Today’s episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, with featured guest Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, MD. Ellen is a floral 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 highlights the need for understanding florists' requirements, offers flower recommendations, and addresses challenges in winter sourcing. She emphasizes visual marketing and the power of storytelling to connect with others in the flower industry.
Mentions
Connect with Ellen: Ellen Frost Flowers (Instagram), Website
Ellen Online Courses: Florist School Online, Preparing to Sell to Florists
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The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Encore: Our most popular episode of 2025!
Original air date January 14, 2025
Today, I want to dive into the topic of cool flowers and the importance of planting them in very early spring. The basic idea is to plant these flowers in cool to cold conditions to get the best performance out of them, which can happen in fall, winter, or very early spring.
Many people have been led away from planting during these unusual times. But I assure you, this is where the magic happens! For flower farmers, planting cool flowers can significantly boost your business.
We’re talking about flowers like:
When planted at the right time, these flowers bloom earlier, grow taller, produce more stems, and are more resistant to diseases and pests. Listen in to learn who can plant in this window, when and what to plant, and more!
Mentions
Lisa's Book, Cool Flowers
Lisa's Book, The Cut Flower Handbook
Online Course: Cool Flowers from Seed to Harvest
The Flower Farmer Club, presented by The Gardener's Workshop
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Ever catch yourself thinking, “I could never do that”? In this episode, Lisa Mason Ziegler unpacks the quiet assumptions that stop so many people before they ever plant their first row.
Mentions
ASCFG - Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers
Mimo Davis at Urban Buds: Website, Instagram
Lisa's Course: Flower Farming School Online
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Why Starting From Seed Changes Everything for Your Cut Flower Garden
Seeds are small but powerful! In this episode, Lisa breaks down why starting from seed gives you more variety, better timing, stronger plants, and huge savings. From common mistakes to simple rules that make seeds sprout reliably, plus why soil blocking is her go-to method, this episode will give you the confidence to start (or improve!) your own seed-starting routine.
Mentions
Lisa Talks Seed Starting on the No-Till Flowers Podcast
Online Course: Seed Starting Made Easy
Seed Starting Equipment Category
Soil Blocking Mix Recipe & Instructions
About Soil Blocking: Free Online Resources
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Timing is everything when it comes to cool flowers! In this episode, Lisa explains the simple but crucial “very early spring” planting window — when to start, how to prepare, and why getting it right makes all the difference. Whether you’re growing sweet peas, snapdragons, stock, or others, this practical episode will help you plan, plant, and grow the gorgeous blooms you crave!
Mentions
Lisa's Book, Cool Flowers
Spiral-Bound Edition: The Cut Flower Handbook
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Discover how serving your community can spark creativity, confidence, and real business growth. In this episode, Lisa shares simple, practical ways to connect, collaborate, and give back, and why those connections become one of your farm’s greatest strengths.
Mentions:
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Discover how a simple idea—planting a native border—became a powerful living shield around Lisa’s flower farm. In this episode, you’ll learn why native plants matter more than you think, how a “halo” habitat can protect your land, and the practical steps to create your own wildlife corridor, no matter the size of your space.
Mentions:
Book: Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy
Field & Garden #368: Why & How I Use Leaves
Video: Growing & Maintaining a Native Plant Border
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Dreaming of blooms beyond your field season? Join Sunny Meadows Flower Farm as they share hard-earned lessons from two decades of growing in hoop houses and greenhouses. Learn how season extension opens up year-round sales, supports your team, and transforms your flower business—whether you're just adding your first tunnel or leveling up your entire operation.
Mentions:
Online Course: Grow Cut Flower Crops in Hoop & Greenhouses
Learn more about and connect with Steve & Gretel Adams and their business, Sunny Meadows Flower Farm.
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
In this episode, Lisa shares her favorite secret weapon for building rich, living soil — leaves! Learn how Grandpa Ziegler inspired a lifelong practice that feeds the soil, saves water, reduces weeds, and supports a thriving ecosystem. Lisa explains when and how to collect leaves, what kinds to avoid, and simple ways to turn them into “leaf mold gold” for your own garden. Whether you have a small backyard or a flower farm, this episode will change how you see every leaf that falls.
Mentions
Download our phone app for your FREE course on building a trellis tunnel!
Lisa's book, Vegetables Love Flowers
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Flower farming is full of beauty, but turning that beauty into a profitable business takes strategy. In this episode, Lennie Larkin breaks down the real numbers behind a thriving flower farm, from understanding profit margins and valuing your time to pricing, marketing, and knowing when to pivot. You’ll learn practical, down-to-earth tips for making smart money decisions, avoiding common pricing traps, and building a farm that not only blooms but lasts. Whether you’re dreaming of your first acre or refining your current systems, this conversation is your roadmap to a more sustainable and rewarding flower business.
