Where's the Ranunculus? (And Spring?!)

It's the first wedding of the season, but my plan of tulips, ranunculus, and anemones has gone out the window with the heat. Peonies are thankfully here to save the day, but will there be enough flowers to fill the order?
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[@TheSushma86]

Wow! The ladybugs on the peonies! 🐞

[@cookiemonster6401]

I have worked in the wedding industry for years and no wedding goes completely as planned. It just doesn’t happen. Don’t stress, just be happy for what goes well and for inspiration in whatever you have to come up with for the rest. Love your videos, I am not much of a gardener but I am learning now that I am retired. Thank you.

[@ShiftingRoots]

That is really reassuring to hear, thank you!

[@jeanettethiessen2476]

Theme of this video: “Beggars can’t be choosers!” I admire your hard work, persistence and creativity to still make things work. It turned out so beautiful! You are an inspiration.

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you! And I definitely agree with that theme.

[@ElderandOakFarm]

I agree! Most people wouldn't go around to other people's property asking to cut their flowers, they would have just said they couldn't do it, or ordered wholesale.

[@altheab.8907]

I’m glad to see you are way less stressed with this wedding, Kristen. The weather this spring has not been good for flower farmers. Too dry, too wet, too hot too soon, too cold again. I guess in your zone to just have to tell your brides what you think you will be able to do….weather permitting…and that you may have to do some alternative flowers. It’s just the way it is in zone 3. You always manage to do beautiful bouquets despite the challenges. It’s good to see you are going with the flow now. With 4 children, husband, house, laundry, cooking, .etc., you can only do what you can do. And, quite frankly, I don’t know how you do all that you do. Kudos to you, Kristen. 👍💖

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you as always for the kind encouragement!

[@ambethk77]

I always enjoy your videos! I know it's no fun having so much drama, but it makes for good KZbin. 😂

[@ShiftingRoots]

It's so weird. Sometimes when the drama is unfolding it is comforting to know that at least my video won't be boring. (Although I feel like I could use a boring video or two, lol!)

[@victorial3293]

I'm so grateful for your videos with such realistic content. Sometimes growing in our Canadian climate is just so frustrating especially when so many of our favourite flower farming youtubers are in the US. Thank you for showing the real struggles!

[@ShiftingRoots]

You’re so welcome! I wish it wasn’t this hard. I often get jealous of flower farmers in easier climates or with more resources to do things properly. Hopefully it will get better with time.

[@thecakepopsistars]

Lol “hot garbage” thanks for sharing your experience

[@amykirby9607]

My lilac is hurting this year too, by rapid view

[@mimlauj6869]

I don't know how you deal with the stress!! Lol 😅 I don't think my marriage would survive the roller coaster ride

[@ShiftingRoots]

The payoff feels worth it to me in the end. But I know what you mean!!

[@hopemorrison2367]

You are very creative you should be proud of yourself the bouquets are beautiful

[@margarethatton2965]

I'm in awe of your hard work, I won't attempt a wedding, the pressure is too much for me😅

[@ShiftingRoots]

That's fair! I know it's not for everyone.

[@growingcrazy4481]

You’re such an inspiration, I want to become a member on Patreon but I’m not sure how it works

[@ntur117]

I give you props for persisting I have to admit I was feeling pretty anxious for you. I feel your heart and as a newer flower grower, I’m trying to get it all figured out. I feel like everything I planted has literally halted and not growing at all. Sigh. You’re doing a great job and I applaud your bravery to taking on such an early wedding

[@ShiftingRoots]

I think in the future I have to price all June weddings assuming I will have to purchase at least half the ingredients wholesale.

[@uteberg4781]

Your wedding bouquets were sooo gorgeous, I loved them!!! And it shows your great creativity to create such flower arrangements out of a completely shifted setting! So to say: Shifted setting - well rooted in experience and knowledge! Don ´ t worry!! You are really great but because of the lots of work and lack of sleep you don't feel how great you master everything! Thank you for sharing your feelings, I understand you completely and feel with you! But be aware of, that you did a wonderful job. And weather really went crazy this year, also here in denmark. Its really difficult and just not possible to make reliable plans under that circumstances. As we say in Austria (where I come from): "toitoitoi"- for future weather and all your flowering projects 🤗🌻🌺🌸

[@ShiftingRoots]

I love that saying! When I was still singing, we always used to say toi toi to each other before a show for good luck!

[@thejealousmagpie]

first I really enjoy watching your videos :) Second here in Indiana this spring has been brutal so I know completely how you feel. Also as a wedding designer myself buying the flowers never goes exactly as planned either. I have been sent those hard as a rock peony stems from wholesalers before and I have found that if you can cut them as short as possible for design, put into warm water, strip all the leaves and even tear off the outer green protective petals and rinse the stickiness from the heads then spritz with water and put a plastic garbage bag over them (to create a greenhouse effect) of course not in the sun! They will all pop open pretty much in a day or two, I usually recut the stems if not open the first day and put in another round of warm water. And maybe sometimes I also run my hand down over the top to ruffle them open a bit more without bruising them when they do pop. Doing weddings is super stressful, but also really rewarding, it's a difficult dance. Wishing you peace and great weather the rest of the season :)

[@ShiftingRoots]

I find this so reassuring!! Thanks for the tip with the plastic bag!

