Mistake: Buying too many types of seeds and plants without a plan of where to put them. Solution: Feel overwhelming anxiety about it and purchase more plants and seeds as a happy distraction.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

This sounds handled. Carry on.

@NatalyaBerezneva

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha, that’s exactly that I’m doing:)

@lydiascott507

3 жыл бұрын

Oh geez this is me too 😭

@Shridra

3 жыл бұрын

same! lol. I'm in an apartment and do container gardening here, but I also have a large garden that I share with my best friend in her backyard, soooo we're going to try to start planning. Wish us luck lol

@BrightestBlessings7899

3 жыл бұрын

@@Shridra masses of good, nay, Great luck!!

Omg, floral designer here. I used to buy so many flowers for my wedding business. Here is how we saved our flowers. I had two coolers. But more the just a few weddings at one time. 2 solutions. Get a smaller room like a bathroom or garage/shed and use a small window air conditioner. It works perfect for just this kind of care and conditioning of flowers. Besides much, much cheaper to deal with. More storage. And you can apart during other seasons My floral studio was small enough to just turn on air conditioning on. Worked like a charm.

My biggest mistake has been forgetting what I actually want my garden to look like - for me. Given the state of the world this past year, it was way too easy to watch everyone's youtube videos, look at everyone's Pinterest, and want ALL OF THE FLOWERS, but then needing to be honest what's realistic for me. Taking that step back and re-evaluating things was needed. Thanks for sharing your perspective. I appreciate your honesty - and inspiration.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Such a good point Terry- so many people are trying to build someone else’s dream. It’s good to center and refocus 💐❤️

@ElderandOakFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I was like that at 1st too. I've grown lots of vegetables in guard flowers in the past but I've never invisioned growing flowers on a large enough scale to SELL them, because I always imagined needing this huge property... well I discovered flower farming on a smaller scale like Nicole does, and Laura from garden answer did this year, & I thought "hey I can do this!" So I decided to invest a little bit of money to grow flowers to sell next year but I keep having this itching feeling that maybe we should have buy a house with more property... But I have to keep reminding myself that having 2 kids, a household to run, back problems from being rear ended, I had trouble keeping up with things last year- & I'm tripling

My biggest mistake was just discovering you yesterday!! I think you’re a hoot and if I lived closer (BC, Canada here), id come buy flowers from you all the time 💜

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Problem solved! 👋 I’m glad you’re here- you have lots to catch up on 😊💐

My 7 year old son's teacher says "Mistakes means you were willing to try!"

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

This is true!

Well, that was brutally honest! I’m not a flower farmer unfortunately, but dream of my own cutting garden someday so I flower farm vicariously through you. The beauty you are creating and sharing feeds my soul. ♥️🌸🌻

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊 Give it a shot!

@ElderandOakFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure how much experience you have growing flowers in general but You can grow SOOO many cutflowers in such a small space! Pick a couple ingredients (you could honestly get by with just 1 color of each ingredient) - a focal flower (sunflower, zinnia, dahlia), a small airy filler flower (bachelor buttons, love in a mist, Chinese forget-me-not), a foliage/filler (eucalyptus, dill, basil that has gone to flower), & then optional would be a spire (gladiolus, snapdragon, larkspur, celosia, amaranth). You would be AMAZED @ the number of bouquets you can produce each week with just a few of each of those plants. I mean obviously you're not going to be able to have a big bouquet making business or anything, but it'll be enough to make quite a bit of bouquets... I am getting into "flower farming" next year, but I've grown many flowers, & you di NOT need the amount of space a flower farmer has, to do some small scale flower farming! Just take as large an area as you can, & plant! I promise you can produce a lot in a small space. Especially when growing things like Zinnias which are "cut & come again" flowers (meaning the more you cut, the more they produce).

I’m here for the comments! I have lots of advice on mistakes in my whole 18 months of gardening and, of course, life in general. Ha! Just none to offer for flower farming. Why?!? Because it’s not official! I decided to start working on the flower farm dream about a year ago, but....2020. Add in my full time paramedic/firefighter job and helping with grandbabies and, well, it just didn’t happen. I’m going for it this year. Flower Farm 2021 is in the works! 🌺 With a lot of prayers, a little luck and a ton of hard work, my first blooms should be arriving in early March down here near Tuscaloosa, AL. Still no clue how or where to sell but I’m working on it. Wish me luck. I fully expect to be able to contribute to the “mistakes” list next year! 😃😃😃

@noukouthao9196

3 жыл бұрын

It's ok, I find myself on this flower farming journey too, without a clue as to how to sell as well...you're not alone!! But we're all in this together! Flower friends UNITE!

@thenursingstudent6260

3 жыл бұрын

You got this! Keep forging ahead! You can absolutely make your flower dreams come true!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Aw, I love you guys

I wish I lived closer. I would come help you for free! Take-out is NOT a bad thing when you compare it to "cereal and cheese crackers". Finally, you are AMAZING! Your energy, enthusiasm, drive, tenacity, creativity and ability to learn from your mistakes is "human". :) Do what you love and the rest will follow!! We support you from a far!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you 🙏 ❤️

First off I have to tell you I ADORE YOU! and your videos bring me so much joy. Your "MOM GUILT" I can so relate too as I'm sure many of us can. However I came to realize one evening while crying exhaustedly to sleep I was doing my family an injustice by me always serving them a home-cooked meal, my daughter (same age as yours) was fully capable of cooking a meal for our family so once working with her on how to do that the pride and joy it gave her to make a dinner for the family once a week was priceless. So in short my suggestion is to realize it is okay for us not to do everything and your actually doing more by doing less occasionally.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you that is a really nice suggestion!

