The No-Till Flowers Podcast

We as growers can get quite fixated on soil and water and fertility. But there's another factor that is so absolutely critical to plants and flower production and that is light, or more precisely photoperiod.  We all know that light is the foundation of photosynthesis.  What we can sometimes forget is how critical the number of hours of light and dark are to triggering a plant to switch from vegetative growth to flowering.  We drill into that in this episode with Dr. Alicain Carlson from Syngenta Flowers.  Great companion listening for this episode is Episode 46: 10 Late Season Flower Crops for November Sales with Dave Dowling.  Additional resources mentioned in this episode: Syngenta Flowers Cultural Guides Book:  Specialty Cut Flowers MyLightMeter - an app for your phone to measure light WANT TO LEARN MORE?   Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network (RFFN) for just $20/year if you'd like to continue the conversation on topics covered in this episode. You'll also gain access to lots of helpful articles, discussion boards, and online courses.  On-demand Online Courses for Farmers Available on RFFN:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing Simple Steps to Better Marketing Woodies: Playing the Long Game   WINTER SPECIAL:  3 Online Courses for $300!  Click Here to Learn More.     HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it. 

For anyone focused on building soil health and long-term productivity, cover crops are the most powerful tool available. Research shows that cover crop mixes—rather than single-species plantings—offer greater benefits to the soil ecosystem. When thoughtfully designed, a diverse cover crop mix acts like a self-balancing team, with each species performing a specific ecological role.  In this episode, Keith Berns, one of the founders of Green Cover Seed in Nebraska, walks us through the value and decision-making process for adding cover crop mixes to your growing space. If you're new to cover crops, you may want to start with Episode 33, Cover Cropping Basics for Small Scale Regenerative (Flower) Farms.   And another great episode to check out is The Ins and Outs of Intercropping with Denise Ritcher. Additional resources mentioned in this episode: Green Cover Podcast Cover Crops 101 book (Free Download) Webinar with Dr. Christine Jones WANT TO LEARN MORE?   Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network (RFFN) for just $20/year if you'd like to continue the conversation on topics covered in this episode. You'll also gain access to lots of helpful articles, discussion boards, and online courses.  On-demand Online Courses for Farmers Available on RFFN:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing Simple Steps to Better Marketing Woodies: Playing the Long Game Tap into the above courses and resources any time you need.  These are available on-demand through the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network.    HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it. 

Host Jennie Love walks listeners through a clear and concise discussion on how and why to overwinter dahlias in the ground.   Save time, money and sanity with no-dig dahlias.  Cold is not the enemey to successfully perennializing your dahlias.   Moisture is.  Tune in to learn more! Mentioned in the episode:  Black Dog Flower Farm Dahlia Blog Post Part 1 Black Dog Flower Farm Dahlia Blog Post Part 2 Cornelia Macnamara Flowers in Chicago Metal cages used to support dahlias   WANT TO LEARN MORE?   Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network (RFFN) for just $20/year if you'd like to continue the conversation on topics covered in this episode. You'll also gain access to lots of helpful articles, discussion boards, and online courses.  On-demand Online Courses for Farmers Available on RFFN:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing Simple Steps to Better Marketing Woodies: Playing the Long Game Tap into the above courses and resources any time you need.  These are available on-demand through the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network.    Past relate episode for further listening include: The Dahlia Episode with LeeAnn Huber of Coseytown Flowers Dahlia Pest Management with LeeAnn Huber of Coseytown Flowers Nutrient Balancing in Living Soil with Bryant Mason, the Soil Doctor     HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it. 

