Seed Talk with Lisa & Layne

Are Japanese beetles destroying your plants? Wondering what you can do to reduce the population of these pests in your garden or on your farm? Today, Lisa and Layne are joined by The Gardener's Workshop's warehouse manager and bug enthusiast Rhonda Graves to tackle the subject of Japanese beetles. They discuss how to identify Japanese beetles, their place of origin and where they have spre...

Wondering which varieties of zinnias to grow in your garden or on your farm? Today, Lisa and Layne compare some of the most common zinnias grown for cut flower production. First, they discuss how to determine if you still have time to sow zinnia seeds for a fall crop. Then, for each cultivar (Benary's Giants, Uproar Rose, Oklahoma, Queen / Queeny, Zowie, and Giant Cactus), they cover the bloom...

Did you come to The Gardener's Workshop's Open Farm event this past weekend? If so, we are thrilled you were able to join us! Even if you were not able to attend, would you like a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the day's happenings? Today, Layne talks to flower experts and online course instructors Dave Dowling, Ellen Frost, Val Schirmer, and Lisa regarding their experiences at the Open...

Are your sunflower plants exhibiting confusing behaviors, such as blooming on short stems or having multiple blooms on a single stem? Have you been disappointed by pest damage or the head size, neck strength, or vase life of your flowers? Today, Lisa and Layne troubleshoot some of the most frequently asked sunflower questions. They cover the occurrence of multiple blooms on single-stem sunflowers,...

Do you shy away from using marigolds in your bouquets due to their strong fragrance? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss tips for managing marigold scent and introduce two unique cultivars that naturally have less fragrance than typical marigolds. They cover why the fragrance can be problematic in bouquets, where the scent is primarily concentrated in the plant, a simple trick for eliminating the fragra...

Would you like to add touches of texture, layers of interest, and a bit of magic to your bouquets, arrangements, and landscape? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss eight of their favorite plants to grow for ornamental seed pods. They cover why pods are coveted by flower farmers and home gardeners alike, how the flowers of each plant develop into interesting and attractive seed pods, the cut-flower poten...

Did you know that some plants can be cloned by taking sections of stem and providing conditions that encourage root development? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss how to propagate Salvia leucantha and Salvia mexicana from stem cuttings. They cover why these two species of salvia are valuable as cut flowers and in a landscape setting, how to overwinter "mother" plants in areas where they are...

Looking for an alternative to plastic mulches or landscape fabric? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss Bio360, the biodegradable mulch film Lisa uses at the farm. They cover what Bio360 is made of, advantages and disadvantages of biodegradable mulch, alternatives, how to install the film by hand and using equipment, where to place drip tape, which side of the film to place up (black or white/gray), tips...

Did you know there are two main types of sunflowers to choose from - single-stem and branching? Wondering which one is right for your garden or farm? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the ins and outs of branching sunflowers. They cover the differences between single-stem and branching sunflowers, considerations for farmers and gardeners, growing tips for branching sunflowers (including spacing, pinch...

Would you like to grow beautiful stock, snapdragons, and tulips to include in your Mother's Day bouquets? Today, Layne is joined again by Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm to continue discussing her farm's top five Mother's Day flowers. Episode 35 (part 1) featured anemones and ranunculus, and today's episode (part 2) features the remaining three crops - stock, snapdragons,...

Would you like to grow gorgeous anemones and ranunculus to include in your Mother's Day bouquets? Today, Layne is joined by Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm to discuss her farm's top five Mother's Day flowers. Today's episode (part 1) features two of the five crops - anemones and ranunculus. Layne and Gretel discuss why Mother's Day is such an important holiday for Gre...

Wondering when and how to fertilize your seedlings or how to amend your beds? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss fertilizer routines for seedlings, beds, and plants. They cover why they opt for organic fertilizers, when and how to fertilize growing seedlings and plants, what to incorporate into beds, consequences of overfertilizing, foliar feeding, and how to maintain beds of perennials and woody plant...