We found a local soda distribution and contacted the person who handles the drink cooler maintenance. We have purchased 3 over the years and they work great! I’m only just starting flowers this year but we use them to store peaches. Crossing my fingers that our peach customers want flowers too! 🤞🏻🤞🏻

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! Good idea!

I have always cut my flowers too late when they have opened too far. I really appreciated the views of you cutting your glads when only 1 or 2 blooms have opened. I really need to learn how to cut my dahlias earlier. Thank you for sharing your heart felt experiences!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@gabsalot4386

3 жыл бұрын

I didn't know that cutting the flowers too far open was an issue! Thanks for the helpful comment :)

When you talked about dividing your season into 3 CSA's I started crying. Just for happiness that people would be able to have bouquets all summer and you'd be able to increase your income that much more. Congratulations on having a waiting list and thank you for sharing.

You've got this. If at the end of a project or a growing season you can sit down and analyse "lessons learned" , pinpoint causes and propose solutions you have this under control.

You're awesome about transparency. Would you please do a video about the financials? No one talks about the actual business side of this stuff and tons of people are getting in to it thinking it's highly profitable. For instance...tulips are they worth it? What are the profit margins? I mean as a movement, we shouldn't just be encouraging a ton of women to take on huge debt because it's pretty and rewarding. That won't be good in the long run. Shouldn't there be some education about the business side to back it all up? Help the new farmers make a solid start and help the reputation of local flower farmers by making sure newbies don't give up in two years. Give us the low down please.

@aprilwilliams6418

3 жыл бұрын

I find porch and Prairie has great videos on financials. I have contacted them if I have a question and they always respond. kzread.info/dash/bejne/mZl8upaNndbLY7g.html

@leighanntindle5652

3 жыл бұрын

@@aprilwilliams6418 Yes, I like them too. I'm interested though in hearing more about the subject. I love the vids about seed starting, growing and bouquets but there are no where near as many about the business side of things. I love that Flower Hill includes the truth about getting overwhelmed with too many flowers and not enough places to sell and just felt it might be another way to take some of the videos. I loved her questions and answers session with the other flower farmer ladies and was just suggesting some more of that type of thing focused on the money/technical side of things. Also appreciated the specifics that You can't eat the grass gave. So I guess it's out there but I think its really important and needs more attention.

@aprilwilliams6418

3 жыл бұрын

@@leighanntindle5652 I agree for sure!!!

@noukouthao9196

3 жыл бұрын

There are other flower farmers/flower biz owners on KZread who focus more on the business side, with "reality" checks, but I find their content too discouraging. Check out: Real Flower Business with Alison Ellis...but I like Nicole's ALL IN approach. Like any business venture, there will be losses, and you just have to figure what your losses will be. That is my approach to my flower farming dreams...HOW MUCH DO I PLAN TO LOSE? Because I am willing to take the HITS and the MISSES for the REWARDS of the flower beauty. YES, I have fallen DEEP into the rabbit hole of flowers! As it should be. If passion doesn't drive you into this business, do not enter. Been chasing practical, financially positive dreams all my life, NOW it's ALL in for something FREAKIN CRAZY BEAUTIFUL and it's FLOWERS! Yaye.

@leighanntindle5652

3 жыл бұрын

@@noukouthao9196 thanks for the tip! I appreciate it. Nicole rocks, that's why I watch but for me I'd be seriously anxious about the financial output. I want to know what I'm going to gain. I want a job that I love and a job that puts some food on the table or at least pays to take my kids to the pool. Just very curious about which crops really pay for themselves and their farmer. Nicole is sharp and is trying lots of things, so I'm sure she'd have plenty of input on that.

My biggest mistake in 2020 was having my back yard regraded by someone who didn’t understand the mechanics of it so now I have standing water and rivers throughout my daylily bed. 😞

Thanks for being brutally honest, Nicole! So many influencers out there just show you all the perfect, weed-free pretties, but never speak of the blood, sweat, and tears (or fails and regrets) that go hand in hand with gardening. I expanded my cutting garden in 2020 and have recently purchased more seeds and dahlias than I have room for! Aside from a case of buyers remorse, I am so looking forward to the 2021 growing season and following your channel for inspiration, knowledge, and more than a couple of chuckles along the way! Keep being you!😁

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I don't think I'll ever get to the point of having a "show garden" although I dream of having a rose garden in the backyard for tea parties etc-- maybe someday. I'll always show the reality of the garden though-- 100%

The rain thing is our problem, our springs get some rain but not a ton, our summers are insanely dry and then our fall is SUPER wet.. so I have no rain water all season and then in the fall we have to pour our barrels out 😅 so now I overwinter my waterbarrels (full) in the garage so I have rain water for my house plants and early spring

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

That's a great idea!

I just found your channel after deciding to create a cut flower garden for 2021. You have such a charming personality and share so much knowledge that I have binge watched you for 3 days! Thank you for being wonderful 😁 Happy new year

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much 💐

@ajwiebe9652

Жыл бұрын

Here it is, 2 years later and I’ve been binge watching too. I discovered you about a month ago and also find you charming and real. I’m learning lots from you. I’m loving your current nursery renos. I’m loving everything about your videos. Can’t…get…enough…

I look forward to making SO many mistakes in my garden this year. Though costly, it still teaches you so many more lessons.