Dave Dowling is back for this episode. He's a fan favorite and if you haven't already listened to the Everything Tulips episode and Everything Ranunculus episode here, be sure to go back to grab those.  Dave is well-known in the flower farmer sphere for his wealth of knowledge and decades of experience in farming and sales. I asked Dave back so he could help me hash out what flowers are viable crops for November sales.   I've heard more and more growers talking about skipping summer production in favor of focusing on the shoulder seasons, myself included. The summer heat can flatten you.  And summer sales tend to drop off as everyone goes on holiday.  And after a whole season of training customers to buy from you, it's a shame to just drop them at the first frost.  Here in the northern Hemisphere, there's tremendous opportunity for brisk sales in November, if you have some infrastructure like a high tunnel or greenhouse.  Retail sales reach a near fever pitch as customers realize cold weather is setting in and they'll soon be without their local harvests.  Thanksgiving can be a big floral holiday here in the U.S..  Wedding florists are still quite busy too in November as many couples have opted for a shoulder season date to either save a little on the budget or to also avoid that damn summer heat.  The problem is that usually we just think of mums when it comes to end of season sales.  And even with all the specialty and heirloom varieties available to growers at the moment, mums alone don't make a bouquet.  Weather you're selling at farmers market, doing weddings yourself, or selling wholesale to florists, you need a more diverse product mix to grab interest and bigger sales.  Dave and I go over a list of 10 late fall crops that can be harvested for gorgeous November bouquets and a really nice injection of cash in your bank account right before winter.  Be sure to have a notebook handy when listening so you can jot down the particulars of each.  For easy reference, here are the 10 crops we discuss (NOTE, these are crops grown in a tunnel/greenhouse):  Stock Flowering Cabbage/Kale Snapdragons (Group 2 or 3) Sunflowers Lisianthus Lillies (LA Royal Sunset and Callas)  Alstromeria Mums Celosia Eucalyptus   WANT TO LEARN MORE?   Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network (RFFN) for just $20/year if you'd like to continue the conversation on topics covered in this episode. You'll also gain access to lots of helpful articles, discussion boards, and online courses.  On-demand Online Courses for Farmers Available on RFFN:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing Simple Steps to Better Marketing Woodies: Playing the Long Game Tap into the above courses and resources any time you need.  These are available on-demand through the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network.    >>> FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, GET 3 SHORT COURSES FOR $300.    Past episodes with Dave Dowling further listening include: Everything Ranunculus with Dave Dowling Everything Tulips with Dave Dowling   HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it. 

I've long followed the fascinating research of Dr. James White of Rutgers University in New Jersey.  He is a plant pathologist with a PhD in mycology.  His specialty is "symbiosis research", particularly the impact of endophytic microbes in plant development and behavior. The nerdiest among you will rejoice at a science-rich episode in which Dr. White helps us understand how bacteria and fungus enter a plant as endophytes to help plants defend against stress, diseases and pests as well as provide the nutrients they need for growth and development.  Turns out plants are farmers too!  And in many ways we human farmers need to get out of their way and let them do their own work!   In this episodes we talk about the rhizophagy cycle, in which microbes – not humans – provide the nutrients plants need.  We also talk about how we can support the rhizophagy cycle by boosting soil biology as a whole, something many of you are already doing through regenerative farming. And we talk about how seed production can be adjusted to produce stock for healthier plants and greater resiliency in the face of climate change.  So if you're seed saving, make sure you listen closely to that part! What's really exciting about Dr. White's research is two parts: First, his work has shown that if we pay attention to soil biology – namely endophytes -- we create disease suppressing soils.  With a bounty of diverse biology in the soil, devastating diseases like fusarium and pythium not only become benign but may even become beneficial!  Whaaaaa??? Secondly, while Dr. White has not conducted research directly on homemade inputs like JADAM Liquid Fertilizer and other brews a la Korean Natural Farming, he absolutely sees a correlation between them and his studies of the impact of endophytic microbes on plant health and production.  In particular, he sees these inputs as very beneficial at the time of seed starting, helping to load up the soil surrounding the seed with diverse and bountiful biology, which will lead to better root development and disease resistance.  Which means this is a great time to remind you to go back in the archives here of No-Till Flowers and relisten to Episode 28 where I talked with Lisa Zeigler about Seed Starting, Regenerative Style.      Learn more from Dr. James White by listening to these two episdoes on the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast with John Kempf:  Reshaping How Agriculture Sees Plant Nutrient Uptake How Plant Absorb Living Microbes and Convert Soil Pathogens into Beneficials    And read some of Dr. White's research papers on Research Gate:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/James-White-31   WANT TO LEARN MORE?   Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network (RFFN) for just $20/year if you'd like to continue the conversation on topics covered in this episode. You'll also gain access to lots of helpful articles, discussion boards, and online courses.  On-demand Online Courses for Farmers Available on RFFN:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing Simple Steps to Better Marketing Tap into the above courses and resources any time you need.  These are available on-demand through the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network.    >>> FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, GET 3 SHORT COURSES FOR $300.    Past episodes that discuss soil health and biomes for further listening include: Episdoe 29: Nutrient Balancing in Living Soils with Bryan Mason Episode 34: Why I Love to Spray at My Farm: Boosting the Phyllosphere Episode 17: Natural Inputs with Nigel Palmer Episode 15: Korean Natural Farming and JADAM in Flower Farming with Tony Gaetz of Bare Mountain Farm   HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it.   

