Seed Talk with Lisa & Layne

To celebrate the autumn season, Lisa and Layne wind up their “Fall Flower Spotlight” series with a deep dive into eucalyptus, one of their favorite foliage plants for fall. Listen to the podcast and learn why eucalyptus deserve a spot in your fall cut-flower garden!

The video version of Lisa and Layne's conversation will be posted to The Gardener’s Workshop’s YouTube channel, where all “Seed Talk” episodes are organized into a ⁠...

To celebrate the autumn season, Lisa and Layne continue their “Fall Flower Spotlight” series with a deep dive into rooster peppers (Capsicum annuum), one of their favorite plants for fall interest. Listen to the podcast and learn why rooster peppers deserve a spot in your fall cut-flower garden!

The video version of Lisa and Layne's conversation will be posted to The Gardener’s Workshop’s YouTube channel, where all “Seed Talk” e...

To celebrate the autumn season, Lisa and Layne continue their “Fall Flower Spotlight” series with a deep dive into celosia plumes (Celosia argentea), one of their favorite flowers to plant for fall blooms. Listen to the podcast and learn why celosia plumes deserve a spot in your fall cut-flower garden!

The video version of Lisa and Layne's conversation will be posted to The Gardener’s Workshop’s YouTube channel, where all “Seed ...

To celebrate the autumn season, Lisa and Layne continue their “Fall Flower Spotlight” series with a deep dive into marigolds (Tagetes erecta), one of their favorite flowers to plant for fall blooms. Listen to the podcast and learn why marigolds deserve a spot in your fall cut-flower garden!

The video version of Lisa and Layne's conversation will be posted to The Gardener’s Workshop’s YouTube channel, where all “Seed Talk” episod...

To celebrate the autumn season, Lisa and Layne kick off the first episode of their “Fall Flower Spotlight” series with a deep dive into cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), one of their favorite flowers to plant for fall blooms. Listen to the podcast and learn why cosmos deserve a spot in your fall cut-flower garden!

The video version of Lisa and Layne's conversation will be posted to The Gardener’s Workshop’s YouTube channel, where all...

Wondering if you should pinch your fall-planted cool flowers before or after they overwinter? Confused about how low down to make the cut? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the ins and outs of pinching fall-planted branching cool flowers (aka cool-season hardy annuals). They cover what pinching is, why it is done, and when and where to make the cut before delving into the pros and cons of pinching fall-planted cool flowers before versu...

Confused about the right time to harvest your flowers? Experiencing issues after cutting and wondering what went wrong? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the importance of knowing the proper harvest stage for cut flowers and the potential problems you might encounter by harvesting too early or too late. Listen to the podcast and discover which issues you can avoid by learning the proper time to harvest your blooms!

The video version of ...

Wondering if poppies make good cut flowers? Curious about the proper harvest stage and how to condition both flowers and pods? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the ins and outs of harvesting Iceland Poppies (Papaver nudicaule) and Giant Poppy Pods (Papaver somniferum) for use as cut flowers. They cover the proper harvest stage, conditioning tips, and the expected vase life for both Iceland Poppies and Giant Poppy Pods. Plus, the girls...

Looking forward to bouquets filled with snapdragons this spring? Wondering which varieties to grow, how tightly to space the plants, and whether or not to pinch? In this excerpt from episode 36, Layne is joined by Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm in Columbus, Ohio to discuss one of her farm's top five Mother's Day flowers - snapdragons. Layne and Gretel cover why snapdragons are such an important crop for Sunny Mea...

Wondering what's happening at the flower farm this month? Curious about which tasks should be on your radar? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss what's going on at the farm in February, offer a tip of the month, and cover recent questions from listeners. Listen to the podcast and learn about the goings-on at a southeastern Virginia (USDA zone 8a) flower farm!

The video version of Lisa and Layne's conversation will be posted to The Gardene...

Wishing you could add a pop of powder blue to your bouquets? Interested in learning how to grow Tweedia as a cool flower? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the delightful flowers of Tweedia 'Heavenly Blue' (Oxypetalum coeruleum). They cover why home gardeners and flower farmers should consider growing it and offer tips on spacing, pinching, harvesting, and more. Listen to the podcast and learn how to boost your bouquets with the true ...

Confused about how often to water your soil blocks? Wondering what to do if your blocks seem to stay wet for too long or dry out too quickly? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss tips and tricks for watering soil blocks. They cover how to water the blocks, including recommended equipment and frequency, and troubleshoot overly wet or dry blocks. Listen to the podcast and learn how to properly water your soil blocks for seed-starting succes...

Debating whether or not to grow calendula on your farm or in your garden? Wondering if the stems are long enough to include in mixed bouquets, or if there are any tips for dealing with the stickiness when harvesting? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss some common questions about Calendula officinalis (aka pot marigolds). They cover a myriad of queries and concerns regarding timing, stem length, stickiness, conditioning, and more. Listen...

Wondering which cool flowers to plant in very early spring? Curious what to do if the ground is frozen, or if you live in a warm, frost-free climate? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss frequently asked questions about planting cool flowers (aka cool-season hardy annuals) in very early spring. They describe how to determine your optimal very early spring planting window and cover a myriad of questions and concerns. Listen to the podcast ...

Is a winter storm heading your way, or has one just passed? Wondering how to protect the cool flowers overwintering in your field or garden? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss preparing for a winter storm and dealing with the aftermath when growing cool-season hardy annuals outdoors. They cover helpful steps to take before, during, and after a storm, and offer real-life stories from past winter events. Listen to the podcast and learn ho...

Wondering how to keep track of your seed starting and planting times throughout the year? Confused about which dates to mark on your calendar and how to determine them? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss planning your growing season using a wall calendar. They cover why a physical calendar may be a good choice and walk through the steps to fill out your first and last frost dates, planting windows, and target seed starting dates. Listen...

Happy New Year, everyone! Interested in integrating the Pantone Color of the Year into your garden or floral arrangements? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the Pantone Color of the Year for 2025 ('Mocha Mousse') and a plant that produces unique, geometric seed heads that embody this color story (Scabiosa stellata 'Ping Pong'). Listen to the podcast and find out why 'Ping Pong' starflower is a must-grow plant for your garden or farm!

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Wondering why a cut-flower grower might focus on annuals rather than perennials? Interested in learning how an urban flower farm's seed-starting operation scaled up over time and which crops were essential to its success? In this excerpt from episode 6 ('How Seeds Changed My Life - Lisa Mason Ziegler Edition'), Layne interviews Lisa about her seed-starting journey as a gardener and flower farmer. They discuss the reasons why Lisa d...

Wondering which tools and supplies you need to get started in flower arranging? Looking for a last-minute holiday gift for a flower lover? In this excerpt from episode 14, Lisa and Layne are joined by Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers to discuss the essential tools and supplies to include in a floral design kit. Listen to the podcast and get ready to build the ultimate flower arranging kit for yourself or a flower-loving friend!

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