@rachelhall4808

3 жыл бұрын

I love this! Meeee toooo! 😋❤️

I made a raised garden bed and filled it with soil that was intended for it, but it was way too dense! My seedlings sprouted and then stayed the same size for months. 🥲

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Oh no! Yes- most seedlings like loose soil for germination-- everything is a lesson learned! I think this is why I always have a hard time growing carrots. I never loosen the soil enough!

I'm the master of meal planning (in my own mind) and can plan meals for a month. Having a deep freezer helps. Cook huge batches of ground beef ahead. Can be turned into so many things (tacos, pizza, spaghetti sauce, etc). Takes much less time to cook when the meat is already done. I also grill large batches of chicken breast. Same idea, can be added to a quick dinner salad, etc... You can freeze mashed potatoes, meat loaf, obviously all kinds of casseroles. Even if you don't have the room to prepare freezer meals, just prepping portions and freezing cuts down on a lot of time. And planning everything out releases the stress from your brain because you know exactly what's needed from you. And always include a leftover night in your meal plan. It sounds like a lot of work but once you get the hang of it, it's very easy. I plan my meals so far in advance and then shop with those dates in mind. Meaning the end of the month will be something like pasta from the pantry and ground beef from the freezer so the dates don't matter. Stuff that requires fresh ingredients, goes to the front of the line. Then just refresh dairy and fresh veggies as needed. Hope this helped and made any sense.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! We have two deep freezers. I do stuff like make homemade twice baked potatoes and stuffed jalapeño poppers but I NEED to do the ground beef thing for sure. We eat a lot because our neighbor raises grass fed cattle and we have a freezer full for them all the time. I’m on Pinterest tonight making my shopping list 😂

@ryfry3562

3 жыл бұрын

@@FlowerHillFarm freezer meals as a whole can be intimidating and make you feel like you have to set days aside just to make everything. Not to mention the upfront cost of all of the ingredients. I did this when I was pregnant with my first and then didn't want anything I made 3 months later. 🤣 Once I started dissecting the meals and just freezing key ingredients and mainly just cooking my protein ahead, it was a game changer.

@christiensgarden3325

3 жыл бұрын

An instant pot is quite handy as well.. sixsister on KZread’s has tons of Drop and go freezer recipes for the instant pot and the crockpot

@gabsalot4386

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! This is helpful! Also, buying in bulk helps aswell

My biggest mistake was seeding indoors where I didn't have enough room. My winter sowing had an almost 100% success rate and the seedlings were so much healthier. This year I plan on seeding everything outdoors in miniature greenhouses and low tunnels.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

That's fun! I've never tried winter sowing but everyone is making me want to try!

Asking your family to help with choirs is so normal as a person who’s mom and dad worked different hours my sister and I helped cook meals for the family we still laugh at some of our beginners dinner and cakes but we’re fabulous cooks now plus we got life skills and realized we’re not to be served always

I went totally crazy with perennial order in 2020, and with lockdown some of them died while waiting to be planted because i couldnt get to the plot. This year Im light on perennials, but went crazy with annuals instead))) Will see, hope there wont be any total lockdowns in spring this time. And this time I wont underestimate moisture- and heatsaving ability of using cloth on transplants, that really helps with cold weather. Also may try to sow zinnias and asters directly, they were very sick and long stemmed as a 30 days transplants. Will see, so exited!))

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Ugh! I do zinnias as 14 day transplants- they seem to like that! Best of luck!

For your cooler why not make a cold room similar to the root cellar that Laura at Garden Answer made? They used an AC unit and a cool bot to override the controls to force the AC to get to a very low temp. I think she keeps hers at 40 degrees but it might even go colder. And it's an entire ROOM! Seems a good solution but of course it won't work for everyone. Just wanted to mention it though just in case.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Yes! I've seen the cool-bot in a lot of places- I just don't have an ideal set up for that. It would have to be in a second story bedroom and hauling plants up and down isn't going to happen. Ideally I want something where I can drive a wheeler in for unloading after harvest. Someday! Thanks for the suggestion!

@dickandhopesmagicalrainbow8192

3 жыл бұрын

@@FlowerHillFarm totally makes sense. We we've considered adding something like this to our garage.

You’re doing great girl. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your family sees you working hard to help provide for them and doing what you love. It won’t always be easy but keep it up!! You’re inspiring all of us!!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!!

1) I had this brilliant idea to use shade cloth over my spring tender plants (like lettuces, cilantro, some broccoli, celery) to extend their growing into summer heat. I used hoops over a raised bed and sealed off the whole bed with 60% shade cloth thinking that it would provide cooler temperatures. yeah. It didn’t. Just grew leggy, a little moldy plants. 2) I perfectly composted compost in tumblers. Once it turned to black gold (only after a few months) I spread it directly on my pepper plants raised bed. They all got some kind of disease with spotted leaves. It was only later I read you have to “age” compost. Who knew? 3) I tried to grow cabbages under floating row covers. It just created a damp, moldy mess. I finally gave up, removed the cover and they grew to giant gorgeous plants. I did have to spray BT on them to prevent worms, but better than moldy leaves! I live in upper Wisconsin, zone 5b

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Those sounds like things I would have done! Lessons learned 💐🌱

I hope you do some videos of making your crock pot meals. My biggest mistake was getting too many seeds and not having a plan as to where to plant them and also not succession planting.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I think I will show what I'm making! Too many seeds? Blasphemy!