[@finelimedesigns]

the bouquets turned out gorgeous but i totally get the stress that was behind them! Climate change is making everything really topsy turvy for anyone who grows anything!

[@ShiftingRoots]

I'm really considering growing more and more native plants and trying to figure out how I can save rainwater on this property. Climate change is not fun!

[@flowergrower1247]

It just amazes me how you manage to pull the rabbit out of the hat, truly incredible! Your substitute bouquets for the wedding were fabulous and peony blooms are expensive at the florists, I hope your bride was impressed. Living in Zone 3 is a challenge and I feel better knowing you share the same issues with me. I finally planted my flower plugs today as we are getting rain after so many days of drought.

[@ShiftingRoots]

The rain has been so difficult this year. We got a nice few days earlier in the spring, and now nothing for weeks.

[@cherylbolivar10]

I had no idea hosta leaves could be cut flower foliage that wouldn't wilt. I got lots of great tips from this video. Thanks for persevering 🎉

[@ntur117]

Ditto! I was like Whaaaaaaat???? Beautiful!

[@radmilamiljanic5977]

It seems that ranunculus disappointed everywhere this year. You made it again, brava!!!

[@naomifehr669]

Kristen, I *love* this style of video. It is so interesting to see how it all comes together - even with the disappointments!

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you!

[@AHomesteadingHustle]

My peonies just busted open yesterday and they are soo delightful ❤ What do you do about the ants on peonies for arrangements?

[@AHomesteadingHustle]

Wow these look amazing! I love how creative you get with what's available! I feel like I can smell these bouquets from down here in Minnesota!! 😊

[@ShiftingRoots]

I just swirl them in water!

[@AHomesteadingHustle]

@ShiftingRoots like completely submerge or just touch the petals to the water and move around?

[@ShiftingRoots]

@@AHomesteadingHustle completely submerge!

[@ElderandOakFarm]

Have you considered only booking July & later weddings, & then only doing your subscriptions before July? That way you're not having to stress about not having the ingredients you need for the weddings? I mean either way, it always works out, & you make it work, even though it may not be the flowers you planned, I'm sire the brides haply as long as you don't promise certain flowers (which I wouldn't do!) What did you do about the thrips? I thought I was going crazy when I was making bouquets the other day because I thought I kept feeling a bug, but then I didn't see anything, but then finally I realized tiny little thrips!

[@EvelynM-vlogs]

Here on the westcoast it wasn't much different. We went from way colder than normal for March and April to way hotter than normal for May and June so far. My Itoh peonies were completely done by June. Spring blooms were a bust and summer blooms are about 3 weeks ahead of schedule. I am even harvesting sunflowers now. Strangely, my ranunculus are blooming now.

[@ShiftingRoots]

I'm super curious if my ranunculus and anemones will bloom now! I left a few in just to see.

[@ayelet517]

HI! I'm new to your channel and am trying to find a video about your decision to start a cut flower business. In the introductory clip you mention how a student started a business based on your course. Id love to see a video with more background origin story. Also, I'm in the States and don't know what an acreage is. My summer house is in upstate New York, zone 5, so that I am able to learn from you. During the year, I live inn Manhattan, zone 7, and garden on my porch/balcony. I'm incredible lucky to have it in the city. I do a lot of winter sowing but I don't get enough hours of direct sun to really make it pop. This year I gave my daughters most of my seedlings. I rented a bed in a summer community garden upstate. Next year I will plan according to your advice and recommendations. Ayelet.

[@eyrerosecottage1970]

You're amazing! You've taken a difficult task and turned it into beauty! Have you taken classes on floristry? Amazing!

[@ShiftingRoots]

I haven’t, but I realize want to!!

[@eunicelunsted]

Beautiful as usual! Wow your Saponaria starting to bloom? When did you plant it? Mine is like 2” tall.

[@ShiftingRoots]

I let them self seed and sowed a few in April!

[@tmscott6850]

Beautiful! Where do you buy saponaria seeds from.

[@ShiftingRoots]

I get mine from Johnny's Select Seeds

[@joycequiroz8035]

Curious on how u got rid of the bugs.

[@ShiftingRoots]

I had to spray. It's a last resort.

[@hungariancottageadventure77]

TBH if it was my wedding id prefer peonies over everything

[@ShiftingRoots]

Me too!

[@dianemartin5297]

I am doing my first wedding flowers in September and I'm wondering how to know what to charge?

[@ShiftingRoots]

More than you would for a market bouquet of similar size, because you have to factor in your time both designing and chatting with the bride, and for some of the extra work that goes into making sure flowers are secure (more for boutonnières) if you can find any prices for local florists, you can use that as a guideline, but charge a bit less because you don’t have the experience. Then increase as you do more.