023: Why We Decided to Become Small Scale Flower Farmers
In this episode I share a little bit about how we decided to become small scale flower farmers and some of the lessons learned along the way
Feb 12, 2024•25 min•Season 7Ep. 4
The Kokoro Garden Podcast
The Kokoro Garden Podcast
A podcast of all things flower farming and garden related
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Episodes
022: Why the Floret Originals are a game-changer for Small Scale Flower Farmers
If you haven’t been hiding under a rock, you may have heard about (and purchased!) the very special zinnia, celosia, and dahlia seeds from Floret Flower Farm (bred by Erin Benzakein and her team). In this episode I’ll talk about why these original varieties are a game changer for the small scale flower farmer and why this is such a revolutionary time in flower farming
Feb 07, 2024•25 min•Season 7Ep. 3
021: What Exactly is Small Scale Flower Farming?
In this episode, we talk about scale, and what exactly the average size of a flower, farmers, and what small scale flower for me actually looks like in terms of size and scale
Feb 06, 2024•17 min•Season 7Ep. 2
020: 2024 Is All About Small Scale Flower Farming
I’m kicking off 2024 with a renewed focus on small scale flower farming. In this episode I go into the reasons why I’m focusing on small scale flower farmers and why it’s helpful to all of us!
Feb 05, 2024•11 min•Season 7Ep. 1
019: On the Fear of Failure (Of Flower Farming)
None of us want to fail in our flower farming ventures. But we also need to know what exactly does success look like to define failure. And does failure necessarily mean the end of the road for us? We’ll also talk about redefining success and failure and how I don’t really accept failures in flower farming for myself!
Mar 24, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 19
018: Advice for Starting a New Flower Farm
Some pieces of advice on starting a new flower farm, even if you’ve never grown flowers before. We’ll also discuss the importance of a business plan, different ways of making income from flowers and the importance of learning and growing with your business.
Mar 21, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 18
017: New Year, New Flower Farmer?
As we greet a brand new 2023 (and people are becoming new flower farmers) there are a few important questions you should ask yourself prior to starting your farm…
Jan 03, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 17
016: Advantages of Small Scale Flower Growing
In this episode I talk about some of the advantages and benefits of being a small scale flower grower including the key point: flexibility and adaptability!
Apr 24, 2022•26 min•Ep. 16
015: Why We Choose to be Small Scale Flower Growers
Spoiler alert: We are growing less than 1/4 of an acre of flowers and we are doing it part-time. In this episode I talk about the reasons for choosing small scale or part time flower growing and why this may be important for you to consider.
Apr 23, 2022•13 min•Ep. 15
014: Why I’m Focusing on Small Scale Flower Growing
While growing cut flowers commercially brings to mind boots, tractors and rural settings, not all flower growers are growing on a large scale. In this episode I talk about why I’m focusing on providing resources on small scale flower growing and why small scale growers are important.
Apr 22, 2022•15 min•Ep. 14
013: The Aftereffects of the Pandemic
The pandemic changed a lot of things including the floral industry and flower farming. It also changed the way we viewed and worked with our flowers, and changed our business model for the better!
Jan 31, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 13
012: Growing Flowers in Extreme Heat
With the recent heatwave that is occurring in parts of North America, flower farmers and gardeners have been dealing with growing in extreme heat! In this episode I share our strategies for growing in a hot and dry environment including varieties of flowers that thrive i. hot and sunny and dry conditions.
Jul 06, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 12
011: What flowers should I grow?
Every flower farmer has to select their flower varieties they want to grow for the season. But what do you do when you can’t decide on your varieties or you don’t know if they are correct?
Mar 25, 2021•10 min•Season 1Ep. 11
010: All About Row Covers (and Low Tunnels, Hoop Houses and Greenhouses)
Extending the season is important as a flower farmer and gardener to get an earlier start on spring flowers and extend the beauty of your blooms into the fall as well. In this episode, I talk about many different way of season extension commonly used, their pros and cons, and the many fabulous uses of row cover.
Feb 11, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 11
009: Scheduling Seed Starting
It can be hard to keep on schedule with seed starting and to keep up during the height of the season. Successfully starting seeds is important, and in this episode I share how we think of calculating successions and scheduling seed starting
Feb 11, 2021•7 min•Season 1Ep. 9
008: Growing Guide: Icelandic Poppies
Icelandic poppies are one of our favorite flowers to grow. Hardy, prolific, and breathtakingly beautiful, in this episode we discuss strategies for starting these hardy spring flowers from seed successfully, growing on, harvesting and designing with these cheery flowers
Feb 10, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 8
007: Hardy Annual Flowers: Scheduling Spring Blooms
Hardy annuals are best started in the fall or winter to give them a long, cool growing period. In this episode we talk about when to start your hardy annuals and when to plant them out
Feb 07, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 7
006: Hardy Annual Flowers: What Exactly are Hardy Annual Flowers?
Hardy annuals are some of the most romantic and beautiful blooms - poppies, foxgloves, bachelor buttons and larkspur. In this episode you’ll learn why you should start them now and how temperatures and growing zones will effect your scheduling
Jan 31, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 6
005: Direct Sowing: Seed Starting for the Flower Farmer Part 4
Direct sowing can be a really great way to grow large volumes of flowers like bachelor buttons, zinnias, and sunflowers. In this episode you’ll learn how to choose good varieties of flowers to direct sow and how to direct sow.
Nov 27, 2020•24 min•Season 1Ep. 5
004: Cold Stratification: Seed Starting for the Flower Farmer Part 3
Some seeds such as larkspur and coneflower require a special treatment to germinate successfully. In this episode, I share my experiences with cold stratification and how you can use it to ensure more success with your planting plans
Nov 27, 2020•19 min•Ep. 4
003: All About Soil Blocking: Seed Starting for the Flower Farmer Part 2
Soil blocking is great and very popular among vegetable and flower farmers as a whole. In this episode, we talk about the advantages and disadvantages of soil blocking, the type of flowers we start in soil blocks and how they can fit into your strategy as a flower farmer
Jan 16, 2020•33 min•Ep. 3
002: Seed Starting for the Flower Farmer Part 1
We talk about the importance of seed starting, weighing the value of plugs vs seeds, and outlining our seed starting process
Jan 05, 2020•28 min•Ep. 2
001: Chrysanthemums for the Flower Farmer
Chrysanthemums are an excellent addition to the flower farm, especially for fall. This episode covers mum varieties, propagation, growing out, harvesting and using them in design work.
Oct 07, 2019•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1
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