I think the biggest mistake I made this year was buying 10 cubic yards of compost to enlarge my growing area, then in the fall deciding with my husband that we needed to sell our house and move closer to his job. It's the right thing for our family, but all that compost!!!

Ummm.....mistakes.....I think maybe all the KZread gardening videos I’ve been watching, ok that wasn’t a mistake, but it led to buying to many plants over the summer and now this winter the catalogs and online plants I ordered. Thank you for doing this particular video, it has made me realize I need to slow down and that I’m not alone with my obsession.

My biggest mistake was starting all my seeds before I ever got the beds made for the flowers. This year they're all ready to go. AND I started about a gizillion snapdragons. Maybe too many. A lot didn't make it into the beds because there were just too many and the beds weren't made in time. Lol this year will be much better! ❤️

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I did this too! So many snaps!

@thenursingstudent6260

3 жыл бұрын

I am in the process of making this mistake! Because of just time and so many moving pieces, I wasn't able to get my beds started last fall. I keep hoping for some sort of thaw so I can get started. Of course I have alllll the seeds in the land, and then some, and then keep ordering more....because...flowers....haha!

You have inspired me to start my own cut flower garden!

@mortiz2106

3 жыл бұрын

Same

@christiensgarden3325

3 жыл бұрын

Awesome

@amysgardenstead2879

3 жыл бұрын

Me too. I’m interested in the bouquet bar idea because sitting at a farmer’s market just isn’t me.

@nelleethompson8741

3 жыл бұрын

Same

@gabsalot4386

3 жыл бұрын

same. In a tiny urban backyard. but still trying! Who says you have to have a lot of land to do anything!

Loved your video, soooooo helpful! Thanks for your honesty and vulnerability. I learned a lot from everything you shared! I am a gardening, home-schooling mom turned beginning cut-flower farmer with a heart to educate. I reached out to the local homeschool community for interns in the fall and had 3 teens who came out to the farm approx. 4 hours a week. They helped with bed prep and planting bulbs, what a blessing!! to them and to me!! I'm hoping to have 4-5 interns this spring/summer. I also did tulip planting classes and found an amazingly mature 10 yr old who was a delight and LOVED working with me, she worked as hard as the teens! When I was a teen I would have loved the opportunity to help on a flower farm, so I know there are young'uns out there, we're gonna to talk with local 4-h chap too. Best wishes to you and thanks again for helpful content!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing, Amy. This sounds like a great idea.

Our huge mistake was letting the weeds get away from us during a time it wouldn’t stop raining. After that it was SO hard to even get to anything. We’re trying some straw/cardboard in walkways & bio360 for plants. We’re newbies so definitely learning so much.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Weeds. That’s a bad word 😂 I tuck into the category of “I need help”

@christyhowell44

3 жыл бұрын

I use cardboard around the border of all may gardens and then cover it with mulch. It helps with weeds

@Coop0920

3 жыл бұрын

I don’t know why I haven’t thought of it before. A cheap option!

@christyhowell44

3 жыл бұрын

@@Coop0920 i go to the auto body repair shop they always have lots of plain brown cardboard for free........ the worms love it and it stays out of the landfill

We live on Canada's West Coast, we have rainy winters, but dry summers. We have a well, that supports two homes, and a huge vegetable garden. If we draw off the well to water the garden, the well will go dry. Solution rain water collection off the roofs. We have 3 1500 to 2000 gallon tanks. This year we watered the garden from one, just using gravity. In our community new homes or major renovations have to include rain water harvesting. My gardening mistake is starting seedlings too soon and trusting someone else to water when I am away.

It does kids good to go with out you feeding them at times .. it helps them adjust to preparing their own food. Your a very good mum we can all see it.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Shan. I appreciate that.

@jendubay3782

3 жыл бұрын

@@FlowerHillFarm and like... I would suggest that brad Pitt step up and feed you all every day during the busy season. Why does that have to fall on you to prep ahead? That’s just silly.

Your personality is me! I’m about to get into this and I can see me working myself to death! I have so much going on, not sure why I do this to myself but I can’t not do it! Thanks for sharing! I absolutely know we’d get along! Get it girl!

I loved this video. At the end of 2019 me and my partner bought a 25 acre farm. We had been farming for years, but both always held full-time jobs and then ran our own part-time business on our nights and weekends. We inherited 12 greenhouses at our new property and I decided to do 7 of them in annual/perennial flower starts, and organic veggie/herb starts. My biggest mistakes were: 1. Not enough help!! You said it! I never wound up hiring enough people and spent every day from May 1-July 4 running our farm stand 10 hours a day, and then answering phonecalls/emails for 6-8 hours at night. I can't sustain that!!! We're hiring more people and going to focus on delegating tasks. 2. Not enough education around pests and diseases. Aphids and powdery mildew took over some areas, and I was always responding AFTER the fact. Fro this year, I set up a scouting binder and kit, and plan on plugging staff into this to help me keep on top of things before they get out of hand. 3. "Mine and yours" - on our farm I manage the flowers and my husband manages the veggies. At times I would be panicking about an urgent flower issue but feel guilty that it was taking time away from my husbands veggie work, that I would stubbornly refuse help or collaboration. We've committed to viewing it all as "ours" this year, and acknowledge that even though we both have our wheelhouses, we have to share responsibility to keep the farm (and our marriage) going. 4. Giving into doubt - as my first time managing something on this level, I was constantly obsessing over every thing that didn't turn out perfect (which was a lot) that I missed the opportunity to stand back and appreciate what we did accomplish. Thanks for sharing your stories and inspiration!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I love your story Valerie- what's the name of you farm?

