/Content Machine. I guess we’ll see what my accountant says!! We’re doing another noodle day soon, it will be our reward for finishing the move and I’ll probably make a video of it here.

[@Bella-bz2fw]

Just found your channel, love your tips and honestly. I just started considering taking a small step into this as a side business to see how it goes and I am still in the researching phase. Thank you!

[@dc0145a]

Love your positivity 🥰

[@apdurn]

Over here in Manitoba- just found your videos and I’m STOKED! Hope you have a great season this year and I trust the move to your new property went well ! Keep up the good work and thanks for all the info, this is a great channel! PS- nice editing!!!

[@michaelraney]

Aw I’m so proud of you Kristen!

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you for being my best support 🥰

[@VanessaLong]

Love, love, LOVE these lessons. Thank you for sharing your hard-earned lessons. And here's to a great 2022!

[@bitchyhitchie4104]

Love your honesty! I truely enjoy watching your videos, reading your posts, and seeing your creativity!

[@ShiftingRoots]

Aww, thank you!!

[@stacyk.3402]

Oh my word that was a gorgeous bouquet!

[@sharonjennings1282]

Great video. It was very informative! I like the fact that you were real about the watering and the income as well as the seedlings. Last year was my first real year doing this and I struggle with a lot of the same items that you did so it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one that struggles a little bit. You made a lot of money though so good for you!

[@stacyk.3402]

I don’t know if winter sowing will work for you at all… I’m in 6b and I grow hundreds if not a thousand of seedlings in bins and milk jugs. They were sturdy and didn’t need hardening off.

[@EvelynM-vlogs]

For two years the favourite dinnerplate dahlia of my customers was Wanda's Capella, which is a buttery yellow colour. This year it barely sold with others taking its place.

[@ShiftingRoots]

Isn’t that funny how it can just switch like that.

[@littleflowerfarminiowa2552]

H2O-100%!!!! Love your videos! Just finished my second year, tornado first year, drought the second year! Hoping for the best in3rd year, customers are already reaching out for bouquet workshops in 2022 and I was nervous but went back and watched your videos of bouquet workshops, and even with some troubles you did it anyway, which is an inspiration to me, and I went ahead and booked 4 bouquet workshops, they are in June and I’m a little nervous because there aren’t as many flowers, so I’m going to take your advice and reach out to other flower farmers in the area! Keep up the good work, the honesty, the parenting, it’s a lot and I think you’re so neat! Thank you for sharing all your experiences🌼👩‍🌾

[@ShiftingRoots]

Oh wow, a tornado your first year!?!? Crazy!!

[@littleflowerfarminiowa2552]

@@ShiftingRoots Yes, like a tornado really, it’s called a Derecho, And the city I live near, Cedar Rapids Iowa, was really destroyed! It’s a straight line wind that can stretch for miles, I’m sure Canada has them all the time but maybe out in the forest lands! Anyway we had 100 trees down and some other damage, a year and a half later the repairs are almost done, I didn’t think I would do flower farming in year 2 but guess what I did, and after the drought in 2nd year, your comment about water are so important, and I’m going to do it again anyway third year, I’ll keep watching, will keep trying, good luck, stay warm, take care! Your fans like me really do take your videos seriously as you’re willing to share knowledge openly, thank you, keep putting them out when you have time!

[@ShiftingRoots]

@@littleflowerfarminiowa2552 I’m glad you’re okay and the tornado didn’t ruin your home! Glad you like the videos! We’re in the middle of moving, so it’s been crazy trying to maintain a posting schedule. Hopefully I’ll be back to normal in February.

[@michelleodell1236]

Thank you for sharing. It's so helpful to hear what didn't go well as well as what did.

[@amworlie2009]

Tha is for sharing! Valuable information for sure. And congrats on moving to an acreage!

[@alissaeyre8302]

Great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@slaviapolandia7541]

Great video. Thank you

[@alisonburgess345]

Gold. Thanks.

[@ShiftingRoots]

You’re welcome! Glad you found it helpful.

[@MountRoyalMint]

forgive me if you've covered this, I'm new here! you said people tend to shy away from yellow and purple in summer...what colors were most popular for you? And do you select seeds in a certain spectrum for the different months of the growing season to co ordinate your bouquets? thanks for your info...hi from Quebec!

[@user-vp5me3ty9e]

🎉

[@elfsgarden8043]

Thank you for sharing! Have you tried deep mulching to help with water ? If so are there any plants that shouldn't be mulched?

[@ShiftingRoots]

I haven’t, although I have mulched with grass clippings, which helps!

[@kimlinker4169]

Which planting zone are you in?🌷

[@rushellrousseau9197]

I think she's in 3a maybe she's moving into a new one

[@cherylfloschunk9638]

L