Seed Talk with Lisa & Layne

Are some of your overwintered cool flowers looking questionable? Wondering if the plants will make it through winter and if not, what may have gone wrong? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss seven common causes of cool flower plant loss over the winter months. From drainage to plant size and everything in between, listen to the podcast and learn how to increase your chances of overwintering success! The...

Looking for the perfect filler flower for your spring bouquets? Wondering how to start successions of bupleurum indoors during late winter and early spring to ensure a steady supply? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss tips for germinating and succession-planting bupleurum. They cover why bupleurum is such a useful filler, tips for germination success outdoors or indoors during months when outdoor condi...

Has the turn of the year inspired you to get organized? Wondering the best ways to categorize your seeds for easy access and efficiency? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss some helpful tips and considerations to keep in mind when organizing your seeds. They cover identifying your seed organization goals, different ways to group your seeds, alphabetizing by botanical versus common names, and how to keep...

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 2024 ('Peach Fuzz') and a beautiful cockscomb flower that embodies this color story (Celosia 'Jura Salmon'). Listen to the podcast and find out why 'Jura Salmon' is a must-grow flower for y...

Are you ready for a fresh start in 2024? Have you taken some time to reflect on changes you will be making going into the new year? Today, Lisa and Layne wrap up the year with a review of the top-selling seeds of 2023, new things they will be trying in 2024, some flowers they will not be growing, and resolutions for a new gardening season. Listen to the podcast, consider what changes you might mak...

Wondering how to install row cover that actually stays in place? Confused about when to put covers up or take them down? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss some important row cover do's and don'ts when overwintering cool-season hardy annuals (a.k.a. cool flowers). They cover how to properly space your hoops and secure your row cover, fabric weight considerations, which temperature and weather c...

Shopping for a gardener or farmer (or yourself) this holiday season? Wondering which books are worthy of adding to your collection? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss some of their top book recommendations for gardeners, flower farmers, and nature lovers. Listen to the podcast and get ready to expand your library with some of the girls' all-time favorite books! The video version of Lisa and Layne&#...

Do you love brightening up your home during the cold winter months with the fresh, beautiful blooms of paperwhites? Wondering if there is any way to avoid the frustrating problem of foliage and flower stems that grow too tall and flop over? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss three tips to help prevent your paperwhites ( Narcissus tazetta ) from flopping when forcing these bulbs indoors. Plus, they prov...

Did your hardiness zone change in the newly updated USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map? Wondering what this means for your plantings of cool flowers going forward? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the just released 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and implications for growers whose zone designations have changed. They cover noteworthy updates and nationwide trends in the new version of the map, implicat...

In honor of Thanksgiving Day in the United States, Lisa and Layne continue with last year's theme and discuss two more flowers they are thankful for - foxgloves and snapdragons. Listen to the podcast and learn what these beautiful flowers have to offer. For those celebrating Thanksgiving today, we wish you a safe and happy holiday with family and friends! The video version of Lisa and Layne&#3...

Are you distressed to see buds forming on your fall-planted cool flowers before winter has even set in? Wondering what might have gone wrong and what you should do? Today, Lisa and Layne troubleshoot premature blooms on fall-planted cool flowers. They cover potential causes of premature bud formation and blooming, which cool flowers are more prone to this behavior, and what to do for early-bloomin...

Are you a garden and flower lover who has always dreamed of traveling to England? Wondering which sights to see on a flower-filled journey across the pond? Today, Lisa and Layne are joined by florist Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers to discuss Ellen's recent trip to England. Ellen describes her stops at Columbia Road Flower Market, Brothers Farm Flowers, Compton Acres, and Kew Gardens and sh...

Running behind schedule on your fall cool flower plantings? Wondering if you still have time to plant, or if your window of opportunity has passed? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss whether or not it is too late to start or plant cool-season hardy annuals this fall. They cover how to determine whether it is too late based on your seed-starting method (direct seeding versus transplanting) and weather c...