@valeriewoodhouse28

3 жыл бұрын

@@FlowerHillFarm Thank you!! We're Honey Field Farm in Norwich, VT. I've been watching your videos since my mom sent one a few months ago. You've inspired me to try my first cut garden this season!

I was so excited to find your channel a few weeks ago! Greetings from the Finger lakes, I'm thrilled to know another grower in this challenging region!! I'm a landscape designer by trade and only this year started investing in my own yard. My goal is to establish a mostly perennial cut flower business, so that once the kids are grown it will be in full swing. So this was the first year I established several perennials, but also experimented with some "easy annuals". I'm all about making it as easy as possible but also pushing the limits of our our climate in an economical way. Like what can I get to survive or force up early under one or two unheated layers of cover? We own a local market deli which is currently my very small outlet. My biggest mistake was not planning for enough greens and filler, because most of them didn't bulk up very quickly and some didn't produce well. Solution: by more varieties :)

@ginnysulya9805

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Nicole I also live in the Finger Lakes and came late to understanding that filler was not optional but necessary! I used a lot of wild greens to make the bouquets I give away at our church outreaches! Planning to try more new greens just have to figure out where it is all going to grow!

Thank you for the brutal honesty!! If I lived closer than 6 hours I’d volunteer to help you 😊

If you have any gas stations near you they usually switch out the coolers when they do updates and stuff you might be able to get one that way.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Something to keep an eye on! Thanks

We had a 50x60 shop built this year, which meant that my garden was potentially in the path of lots of construction. The project kept getting delayed by our contractor week after week leaving me with hundreds of plants literally dying on my deck as they waited to be transplanted into where I wanted my garden to go. At the last minute I just dug a hole in the yard and put what was left in. Lessons to learn: be flexible, have a back up plan, and stop waiting for perfection! 😜

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Great shop size! We are hoping for something a little more oblong but same idea-- I plan to use it for storage-- a studio, cooler, and a photography space. Of course Brad wants a spot to store his tractor so I guess there's that too. Ideally we would have an attached heated greenhouse so I can eventually do pointsettias-- nobody around here does them-- so we will see!

@TheFinFarm

3 жыл бұрын

@@FlowerHillFarm that sounds amazing! My husband builds classic cars so he has taken over a majority of the shop space, however, I plan to add a cooler and work area to create/store some of my things, too. I enjoy being able to share time with him even if we are working on something different so that will be fun! Can’t wait to see your poinsettia dreams unfold!

My biggest mistake was not weeding my corn. It doesn’t like competition. After it finally produced, squirrels 🐿 ate my entire crop in a weekend. There were tears on that one.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Ugh! My corn always struggles 😟💐

Good luck with your family meal prep solution, Nicole. For me, I buy ingredients for my 16 year old, as she cooks and preps her own meals. The little two (9 and 11), my hubby and I just co-share the daily cooking for them--they eat the same meals every other day...may I suggest a rotating menu of same home-cooked meals? Advance meal planning. I truly appreciate your flower passion, and am now a Fangirl of yours; I think it's your intro music, aside from your flower crazy--you've inspired me to embrace my flower power and unleash my Flower Craze too! PLEASE NEVER GIVE UP, plow through the mistakes (no pun intended), flower friends have to unite! in order to conquer the world with flower BEAUTY!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! We do have a general rotation of meals-- taco Tuesday-- spaghetti- homemade pizza on Fridays-- and I need to be better at planning this for the summer months. I love my intro music-- it makes me smile every time.

Girl, you just made my day. Here I am planning 2021 garden and thinking of the mistakes from 2020. So, I got my pen and paper and started to jot down my "Lessons Learned" My garden is nowhere the size of yours; but, every lesson counts when you are as old as I am. 🤣🤣 You have done great!! Thinking of irrigation... soon, I'll be installing an irrigation system myself and had been already using a rain barrel for certain plants that do best with rain water. Your situation got me thinking that when I was small, my grandfather built a cistern to collect the water and that was our source for irrigation, cooking, taking a bath, etc. I believe this would be a nice project for Brad to take on. Ours was built of cement above ground and he outfitted it with tubes connected to the house and irrigation system (he designed); however, there are many ways you can do them. Heck, in the winter, you can collect a good days of snow and have that turn into water and in the rainy season, collect the rain. As to help.... I do not know how is the migrant population up north. However, they are an excellent source for help. My father (who was a minister) would segregate areas in the property and let families from church select a parcel to farm vegetables in return for them to been able to harvest the products to feed their families and give away to other poor families from church or sell them. Some members would give donations. You have a lot of property and can venture in something like it. They can also help ploughing the field. The idea of using students and offering internships is ideal. Reach out to high schools nearby, home economic teachers, agriculture extension services, markets, etc. I wish I live closer, I'd love to volunteer and help. 👍🌾😉⚘🌺🌱🌿

My biggest mistake of 2020 with flowers was giving flower Miracle-Gro to my Peony's. It had acidic nutrients in it, and they only needed furtilizer. They got grey on the leaves and really were only serving not thriving. I've since discovered the importance of their pH soil, and all is well so fare this year. ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️

Biggest Mistake: Not taking enough time on the front end to do everything possible to reduce weed pressure. Things like not tarping long enough, not doing a flame weed before germination, etc. It's always always weed suppression here. Solution: ugh. If you'd asked me in October I would have said "shut the damn farm down" but now, here in late January, I'll say "make a schedule and stick to it"

For us we put drip lines in but didn’t run them close enough....I have already ordered more drip tubing for the spring. Every year is different and each year has a new challenge....that’s gardening! But I can’t see us without our flower garden, we love it!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Aw so nice! I'm glad youre getting your drip figured out!

I would trade gardening space for labor. I would love to grow some large tomatoes but my little backyard speck doesn't get enough sun.

I think for any parent that's always the tough part. My husband works in the medical/science field. There's no break really. It's always a lot of research work that has to get done and if you're not able to succeed and do research, you're left in the dust. We've had many female friends fresh out of grad school, work amazingly their first three years get married and then their comes the "I want to have kids" and they do stop work to have kids but within the research world they get left behind and have a hard time coming back.

I got hooked on your videos half way through the growing season last year. I thought 'wow' this lady does it all (like Laura from Garden Answer)! I love to garden and last year decided to pull out plants that I didn't like or want (as Erin from Impatient Gardener suggested) and started putting in all kinds of new shrubs and perennials I liked. I'm going to start my first foray into growing my own annuals without lights, heating mats or even space inside (want to try winter sowing outside). I'm watching you and some others to learn from and for inspiration and ideas. Wish me luck!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

The very best of luck to you! 🍀 Being in the same paragraph as Erin and Laura is a gift! Thank you!

I’m not a flower farmer but my garden mistake was leaving my anemones in my bed last year. All but two seem to have rotted away over the winter. It bummed me out because last year they sprouted right as I went into quarantine (a bit earlier than most because I’m immunocompromised,) and they were the perfect distraction. This year I realized they were well and fully gone (by digging the bed almost completely up,) the same week I got my first dose vaccine so that was a sort of bittersweet cyclical synchronicity. I guess I had them for the season I needed them

You can always look towards high schools for students needing community service hours, as they need so many in order to graduate high school. Not as schools require this but its something to look into.

My gardening mistake is not having a watering system in place. We put in 1/4" water line in the potager, but none of the landscape or flower beds have a system. I bought some 1/2" waterline, but we only have one water outlet. We do collect rainwater and have for years to hand water with, but need more receptacles. I live in north central Texas, so water is my biggest issue. Water, time, and physical ability all add up to less of a garden than I would like. My dreams exceed my abilities!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Oh that’s a totally different climate! Ugh- my water issues are minor 😱

Mistake: Having a vision but no clear plan for new garden beds I installed when family and friends came to help. This was my hubs biggest pet peeve, and everything would have been faster (less bickering) if I had that plan in my head, down on paper to show others. And yeah plans do change (I am the type that lets the soil tell me what shape it wants), but a basic outline that stays true is helpful for others to see. Esp the hub. Solution: Using Old Almanac's garden planner, yeah you gotta pay, but its pennies compared to the exasperated sighs of my other half every few minuets.

Hands down you're just so awesome! I'm 4b Canada and pretty much following you when to start and all. Keep up the great work! You got this my lady! Jules

I grow flowers and vegg on a small scale, but mistakes are mistakes. Something to learn from, right? My major mistake was trying to grow to many plants and to many varieties of each plant. I’m trying to simplify. TRYING. I love all the flowers, but I need to be kind to my future self and simplify my grow list with what I know I can handle. I’m in Minnesota, zone 4b, and I didn’t have the best of luck with dahlias, especially dinner plates. We got a frost mid September and that was a week after my dinner plates bloomed. :/ I had a rouge dahlia root that was an apricot color that rocked! On idea of its name. It was in a bag with my pink Oz dahlia. It bloomed mid July and was just gorgeous! I was able to save those roots...hopefully. Fingers crossed! So the few dahlias that I ordered for this year are 75-90 day varieties. I have a question for you. I’m growing Zinnias this year and my sister had grown zinnias last year and the Japanese beetles ravaged her flowers. Completely wrecked them. Have you ever experienced Japanese beetles with your flowers?

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I also had that same early frost. Such a bummer. I feel like I might be trying too many varieties this year too but new lessons learned!

Hi, I like you love to flower garden,I spend all my summer days in my garden. Sometimes I forget to turn the hose off and go in and you can just imagine when I come back out. Anyway , I am 74. And I have finely got my garden to what I have always dreamed of. Yes it takes a lot of hard work but the pay off is all worth it. I love your channel thank you for sharing your dream with us, I can see your determination and willingness to succeed and I know you will.

Thanks to your Awesome Videos I am heading over tomorrow to get and start working on my business license!! I am Soo Excited !! We have had this property for years now but haven't ever figured out a way to share the peace and serenity it has with others. Your Bar Bouquet was IT for me!! I work in at Emory in Atlanta Ga and with COVID Nothing felt better to me as getting my overly sanitized hands in the DIRT!!! and creating Beauty and then sharing it with others! I brought flowers everywhere i went just trying to spread some love around! So between playin in the dirt, growing flowers and finding your videos my soul has remained a light to others through the crazy. And onto my new journey... making my Joy into a business! So Thank You for your Honesty and Sharing your journey and Truelly Inspiring and encouraging others to follow their passion as well!! 2 boxes of seeds already here!! And No I Have No idea when i clicked that button but Hundreds of seeds from Poland showed up on my doorstep the other day!! Dont know how or when that happened, but here we go!!! Welcome 'Sweet Grace Farms' from Waleska, Georgia to your new Flower Friend Family. : )

@gretchenallison6143

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry.. I meant 'Bouquet Bar'. : ) Thank You Nicole from the bottom of my Heart for sharing your knowledge, trials, blunders, and laughter and tears with us on your journey!! You have truely started something Amazing here by just being YOU!!! : )

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome- I appreciate you

This is so encouraging. I learned an insane amount last year. I made so many mistakes I was discouraged. But this really helps. You and "you can't the grass" and a plethora of other homesteaders have helped a ton. Thank you so much!

