Field and Garden with Lisa Mason Ziegler

This episode features a takeover of our popular weekly live Q&A session on Instagram, called Ask a Flower Farmer. It was guest-hosted by Dave Dowling of Ball/ColorLink, a former flower farmer and the instructor for our online course: ⁠⁠⁠Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More⁠⁠⁠. Dave is always happy to share his knowledge with our listeners!

Topics Covered: 
Getting smart deals on plants and bulbs in winter
Alstroemeria for cut flowers - what to know
Protecting plants from sudden cold and winter pests
Lilies - which types can work for you
Vase life, what lasts and what does not
Rescuing a weedy perennial bed
Peony care basics
Pruning limelight hydrangeas
Overwintering lisianthus and snapdragons
Ordering plugs and supplies
Underrated and overrated cut flowers
Quick seasonal checklist

Episode originally aired 12/17/25 on Instagram. Join Lisa and her guest hosts Wednesdays at 3:00PM Eastern time to get your cut flower growing questions answered by the experts!

Mentions
Field & Garden #361: Snapdragon Growing with Dave Dowling
Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers: ASCFG.org

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!

What Dogs Teach Us About Flower Farming, Business, and Joy
If you love flowers and dogs, this one’s for you. In this episode, Lisa reflects on how the simple routines dogs love—like the same walk every day—can teach us powerful lessons about farming, business, and finding joy in repetition. Tune in to hear how consistency and calm can build not only better farms, but better lives.

Mentions
Mental Aspect account on Instagram
Lisa Books
The BIG Calendar-Journal
Discover our online courses!
⁠⁠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’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
⁠⁠Ellen’s newsletter signup⁠⁠
⁠FlowerMore Community⁠
Connect with Ellen: ⁠⁠⁠Ellen Frost Flowers (Instagram)⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠Website⁠ 
Ellen Online Courses: ⁠Florist School Online⁠, ⁠Preparing to Sell to Florists⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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!

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:
Bells of Ireland
Sweet peas
Stock
Snapdragons
Lisianthus
Larkspur
Status
Poppies
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

Discover our online courses!
⁠⁠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!