In today's episode, we are replaying an interview that originally aired on The Flower Podcast, where host Scott Shepherd interviewed yours truly, Jennie Love, about regenerative flower farming.  This seemed like a great conversation to include in the archives here on No-Till Flowers.  Deep gratitude to Scott for sharing it with us!     Be sure to follow The Flower Podcast for more great flora-focused conversations.   And there are new fresh episodes coming soon!  A few guests got hit with the flu and it's pushed back our production schedule.  But we're getting everything rescheduled and will be hitting the air soon with those!   WANT TO LEARN MORE?   Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network (RFFN) for just $20/year if you'd like to continue the conversation on topics covered in this episode. You'll also gain access to lots of helpful articles, discussion boards, and online courses.  On-demand Short Courses for Farmers on RFFN:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing Simple Steps to Better Marketing Woodies: Playing the Long Game (coming in February 2025) Tap into the above courses and resources any time you need.  These are available on-demand through the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network.  Current RFFN members shoud follow this link to access the Short Courses at the discounted member rate.      Past episodes for further learning about regenerative farming practices include: Episdoe 29: Nutrient Balancing in Living Soils with Bryan Mason Episode 34: Why I Love to Spray at My Farm: Boosting the Phyllosphere Episode 17: Natural Inputs with Nigel Palmer Episode 15: Korean Natural Farming and JADAM in Flower Farming with Tony Gaetz of Bare Mountain Farm   HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it. 

In this episode, we're digging into organic seed production. Seed saving and breeding are all the rage in the flower farming world at the moment, which is an exciting way to dive even deeper into the world of flowers and get even nerdier.  And we all love getting nerdier, don't we?  :-)  Today's guest, Will Hazard, is the zinnia breeding project lead at the University of California, Davis.  Through the SCOPE program -- which stands for Sustainable Crop Production and Enhancement, Will and his team of fellow research students have been breaking new ground in flower breeding that benefits both the environment and future generations of farmers.  In particular, they've honed in on zinnias to breed for better stem length and disease resistance.  In this conversation, Will unpacks the challenges, the innovations, and the incredible potential of this vital field of study.  Mentioned in this Episode:  UC Davis SCOPE Project Video demo of saving zinnia seeds properly UC Davis Zinnia Bulletin 2024 UC Davis Instagram (with lots of zinnia breeding photos)  Tips for Getting Involved in Organic Seed Breeding Podcast with John Kempf and Dr. James White discussing seed biomes Email Will directly at [email protected]   WANT TO LEARN MORE?   Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network (RFFN) for just $20/year if you'd like to continue the conversation on topics covered in this episode. You'll also gain access to lots of helpful articles, discussion boards, and online courses.  On-demand Short Courses for Farmers on RFFN:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing Simple Steps to Better Marketing Woodies: Playing the Long Game (coming in February 2025) Tap into the above courses and resources any time you need.  These are available on-demand through the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network.  Current RFFN members shoud follow this link to access the Short Courses at the discounted member rate.      --- If you enjoyed this episode, you might also want to listen to:  Episode 28: Seed Starting, Regenerative Style with Lisa Mason Zeigler Episode 24: Farming to Heal the Ecosystem with Dr. Doug Tallamy Episode 31: Beneficial Insects and Natural Pest Control with IPM Expert Margaret Parks of Evergreen Growers Supply ---   Sign up for our newsletter so you'll be the first to know about special events and other opportunities.   Follow @notillflowers on Instagram for more content.  HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it.  Thanks for tuning in!  

