Who doesn’t adore peonies? Their show-stopping blooms and impressive longevity—they can last for decades with the right care. Both gardeners and cut flower growers love peonies for their fragrance, toughness, and timeless appeal. Since you only really need to plant them once, getting it right from the start is key. Let’s dive into what it takes to set your peonies up for years of incredible blooms.

As fall settles in, it’s time to look back at your season to see what worked and more importantly, what didn’t. While it can be quite humbling to acknowledge your flubs, it’s essential. (And we all have them!) It is through owning them and finding ways to improve, that we can improve our operations and, ultimately, the experience we offer our customers.

As fall rolls in, it’s time for many of us to start digging up our dahlia tubers. Why? Because if they’re left in the ground in colder climates where the soil freezes, your precious tubers will turn to mush. If you’re in a warmer region, you might be lucky enough to leave them in the ground all year. But for those of us in areas with freezing winters, digging and storing dahlia tubers is a must.

With so much information out there on how to dig and store your tubers, it can feel overwhelming. The truth is, there’s no one "right" way to do it. What I want you to take away from this article is that you have options, and the coolest part is that you get to choose what works best for your specific conditions. At the end of the day, this isn’t rocket science—the goal is simple: dig them out of the ground, and keep them dormant and alive through the winter. That’s it! Let’s dive into how to make it happen.

One Saturday morning, I was explaining to my husband the future value of the 4,000 peony roots already planted on our farm. Not the value in the flowers they produce each spring which is what most think about, but the value in the roots that are multiplying underground with time. That's when he suggested, “Why don’t you just plant more of them on our property? Use the peonies as the investment you’ve been looking for.” (How thankful am I to have a husband who truly believes in this flower thing?)

I immediately grabbed a piece of scrap paper and started crunching the numbers, and what I found was eye-opening. Let’s break it down.

In the world of flower farming, it’s common to start by growing all the flowers. There’s a certain wisdom in this approach, especially in the beginning—you get to experiment, discover what you enjoy growing, find out what thrives in your zone, and learn what your customers love. But as time goes on, trying to grow it all can become overwhelming. That’s where the idea of specializing comes in.

As the summer draws to a close, flower farmers often find themselves exhausted and worn out. The relentless heat, constant battle with bugs and disease, and the necessity to work in all kinds of weather take their toll. It's no wonder burnout is a common challenge in our field.

There are all kinds of tips and strategies out there to help with burnout on the farm. Take a day for yourself. Go for walks. Schedule time off. While these are all great ways to help you get through the rest of the season, they don’t address the root cause of the burnout. They’re simply a band-aid.

As a flower farmer, giving up growing annuals feels like a radical move. After all, annuals are the backbone of many flower farms, providing the vibrant blooms that fill bouquets and bring in a steady stream of income throughout the growing season. But after dismantling an ingrained belief that I had to work myself to the bone to be successful, I set out on a mission to streamline my business and prioritize what truly mattered to me. And in that process, annuals ended up on the chopping block.

As the temperatures begin to drop and the fall season sets in, it’s time to start thinking about planting hardy annuals for the upcoming season. Did you think you were done with seed starting? Not so fast—don’t put those seed trays away just yet!

As summer's vibrant colors fade, the warm, earthy tones of fall come into focus. For flower farmers and floral enthusiasts, this season offers a great opportunity to create beautiful bouquets that capture the feel of autumn. Whether you’re new to flower farming or looking to enhance your selection, choosing the right flowers is essential for creating fall-inspired bouquets that will leave your customers saying, "I need that!".

Running a successful flower farm takes a mix of passion, hard work, and the right tools. Over the years, I've come to rely on a few trusty tools and resources both in the field and in the office that have made my job easier and my business more efficient. From apps that streamline daily tasks to tools that keep my field in top shape and flower varieties that never fail to impress, these are the apps, tools, suppliers and varieties that have earned a permanent place at Muddy Acres Flower Farm.

Have you ever had an empty space in your field and wondered what to plant? Many just plant what they enjoy growing the most or maybe what’s easiest to grow. But when you are running a cut flower business, you gotta look at it from a business perspective. What flower will provide the most yield. And when I say yield, I’m talking about profit.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me refer to my peony field as “My husband’s retirement gig.” Let me explain why.

Once a peony is established—which takes years—a single plant can produce more than 50 blooms a year. Let’s be incredibly, uber conservative and say that you harvest 15 stems per plant each season and charge a low price of $4 per stem. This would mean each plant would bring in $60 in sales per year.

It was mid-May and the last of our tulip crop had just left the farm. I finally had a chance to breathe and check on the peony field. Much to my surprise, Clair de Lune, our first peony to bloom, was starting to pop.

When I saw those soft yellow flowers, it hit me—why am I working so dang hard growing ALL the flowers when peonies bloom beautifully with minimal effort?

Peonies are the big, showy stars of the late-spring/early-summer garden. When the growing season transitions away from spring annuals and there’s a lull before summer annuals get going, peonies take center stage. While their show is short lived, they definitely make sure to make a statement while they’re around.

We are often bewildered with how to grow ranunculus. But once you understand their preferred conditions and what temperatures they can tolerate, it’s simpler than what you might think!

Peonies are the dreamy, fluffy stars of the early summer garden and a favorite for so many flower lovers. If there’s anyone who says they don’t absolutely adore them, I’m not sure I could ever believe them! In fact, they’re one of the few types of flowers I grow on my flower farm today.

So it makes perfect sense that many people anxiously await peony bloom time each year. Whether you’re a flower farmer interested in adding peonies to your flower farm or you’re a gardener wanting to add some of these beauties to your space, this resource will help you understand where and when peonies grow and bloom.

You’ve been bitten by the flower farming bug and are ready to dip your toes in the soil. But what the heck do you grow? The options are overwhelming and the pretty seed catalogs just keep coming!

Your goal is simple - you want to grow a good mix of easy to grow flowers that will allow you to make gorgeous bouquets. But how many do you plant? How do you divvy up the field? Should you grow just as much Statice as you grow Zinnias? The questions just keep coming.

You’ve crafted a profit plan to guide your business towards profitability in the coming season. But what if the numbers aren't as encouraging as you hoped? Maybe your profit margins are slimmer than expected, or the overall profit just doesn't meet your goals. Don't worry! There are ways to turn this around.

If you were to ask me about my profit plan in year one, I would have told you it was to sell as many flowers as I could. THAT was my profit plan! Sound familiar? If so, you aren’t alone. As flower farmers, our passion for growing flowers and spreading joy is often the driving force behind our work, not the profits. But if you want to transform this passion into a sustainable business, you gotta have a plan.

The holiday season is a time where many of us take extra care to show gratitude to others. And of course, while it’s great to do this in your personal life, there’s also an opportunity to do it through your flower farming business. By showing appreciation and gratitude to your customers, you have the opportunity to strengthen your relationships. And what better time to prioritize customer appreciation than the holidays?

Here are six ways how to show customer appreciation during the holiday season: