First Year Flower Farm Q&A

Why did you start flower farming?

It's pretty simple! I wanted to grow flowers and sell them as a secondary income. Flowers are an easy way to bring a little joy to someone's day too!

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Where do you grow your flowers?

I have a dedicated, fenced in space just for growing cut flowers. It's 12ftx4ft with flower support netting. I do have other flowers and woody fillers around my property that I cut as well.

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Do you have a mindset for your gardening practices?

Keep it simple! I really only grow about 5 different varieties of flowers but different colors for the seasons. Zinnias, Sunflower, Snapdragon, Dahlia and Rudbeckia are my flowers of choice.

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What's your biggest success, so far?

Bringing joy to the residents at the nursing home Memory Care Unit! When I show up with a wagon of flowers I see lots of smiles and hear "the flower lady is here!".

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What is your biggest mistake, so far?

Undercharging for flower sales. As a first year flower farm I didn't have the confidence to charge more for the finished product. Adding in my time and supplies this summer showed me I need to raise my rate for 2026.

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What does your work week look like?

I work a part-time job so fitting in flower farming means adjusting my days accordingly. Everyday I'm either starting seeds, planting, cutting, planning or weeding. I also spend my evenings ,or on the treadmill, listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos of successful flower farmers. I also manage the blog and social media platforms. So I would say about 2 hours each day is dedicated to my business.

What's the biggest surprise you've had this year?

Ants love Sunflowers! The little ants hide in the black center disks..its very sweet but really frustrating!

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Any techniques or new skills you'd like to share?

This spring I learned the "Chop and Drop" method. I clean and prepare the flowers right in the cutting garden. I'll chop the stem ends into tiny pieces and drop them back on the soil. Leaves or any spent flowers are also treated the same way. This feeds the soil with green matter as it decomposes and saves me time by not hauling away the vegetation.