Thank you so much for the candor. I so enjoy the personal banter keeping it real. Sooo many decisions, but great reasons for them. Congratulations for baby 5 and year 3 in the books.
Really enjoyed this conversation. I have a perennial nursery and am thinking of adding spring bouquets. Like you, we are gang-busters in the Spring and only have about a 6 week window before people lose interest and start their summer activities, so we think flowers will be a great addition. Some of my colleagues hustle all summer long to sell plants, but like you, I've decided that part-time is perfect for me (retired). I am thinking of opening again for Fall planting and may include fall bouquets since things like dahlias, sunflowers, celosia and zinnias are super easy to grow for our area.... I'll see how spring goes first! Love your content, thanks for sharing/creating.
Enjoy your reflective discussion of flower choices, seasonal issues and high sales opportunities. So many different considerations when our Aussie Mother’s Day is in Autumn. Congratulations on your new baby boy.
Hi there! My parents are part time flower and produce farmers from Logan county in Arkansas. we’re about 45 minutes west of fort smith. We only sell at the farmers market so we succession plant summer flowers to have enough for june and july but we’ve had almost 2 good seasons of peonies. We don’t have as many peony plants as your farm had initially planted but I think some of your plants that didn’t sit in that flood area will come back. We dont have any weed fabric or cloth down. we plant it alongside our gladioulus and once we pick them, we just let the weed take over 😅. we don’t spray as well. And yes, we also hide ours. they’re in a shaded area and you almost can’t see them when the weed take over. I’m hopeful that yours will come back. Can’t wait to see it 😊.
Keep doing what you do, with your road side stand. You are both great parents with time for your (now 5 beautiful, and congrats with your new born baby boy ) children. Money is not the most important thing in life. With expanding your farm you take the risk to get a burn-out. Kind regards STUDIO ROOTS, Joke Blokland, Noordeloos, The Netherlands.
Congrats on the new addition. Was he born the day you filmed this? It’s been fun to watch your channel grow. Your July 2022 garden tour was when I found your channel, I’ve enjoyed watching since then.
I live in grass country where the weeds don’t sleep - I’ve raised my perennial beds and put a tonne of wood chip on top which has worked really well- the weed seeds don’t really germinate on the wood chip and I keep the pathways mown so there’s no creep in from the pathways. I’d say with peonies probably you’d have to leave a little ‘hole’ where the crown is so you might get the odd weed seed turn up there but I’ve not found that to be the case so far with my other perennials. Anyway, just a thought if you wanted to keep trying with peonies.
Funny how very different regions in the US are. I'm in NW Oregon and I don't start getting good flowers until late May/June and keep going from there, I am still getting flowers in late Oct. I am done, the flowers are not. I have to make the call and be done so I can rest. Sounds like the weather gives you a solid end date. It's so foreign to think of starting big in March. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insight.
Peony suggestion from Dave Dowling is to not burn a round hole in the landscape fabric for the peony roots, but to cut an "X". Leave the flaps in place - the peony stems are strong enough to push upward each yr through the cut landscape fabric flaps and the flaps just rest against the base of that yrs stems. In his experience that limits a general need to weed that "x" cut opening to just once/yr. The length of time you can hold (in cooler) a properly harvest peony bud is quite an amazing thing for a focal flower! But of course the priorities and needs for each farmer is unique!
Thank you so much for the candor. I so enjoy the personal banter keeping it real. Sooo many decisions, but great reasons for them. Congratulations for baby 5 and year 3 in the books.
Thank you Melanie!
Really enjoyed this conversation. I have a perennial nursery and am thinking of adding spring bouquets. Like you, we are gang-busters in the Spring and only have about a 6 week window before people lose interest and start their summer activities, so we think flowers will be a great addition. Some of my colleagues hustle all summer long to sell plants, but like you, I've decided that part-time is perfect for me (retired). I am thinking of opening again for Fall planting and may include fall bouquets since things like dahlias, sunflowers, celosia and zinnias are super easy to grow for our area.... I'll see how spring goes first! Love your content, thanks for sharing/creating.
It sounds like you have a great plan!
Enjoy your reflective discussion of flower choices, seasonal issues and high sales opportunities. So many different considerations when our Aussie Mother’s Day is in Autumn. Congratulations on your new baby boy.
Love you guys... CONGRATULATIONS
Hi there! My parents are part time flower and produce farmers from Logan county in Arkansas. we’re about 45 minutes west of fort smith. We only sell at the farmers market so we succession plant summer flowers to have enough for june and july but we’ve had almost 2 good seasons of peonies. We don’t have as many peony plants as your farm had initially planted but I think some of your plants that didn’t sit in that flood area will come back. We dont have any weed fabric or cloth down. we plant it alongside our gladioulus and once we pick them, we just let the weed take over 😅. we don’t spray as well. And yes, we also hide ours. they’re in a shaded area and you almost can’t see them when the weed take over. I’m hopeful that yours will come back. Can’t wait to see it 😊.
Keep doing what you do, with your road side stand. You are both great parents with time for your (now 5 beautiful, and congrats with your new born baby boy ) children. Money is not the most important thing in life. With expanding your farm you take the risk to get a burn-out. Kind regards STUDIO ROOTS, Joke Blokland, Noordeloos, The Netherlands.
so true! Good reminders :)
Congrats on the new addition. Was he born the day you filmed this? It’s been fun to watch your channel grow. Your July 2022 garden tour was when I found your channel, I’ve enjoyed watching since then.
About 36 hours later!
I live in grass country where the weeds don’t sleep - I’ve raised my perennial beds and put a tonne of wood chip on top which has worked really well- the weed seeds don’t really germinate on the wood chip and I keep the pathways mown so there’s no creep in from the pathways. I’d say with peonies probably you’d have to leave a little ‘hole’ where the crown is so you might get the odd weed seed turn up there but I’ve not found that to be the case so far with my other perennials. Anyway, just a thought if you wanted to keep trying with peonies.
Funny how very different regions in the US are. I'm in NW Oregon and I don't start getting good flowers until late May/June and keep going from there, I am still getting flowers in late Oct. I am done, the flowers are not. I have to make the call and be done so I can rest. Sounds like the weather gives you a solid end date. It's so foreign to think of starting big in March. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insight.
So interesting!
Peony suggestion from Dave Dowling is to not burn a round hole in the landscape fabric for the peony roots, but to cut an "X". Leave the flaps in place - the peony stems are strong enough to push upward each yr through the cut landscape fabric flaps and the flaps just rest against the base of that yrs stems. In his experience that limits a general need to weed that "x" cut opening to just once/yr. The length of time you can hold (in cooler) a properly harvest peony bud is quite an amazing thing for a focal flower! But of course the priorities and needs for each farmer is unique!
Congratulations on the new addition 💙 would love to know what happened with your sunflowers?? Was it only deer damage?
Mainly deer damage but also lots of extra bug damage bc of our dry conditions. Usually they do much better
Love my haven high tunnel. Just finished
Hope to get one!