Thanks Nicole for your information. I have been watching you for about a month now. I live on a farm and was gearing up to make a chicken project. that means raising chickens to standard of breed then selling chicks, and hatching eggs. this required certification of NO diseases on my farm, Biosecurity..... after watching you, i have totally changed my plan. I love my chickens, however, i realized if i was going to put in the hours of 24/7, i should do it with something that I truly love. My neighbor told me he never knew what I was doing in my garden all day. so now he will see the beautiful blooms instead of me walking around talking to my watermelon and cucumbers all day. I have ordered my first 100 gladiolus bulbs and some dahlias. I wont be selling this year just making my garden and plans. your enthusiasm is contagious.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Aw, thanks!

I love how open & honest you are!!! You should be so proud of yourself!! I took notes.

When I was a child. Mom use to collect rain water in barrels and we used that water to wash our hair and water plants. It was cool lol

Love your videos

In Belgium farmers can get a government grant to make water bassins to collect rainwater (mostly from greenhouses) . They look like big ponds but with raised walls above the ground. In winter one could collect snow in them 2.

I found you last week when I decided to gather info on a project for this year to convert lawn to a meadow of wildflowers. Found wonderful native mixes. I have warned myself to start a few small patches first this year, like you did, and see how it goes. We are also 4B but at 7K feet elevation and Ponderosa forest so my 'meadow' has shadows moving across them all day. High country gardening has its' own challenges and charms. Loved your results. Keep posting on your progress when you can.

We learn the most from our mistakes. You did a fantastic job, and it’s been so fun to watch 💜💜💜💜. Keep growing girl!

@rechelleday408

3 жыл бұрын

Ps your kids are learning sooo much from you and they will appreciate everything you’ve taught them.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much 🤗

You are an inspiration🌅 Love your videos 💝

Your honesty is so refreshing!! Love your channel!!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!!

My father was a graduate of U.Wis. Dairy School. He learned how to make any room into a cooler. I suggest you research this idea. Must not be as hard to do; my Dad (deceased) said to use ammonia instead of the deadly gas used in refrigeration.

I use my foodsaver ALOT! Spaghetti, soup, mashed potatoes, lasagna, grilled chicken....left over crock pot meals.....foodsaver them and pop them in the freezer until you need them later. We use an off brand of foodsaver bags on amazon. Truly IS a life saver and you feel SO much better knowing you have a home cooked meal at an arms length.

I’ve been gardening for 60 some years. Every year is a learning experience. Like you, here in Philadelphia it didn’t rain for about 6 weeks from May into June. In June the heat showed up. Things died. Things like tiger lilies! They did grow back when it rained. One of the best things my mother ever did for me as a kid was make me start to get my own food together. I came home from grade school one day for lunch when I was about 9 or 10 and she said if you want lunch there’s the kitchen. When you make the crockpot dinners get your kids involved. Show them how to do it. The sooner they learn how to cook the better. I don’t know if you can sow seeds in the fall in your zone. I’m in 7b. I put larkspurs, coreopsis, annual poppies, gaillardia seeds into the ground in late summer. They come up and winter over. They are half hardy annuals. I found coriander will winter over in the ground if it doesn’t get too big before the winter sets in.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Yes- we had that same six weeks without rain-- UGH. I learned to cook at a very young age and it was great. Mine know the basics and can handle their own lunch-- but I LOVE having family meals together for dinner. We are always around the table so getting them involved is a great idea. I can not sow many things in the fall- we're just too cold here unfortunately! I did try to overwinter some snapdragons. We will see!

Ha ha! Crying over the flowers!...so glad you learn from your mistakes and from events out of your control. Best wishes for 2021!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

You know it! Thanks so much!

So cool! First video I watched of yours. This is extraordinarily inspiring. The information you've given is educational. The constructive guidance is welcome for me and from the comments on here, others to. I've been researching flower farms for awhile. This is exactly right up my alley. You've got another subscriber.

I feel your pain. The first lockdown in March was a challenge. On one hand two kids ( 3 and 7 years old) on me all the time + homeschooling 🤪 but on another hand I managed to sell over 300 tomato plants (garden centres were closed). So you are absolutely right get prepared and learn from your mistakes are very important. Thanks for sharing. 🤗

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Yay for selling all the tomatoes! I sold a bunch but also put more than 100 into the ground for myself. They were so good this year!

This is to congratulate you on your honesty and telling the truth about the reality of farming I'm a farmer so totally understand how time and chores don't always fit together, but what I'd really like to say thank you for is.... I have always cooked home meals (we live quite far away from town and getting takeaway is not really an option certainly no delivery!!) I seem to have spent the last 30 years feeding others and was getting pretty grumpy and disheartened until listening to you and realising it's something I should be proud of so Thank you. The family are all impressed with my new inspiration dessert tonight chocolate steam pudding...

I love these kind of videos! This was my first year flower farming on a big scale and it was an adventure. Thanks for sharing your notes with us 🥰

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome!