Contemplating which tasks should be on your mind when preparing your flower beds in the fall? Wondering how bed preparation may differ depending on your plans for the space or the type of bed (conventional versus no-till)? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss their checklist of key considerations to keep in mind when preparing your beds in the fall. They cover when and how to tear down conventional and n...

Does your flower support netting end up in a tangled mess when you try to remove it? Wondering if there is a better way to remove the netting so that it can be easily stored and reused? Today, Lisa and Layne cover five simple steps to remove and store plastic mesh netting (such as Hortonova) for future use. They cover each step in detail, from stake removal to storage. Listen to the podcast and le...

Would you like to grow your own material for dried flower crafts or arrangements? Wondering which cool flowers to include in your garden for drying purposes? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the results of this year's cool flower drying experiments. They cover a variety of cool flowers, describing how the flowers look when air dried, whether they hold their shape and color, and why they are valua...

Are you realizing that you may have started your cool flower transplants a bit too early? Wondering how to slow down seedling growth if weather is preventing you from transplanting out on time? Today, Lisa and Layne troubleshoot issues with cool flower transplant timing. They cover the ideal transplant size and weather conditions for fall-planted cool flowers, ways to slow down seedling growth w...

Are you having difficulty germinating some of your cool flower seeds? Wondering why you are not seeing more sprouts in your grow room or in the garden? Today, Lisa and Layne troubleshoot germination issues with rudbeckia, bells of Ireland, and poppies. They cover tips, tricks, and common pitfalls for each seed to help improve germination. Listen to the podcast and learn how to convert your seeds i...

Are your direct-seeded beds of cool flowers looking thinner than you would like? Wondering what may have gone wrong and if there is anything you can do going forward to improve germination? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss ten mistakes to avoid when sowing cool flower seeds directly outdoors in the fall. From bed preparation to thinning and everything in between, listen to the podcast and learn how t...

Would you like to grow gorgeous godetia and orlaya flowers on taller plants with longer stems? Today, Layne is joined again by Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm to continue discussing the seven cool-season annual crops his farm will be growing next year and the advantages of growing these flowers in tunnels. Episode 53 (part 1) featured snapdragons and scabiosa 'Fama', and today's ep...

Would you like to grow gorgeous snapdragons and scabiosa and enjoy their beautiful blooms even earlier next spring? Today, Layne is joined by Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm to discuss the seven cool-season annual crops his farm will be growing next year and the advantages of growing these flowers in tunnels. Today's episode (part 1) features an introduction to Jonathan, tips for growing i...

Have you ever struggled with unpredictable zinnia vase life, weak necks, or complete "zinnia meltdown"? Wondering if there is anything you can do as a grower to help prevent these issues from occurring? Today, Lisa and Layne are joined by florist Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers to discuss some of the challenges she faces using zinnias in her designs. In this farmer / florist troublesh...

Looking for the perfect filler flower to add a bit of sunshine to your late-season bouquets? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss  Rudbeckia triloba , a beautiful species of black-eyed susan featuring airy sprays of cheerful yellow flowers. They cover what makes 'Triloba' so special, why it is valuable both in the landscape and in bouquets, how to plant in a cutting bed or establish a self-seedin...

Confused by all the sweet william varieties available? Wondering how to choose between 'Amazon' and 'Sweet', and if there are any benefits to growing both? Today, Lisa and Layne compare and contrast the 'Amazon' and 'Sweet' series of sweet william. They cover similarities as well as the differences in flower form, bloom time, height, heat tolerance, productivity, fr...

Did you know that fall is the perfect time to plant cool-season hardy annuals for a bountiful, flower-filled garden next spring? Wondering what to plant when, and how to adjust your grow room to provide the optimal environment for cool flower seeds and seedlings? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss their checklist of key items to keep in mind when planning your fall plantings and sowing cool flower seed...