Welcome to Season 5 of No-Till Flowers!  It's good to be back!! We're starting off with a fairly personal episode as I share what's changed for me and my health in 2024.  This past season was my 17th season farming and selling flowers. There has been a lot of wear and tear on my body, mind and spirit along the way.  I would wager heavily that no small business owner understands what they are signing up for at the beginning.  Or even many years into it.  The first 10 or so years are just holding on for dear life. The highs and lows of this rollercoaster ride lurch your emotions and mind all over the place.  For too long, we define success as making a sale and making a customer happy.  In most cases, we outright forfeit our own well-being.  At least that certainly was the case for me.  When our bodies are under chronic elevated stress and we're not eating well (which pretty much describes every farmer), our internal ecosystem starts to break down.  Our bodies host trillions of microbes that that make us surprisingly similar to soil biomes.  In this episode, we learn about how to better support our personal gut biomes so we can better support our farms and larger communities.    My guest today is Susan Brown, a functional medicine practitioner I've worked with over the past year to improve my own biome. If you'd like to work directly with Susan, her website is https://www.nourishwithsusanbrown.com/   Find a functional medicine practitioner near you with this site: https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner   If you'd like to learn more about supporting your gut biome and supporting your body as a whole, here are a few links to podcasts that can help you learn more: Dr. Zach Bush interview on Feel Better, Live More Podcast Dr. William Li interview on Feel Better, Live More Podcast How to Control Blood Sugar on Feel Better, Live More Podcast The Dr. Hyman Show   Susan mentioned a supplement, Ion Biome, made from ancient soil.  Here's the link to that.   Please note that I have not tried this supplement personally so can not speak to its effectiveness.  Other Supplements she mentioned were:        Cytozyme-AD for adrenal support        Magnesium glycinate        LMNT for electrolytes and magnesium        Vitamin D3 K2 (remember to eat some fat at the same time you're taking this one – like an avocado) Here's a recipe for a quick and healthy meal you can take into the field with you: CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING - 1 can of unsweetened full fat coconut milk (Try Native Forest brand) - 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (Try SunWarrior brand if you don't have a favorite already) - 6 Tbsp chia seeds - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 1 pinch of sea salt - dash of cinnamon (optional) Mix everything together.  Use an immersion/stick blender to get it all really combined for a smooth creamy pudding.  Divide out into glass jars or other containers you can grab on the go.  Keep cold.  Can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.   When you're ready to eat, top with fresh berries and/or shredded coconut.   Why is this recipe so good for you?   Coconut milk is a superfood that heals and supports for your gut microbiology.  And all the good fat in it balances your blood sugar levels so your energy is stable throughout the day (no more sugar crashes!). Chia seeds, also a superfood, have tons of fiber and omega-3. The protein powder helps your muscles recover from fatigue faster.  The sea salt adds some micronutrients and electrolytes.  And the fresh berries on top add more fiber and antioxidants.  Plus it's just dang yummy!   Would you like more recipes and a chance to connect with others who have experiences similar to yours?  Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network (RFFN) for just $20/year if you'd like to continue the conversation on topics covered in this episode. On-demand Short Courses for Farmers Available on RFFN:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing Simple Steps to Better Marketing Tap into the above courses and resources any time you need.  These are available on-demand through the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network.    >>> FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, GET 3 SHORT COURSES FOR $300.    Past episodes that discuss soil health and biomes for further listening include: Episdoe 29: Nutrient Balancing in Living Soils with Bryan Mason Episode 34: Why I Love to Spray at My Farm: Boosting the Phyllosphere Episode 17: Natural Inputs with Nigel Palmer Episode 15: Korean Natural Farming and JADAM in Flower Farming with Tony Gaetz of Bare Mountain Farm   HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it.     