Mentions
Lennie's Upcoming Event (Nov 2025): Sell Your Flowers Summit
Lennie’s Instagram: flowerfarming.forprofit
Lennie's online course: Profitable Flower Farming
Field & Garden #362: "What's Your Problem?" Mentorship Roundtable
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Starting a flower business comes with its fair share of jitters — and most new growers face the same three big fears: Are my flowers good enough? Will I have enough to sell? How much should I charge?
In this episode, Lisa shares her own early experiences as a new grower and the simple habits that transformed anxiety into steady progress. Whether you’re in your first season or thinking about taking the leap, this conversation is packed with real-world strategies to help you quiet the doubts and find your footing.
Mentions
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
The hardest part of starting a flower farm isn’t growing, it’s getting past the fear that keeps you from beginning. In this episode, Lisa shares why fear shows up at the start and how to take simple, practical steps to finally move forward with confidence.
Mentions
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Fear has a sneaky way of keeping flower farmers and small-business dreamers stuck in place. In this episode, Lisa shares a simple plan for breaking through fear, building momentum, and finally moving toward the business you want.
Mentions
Field & Garden #363: The Silent Partner: Fear
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
How I’m Slaying Fear and Downsizing My Flower Garden
In this episode, Lisa opens up about a big change on her farm - downsizing her gardens to match the season her business is in now. She shares how fear quietly holds us back, how she’s facing it head-on, and why scaling down doesn’t mean losing your identity as a grower. If you’ve ever felt stuck between what was and what’s next, this conversation will help you take that first brave step forward.
Mentions
Field & Garden #362: "What's Your Problem?", A Mentorship Roundtable
Lennie's online course: Profitable Flower Farming
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Running a flower business comes with big questions: Where should I sell? How do I make the most of my time? In this episode, Lisa Mason Ziegler and Lennie Larkin join me for a candid chat with farmer Torrie Anderson. From farmers markets to flower passes, we share honest advice and real-world strategies that can help you find clarity in your own business.
Mentions
Lennie's online course: Profitable Flower Farming
Lennie’s Instagram: flowerfarming.forprofit
Torrie Anderson, The Flower Farm at Young's Mill
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
I’ve been growing snapdragons for over two decades and thought I had a handle on it—but NOT after this discussion with Dave Dowling!
In this episode, we are talking about extending the harvest season, how to do that but variety selection, harvesting, conditioning, and more!
This is but a small sampling of what it is like to learn from Dave. I am so pleased to have Dave as one of our online course instructors.
Learn more about his course, Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!
Connect with Dave on Instagram & Facebook
Originally aired in 2022 as Field & Garden episode #98.
Mentions
Dave's Course: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
In this episode of Field and Garden, Lisa Mason Ziegler shares the skill that transformed her flower farm, her business, and her life: choosing her mood. From small habits like saying a cheerful phrase out loud to keeping a gratitude list and taking a daily walk, Lisa explains how these simple practices can help you stay calm, positive, and resilient — even when life gets messy.
Mentions
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
Today, we're sharing a recent interview that Layne and Lisa did with Scott Shepherd on The Flower Podcast. They covered lots of great topics and common questions about Cool Flowers, perennials, biennials, and more! So listen in, and enjoy!
Re-aired with permission from The Flower Podcast.
Mentions
The Flower Podcast, with host Scott Shepherd
Seed Talk with Lisa & Layne (watch on YouTube)
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
The BIG Calendar-Journal: The Brain of My Flower Farm
Ever feel overwhelmed by seed starting and succession planting? In this episode, Lisa Mason Ziegler shares the origin story of the BIG Calendar-Journal—the wall calendar that turned her flower farm around. Discover how a giant calendar became her farm’s brain, why it works better than a garden journal or spreadsheet, and how it transformed chaos into a weekly rhythm of seed starting, planting, and harvesting.
You’ll learn:
How succession planting became manageable (and profitable).
The practical system Lisa uses to track planting dates, seed starts, and harvest notes.
Tips for setting up your own BIG Calendar-Journal at home or on the farm.
Whether you’re a home gardener or a flower farmer, this tool can help you plan smarter, stay consistent, and build your own record of growing success.
Mentions
The BIG Calendar-Journal, from The Gardener's Workshop
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!
What makes The Flower Farmer Club such a special place for flower farmers and gardeners? In this episode, Lisa Mason Ziegler pulls back the curtain on the hidden benefits of her popular online membership community. She shares the vision behind the Club, why she considers it an honor to mentor others, and how this community helps growers overcome the common struggles of isolation, overwhelm, and unreliable information. From finding camaraderie and accountability to learning from the experiences of others, Lisa explains how the Club was built to support your flower farming journey every step of the way.
Mentions
The Flower Farmer Club, presented by The Gardener's Workshop
Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!
Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!
The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of The Cut Flower Handbook, 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!