Did you know that many perennials can actually be started from seed? Today, Lisa and Layne are joined by Dave Dowling of Ball Seed to discuss three perennials grown for cut-flower use that can be started from seed. They cover why each plant is worth growing, USDA hardiness zones, favorite varieties, the meaning of "first-year flowering", growing and spacing tips, the proper harvest stage...

Have you ever considered including ornamental peppers in your bouquets or wreaths? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss rooster peppers, the perfect peppers to grow for cut-flower use. They cover why rooster peppers are sought after by flower farmers, how many plants to grow and how to space them, the harvest stage for fresh and dried use, how to dry the peppers, and ideas for incorporating them into you...

Do you have something growing on your soil blocks - other than seedlings? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss what to do about algae, mold, and fungal growth on soil blocks. They cover what might be growing on your blocks and why, how to properly water your soil blocks and adjust your growing conditions for healthy seedling growth, and tips for avoiding damping off. Listen to the podcast and get ready t...

Would you like to enjoy a delicious tomato sandwich, spicy salsa, or a fresh spinach salad - all with vegetables harvested right out of your own garden? Today, Lisa and Layne are joined by Joe Lamp'l (aka the "joe" behind joe gardener®) to discuss three of Joe's must-grow vegetables to start from seed. They cover why each vegetable is worth growing, seed-starting and growing tips...

Love the beautiful blue-green and silvery gray foliage of eucalyptus but have some questions about growing it? Today, Lisa and Layne are joined by Dave Dowling of Ball Seed to discuss all things eucalyptus. They cover why eucalyptus is worth growing, the presence of "rogue" seedlings when starting from seed, plant productivity, harvesting and overwintering tips, the best varieties to gro...

Have you ever wished you could have sunflowers earlier in the season? Are you willing to take a bit of a risk to make that happen? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the early sunflower experiments Lisa has conducted on the farm over the years. They cover why "early bird" sunflowers are worth experimenting with, when and how many seeds to start, which varieties to grow for late spring and early summer...

Why is it important to thin direct-seeded and self-sown beds of seedlings, and when is the best time to do it? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss when and how to thin your beds of seedlings sown directly outdoors. They cover why thinning is crucial for the health and productivity of your plants, which plants may tolerate closer spacing, the most efficient methods for thinning, and whether or not you sh...

What is hardening off, and why is it so important? Are there alternatives to the traditional "in and out" method or any situations when hardening off is not necessary? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss how to harden off your seedlings to help them transition from their indoor growing environment to outdoor life. They cover why proper hardening off is critical for the health and well-being of your seed...

Wondering how far in advance to start your seeds indoors? What should your target planting dates be for cool-season hardy annuals and warm-season tender annuals? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the proper timing for starting your seeds and transplanting them outdoors. They cover how to determine your planting dates, how far in advance to start (which may depend on the seed starting method you are us...

Ready to learn about seven additional cool flowers with the potential to branch and produce multiple rounds of blooms? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss their third and final set of "cut and come again" cool flowers. They cover why each of these plants is worth growing, approximately how many stems you can expect per plant, and tips for succession planting. From snapdragons to yarrow, listen to the po...

Ready to learn about seven additional cool flowers with the potential to branch and produce multiple rounds of blooms? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss their second set of "cut and come again" cool flowers. They cover why each of these plants is worth growing, approximately how many stems you can expect per plant, and tips for succession planting. From Monarda 'Lambada' to Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus),...

Wondering if you should start your seeds in small soil blocks, large soil blocks, or plug trays? Should you start with a larger block size for seedlings that you plan on growing indoors for a longer period of time before transplanting? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss which types of seeds they prefer to start in soil blocks versus plug trays. They cover when and why they use small or large soil block...

Wondering which cool flowers will branch and produce multiple rounds of blooms? Today, Lisa and Layne discuss the first half of their list of "cut and come again" cool flowers. They cover why each of these plants is worth growing, approximately how many stems you can expect per plant, and tips for succession planting. From Ammi to golden drumsticks, listen to the podcast and learn about the produc...