We don't typically dive into business topics on this podcast as I like to keep the focus on regenerative growing practices.  But today we're going to go off theme a bit for a special guest.  Many of you already know Scott Shepherd, the host of The Flower Podcast.   Scott has such a unique position in our industry.  He studied horticulture under the likes of Dr. Allan Armitage.  His day job in the three decades since has been working in sales at wholesale houses, first in Georgia and now in Tennessee.  In that role, he's touched every facet of the global import market.  He's also had a long-standing side hustle as a grower of specialty stems like hellebores.  And as a podcaster, he's had many in-depth discussions with both florists and flower farmers.   Scott recently interviewed me about regenerative farming for his own podcast.  At the end of that chat, I asked him if I could switch seats with him, so to speak, and ask him so long burning questions I had about selling flowers through a traditional wholesaler.  I don't know about you, but it's always felt a bit mysterious.  Exactly how does one go about approaching a big wholesaler?  What quantities do you need to bring to the table?  What kind of prices could you get?  What was supposed to be just a brief chat turned into a lengthy and very enlightening conversation I thought you'd all like to hear.  In addition to this episode here on No-Till Flowers, you can catch another piece of my conversation with Scott on a new podcast I'm currently hosting called Floral Guild Radio.  Yep, you read that right!  There's now a second podcast where you can hear me talk about flowers.  Floral Guild Radio is much more geared towards the business side of flowers, particularly selling to florists.  I'd love to have you tune in there too!   As always, a big shout out to members of the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network who, through their membership, so generously support the making of this podcast!   If you're not a member but you'd like to join, it's just $20 a year.  Lots of detailed articles, podcast transcripts, and a community chat are available on RFFN.  If you've ever had follow up questions to episodes here, that's the place to go to ask!   Many of you may be in hiring mode for your farms right now.  I'd love to help you be less intimidate by hiring and find a better flow to managing a crew that doesn't consume all your brain space and time. I have an online short course called CREW that is focused on the best practices of hiring, training, and managing farm crews.  If this sounds like something you could use, head to the show notes to grab the link.   Others of you may not be ready to hire, but could use a helping hand with decision making and trouble shooting this season.  I host a monthly small group cohort for regenerative growers on RFFN and would be happy to field all your questions there.  Look for the link to that in the show notes as well!    Additional places to find Scott Shepherd:  The Flower Podcast Instagram feed The Flower Podcast YouTube channel The Pansy Appreciation Society Instagram feed. 

There are some incredible nuggets of pure gold in this episode.  You will definitely want to have a pen and paper handy!  Joining me today is Dr. John Dole, cut flower researcher and professor at North Carolina State University.  As you'll hear in the episode, John has been immersed in flowers since he was just 8 years old, planting gladiolas at a neighbor's farm in Michigan.  Over the decades, he's been a keystone leader for the floral industry, serving farmers and florists alike with his valuable research projects.  John is well known for his work with the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, which is where I met him years ago.  My friendship with John is an example of how priceless a membership in the Association can be.  If you are not already a member of the ASCFG, you'll want to click the link above right now to join.  While John and I were talking here for the podcast, I was reminded how much I have learned over the years from him and others who have generously shared their knowledge through the ASCFG.  For flower farmers, John, along with his posse of awesome graduate students, has done a lot of studies on what we call "post harvest handling" of cut flowers.  Basically, what are the best practices growers can implement after harvesting to get the longest vase life out of their crops.  You can be a dynamite grower, but if you don't know how to handle your flowers after they're picked, you won't have happy customers or a sustainable business.  In this episode, John and I talk about a handful of key crops and how to handle them after harvest.  You are going to be shocked by what he has to say about storing peonies and tulips!  For peonies, the ideal temperature for dry storage is 31F, for up to 16 weeks.  For tulips, leave the bulb on and dry store at 31F for up to 8 weeks.   We also go down a rabbit hole about water quality and flower food.  To be honest, I hadn't planned to pick John's brain about those, but I'm so glad the topic came up because it was really informative!  I've long been anxious about using flower food and holding solutions because there are no organic certified options on the market.  I assumed they were full of harsh chemicals that I wouldn't want to dump out into my farm's ecosystem.  John sheds some light on this subject and I think you'll find it reassuring to hear.  Some useful resources related to this episode: Chrysal (post-harvest flower products) Waypoint Labs (for water testing) All of John's Research Publications Postharvest Handling of Cut Flowers and Greens (reference book written by John) Govee thermometers   WANT TO LEARN MORE?  Join the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network! It's just $20/year and you'll have access to lots of articles, videos, online courses and live Q&As -- all related to regenerative farming and sustainable business practices.  On-demand Short Courses for Farmers available on the Regenerative Flower Farmers Network:  Foliage for the Win Successful Flower CSAs and Subscriptions CREW: Hiring and Managing A Guide to No-Panic Marketing Woodies: Playing the Long Game (coming in spring 2024) *Note: You'll need to become a RFFN member in order to register for the online courses.    Past episodes for further listening include: Episdoe 12: The Everything Tulips Episode with Dave Dowling Episode 20: The Everything Ranunculus Episode with Dave Dowling Episode 36: Cool Flowers, Native Headerows and Frost Cloth with Lisa Mason Zeigler Episode 38: Plant Tissue Testing Explained with Bryant Mason    HAVE IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PODCAST?  Share your opinions in this brief survey.   As always, if you appreciate this podcast and all the education it provides, please take a moment out of your day to rate and write a review for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to it.