EP 325: The Flower Farmer Graveyard

A mulch lifter meant for plastic beds unexpectedly helped lift dahlias—and gave these flower farmers a new way to think about getting tubers out of the ground. Lyndsay and Shannon swap notes on what worked, what didn’t, and why borrowing a neighbor’s equipment can be a smart way to test a big investment. They also get into the hidden costs of plastic, drip irrigation and transplanting; the spray-paint trick that keeps dahlia varieties sorted during digging; and the digital field notes that save them from losing hard-won lessons in coffee-stained notebooks. Along the way: fall marketing overload, a rare weekend of real rest, and a weather forecast that could shift tulip plans. Charlotte Smith application link- Profitable Farmer Scholarship - Pre-Application Get your early bird tickets for DirtCon 2027 and learn more by listening to episode- EP 299: Inside DirtCon 2027 Learn more about- Independent Farmer Podcast, Vitalize Seed Company, and Ampersand Bulb Co If you want to dive in deeper with us each month, join our membership group - The Dirt on Flowers Insiders! So if you love the podcast and want to dig deeper with us, head over to www.thedirtonflowers.com/membership to join now. Did you love today's episode? Take a screenshot and share it in your IG stories. Don't forget to tag @dirtonflowers! Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

A crop can be beautiful, beloved—and still not earn its place on the farm. Lindsay and Shannon share how a look back at sales changed their growing decisions, including swapping rose lilies for standard lilies. They also unpack why Shannon’s customers couldn’t get enough of gladiolus—even when the first succession flopped—and why adorable Tweety pansies didn’t make the cut. Along the way, they offer a practical way to compare what you planted, harvested, and sold, so next year’s seed orders reflect your customers, your labor, and your actual business needs. Get your early bird tickets for DirtCon 2027 and learn more by listening to episode- EP 299: Inside DirtCon 2027 Learn more about- Barn2Door, Vermont Compost Company, and Hunter Finn Creative If you want to dive in deeper with us each month, join our membership group - The Dirt on Flowers Insiders! So if you love the podcast and want to dig deeper with us, head over to www.thedirtonflowers.com/membership to join now. Did you love today's episode? Take a screenshot and share it in your IG stories. Don't forget to tag @dirtonflowers! Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

Shannon’s farm crew turned Brian’s $88 Amazon ring idea into a real proposal—with local jewelers, input from nearly everyone he knew, and a soccer-game reveal. That’s just one of the season’s stories as Lyndsay and Shannon compare patchy first frosts, wrap up flower-market season, and share what’s next. They also get into a holiday fundraiser rethink that’s already drawing new customers to the greenhouse, why a simple change from “don’t take shirts out” to “please leave shirts in bags” worked, and the realities of building a farm business around family, capacity, and the occasional 1 a.m. bouquet session. Get your early bird tickets for DirtCon 2027 and learn more by listening to episode- EP 299: Inside DirtCon 2027 Learn more about- Barn2Door, Vermont Compost Company, and Hunter Finn Creative If you want to dive in deeper with us each month, join our membership group - The Dirt on Flowers Insiders! So if you love the podcast and want to dig deeper with us, head over to www.thedirtonflowers.com/membership to join now. Did you love today's episode? Take a screenshot and share it in your IG stories. Don't forget to tag @dirtonflowers! Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

Three Porch Farm was on the brink of collapse when the pandemic shut down its farmers markets—then shipping flowers helped save the business and opened up an entirely new model. On The Dirt on Flowers, Mandy and Steve talk with Lyndsay and Shannon about that pivot, why they walked away from weddings and summer crops that looked successful from the outside, and how sales data revealed poppies were their most profitable flower. They also share how Georgia’s heat is reshaping their dahlia plans, the practical trade-offs of farming sustainably, and the hard-won difference between persistence and simply refusing to change. Learn more about todays guest- 3 Porch Farm, Facebook, and Instagram Early bird tickets available at DirtCon 2027 and learn more by listening to this episode- EP 299: Inside DirtCon 2027 Learn more about- Heirloom Roses If you want to dive in deeper with us each month, join our membership group - The Dirt on Flowers Insiders! So if you love the podcast and want to dig deeper with us, head over to www.thedirtonflowers.com/membership to join now. Did you love today's episode? Take a screenshot and share it in your IG stories. Don't forget to tag @dirtonflowers! Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

An update on the 450-guest wedding called for 23 dahlias in a single centerpiece—and cleanup revealed one very unexpected use for a flower vase. Lyndsay and Shannon swap stories from the event, talk through the exhaustion of an expanded dahlia harvest, and weigh whether to squeeze in one last flower-field sale before frost. They also share practical ways to make a self-serve flower stand more memorable, from kid-friendly scavenger hunts to a QR-code welcome video, and compare their very different approaches to wedding florals—like whether to dye carnations or order pricey orchid Get your early bird tickets for DirtCon 2027 and learn more by listening to episode- EP 299: Inside DirtCon 2027 Learn more about- Heirloom Roses If you want to dive in deeper with us each month, join our membership group - The Dirt on Flowers Insiders! So if you love the podcast and want to dig deeper with us, head over to www.thedirtonflowers.com/membership to join now. Did you love today's episode? Take a screenshot and share it in your IG stories. Don't forget to tag @dirtonflowers! Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!