Love your honesty!!! Love your crockpot idea too! 😊 Can't wait to see how things go for you in 2021. I am in TN. Too far to volunteer at your farm but I sure would love it!!!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Amy! I am so excited about 2021 and I can't wait to share :)

This video is one of the most helpful I've ever seen! Thank you so much!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Don't feel badly... Kids and husbands are resilient!

You are amazing and it’s like you are telling my current story. Just started up Treasures at the Barn. Taking Dave Dowling, Lisa Ziegler and Ellen Frost classes….I have thousands of baby starts to plant like yesterday. Several hundred bulbs to plant. My soil is almost done. Grabbed a yard of compost on my lunch hour. I laughed out loud watching this. And I shared this with my sister who is my mentor and totally overdoing it too. But having a great time doing it! Cheers

So far this year my mistakes include not up potting soon enough, drowning plants, letting them dry out too long, not having enough places places to put my seedlings and plants that was safe from the funky weather this year, and not realizing that my cats were going to eat them if they could get to them.

I am so glad to hear you may be getting help - your property/business is just too big to do it alone! My biggest mistake was not amending beds from 2019 - I thought I might be able to save money (this year was a financial nightmare) but ended up with less vigorous veg plants and many succumbed by July to pest pressure which they would've been able to ward off if they were stronger.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Hope you get that amendment! Soil is so important 💐🍅

@carriemoriarity5806

3 жыл бұрын

@@FlowerHillFarm Yeah, that's the last time I spend my money on seeds and tubers BEFORE soil!

My dad guilt riped me in half, I feel you there. So busy.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I can’t keep up most days! All the best Ian 💐

@Kylie4Queen

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Ian👋🏾👋🏾

@thenursingstudent6260

3 жыл бұрын

ya'll are making it happen! When you think of how guilty you are feeling, a good thing to remember is how you are setting the example for your kiddos to be hard workers, and dedicated to what matters to them, even when it isn't easy! Happy Growing Nicole, Ian and Serina! Love this little growing community on here!

The biggest mistake I made in 2021 was watching this video first when I found your channel! I spent a small fortune on Tulips and now I seen your vid I want some the same color as them. Think that is the only color we have not got this year and white! If I get told off for spending to much on some more Tulips I will just say its Flower Hill Farm fault lol How can they all start blooming at once if you staggered the planting? That is just insane! This happened to us about 10 years ago with Sweet Peas 10 years latar still trying to figure out what happend in 2011 its never happend again. haha

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I am having a hard time seeing your mistake here LOL

Thank you for this channel. It will help me grow flowers this year (Im a newbie to flower planting)

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome!

This is only my 2nd year as a cut flower seller in zone 5a. I so enjoy your videos. Thank you for making them!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome!

Look into ergonomic and efficient tools also. Look into the pottipuki and zelli planter for seeding. Makes everything faster.

I love the pale yellow glad with humming bird, I really love that color.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Me too! It was the first one to bloom for me this season!

Hopefully you have a big chest freezer to store all your crock pot meals! Great idea for those busy days! Thanks for sharing your garden journey. Love your energy!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I have TWO! Always prepared in the country LOL. My neighbor raised beef so we buy large quantities

Oh I am SO with you on the meal prep thing! I had the same problem last year and I felt so guilty about how much we went out to eat 😩. I am so going to make freezer meals this year and be more prepared!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Making my list now!

We have a different situation, but we do hire help. For just starting and trying to grow, I would try to utilize volunteers and interns. There's a lot of extras that go into paying for a worker and a lot of people don't actually want or know how to work. When you get ready, you could hire your best volunteer and know exactly what you are getting.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing

Ohh I wish I were local to help you out. watching your channel inspires me to have a garden of my own and I want to learn as much as I can through your videos. But watching a video and working on farm are two different things. I would love to have that kinda guidance.

Thank you for sharing this! I'm going into my second season growing flowers this year. You've really inspired me to think about my learning opportunities and how I can do better this year.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Wonderful!

Loved the slow mo "biggest mistakes" 🤣

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

I crack myself up LOL you should see my giggling when I edit my videos

@lanalovesjesus6133

3 жыл бұрын

@@FlowerHillFarm haha awesome. Yea you had me laughing. We share the same sense of humor...and love for plants 😁

Thank you for sharing your mistakes. Your video was encouraging. In spring 2022, I will begin growing small scale cut flowers in hopes of becoming a productive farm. I loved your CSA and Pop-Up Porch Sale suggestions.

I have learned over many years of gardening for myself, that there are some plants that make me work too hard, and for me, do not have enough value to battle to keep having them. Example: roses, love them so much. They are far too much work for me, I do not have enough time, and energy, to love them enough to do all that work.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Well said!

I just learned this one the hard way: cover my rhododendron with some sort of wire cage in early fall. I didn't get out there soon enough and BAM! Those deer had a feast! I have a few leaves left on my yearling but I can pretty much guarantee that it's not going to bloom this next season. BUMMER!! Side note- zone 6. Love your honesty and here is to a calmer 2021! Cheers!

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

Ugh! 🦌 Heartbreaking!

Wow growing in 4b, I can't imagine how to do that im in zone 6b and I complain about how short that my season is....lol I've to Utica and its just beautiful in up state NY can be.

@FlowerHillFarm

3 жыл бұрын

It can be frustrating for sure!

Thank you for your beautiful bunches of flowers. I love it, I have flowers in my garden in Switzerland but not for sale. My garden is to small for that. I wish more photos of the bunches. Great thank you for so much colors and structures. Thank you very much.