Hi Sarah You are an inspiration. I have been a flower farmer for 3 years and every time I want to cry and give up, I watch one of your videos. You will overcome this but definately need a few cats - I have neutered males and they are killing machines - no issues with bunnies since I got them. Please continue growing and making your videos. You have a brilliant presenting style and take comfort in the fact so many of us are delighted you are back.
To me, when you show and talk about your challenges, that can be as beneficial to your viewers as much or more as your successes. It lets us know that we all can solve the inevitable problems that are bound to come up like the rabbits. I have had problems with them, too. My favorite videos that you ever produced were those associated with setting up your workshop. I watched every single one - some multiple times.
Hi Sarah. A rabbit trick I was taught. Rabbits are a big problem, as well as deer. I worked once with a guy whose father had a rabbit farm when he was young. We had to put in a rabbit and deer proof fence on a garden I designed and we used his father’s technique: get a turf cutter if you have grass outside the fence and remove two widths of turf from the ground outside the area you want to protect; put in tall fence posts; attach chicken wire so that it gets to the height you want and at the base turn the wire out so that it covers the two widths of turf area going away from the fence forming a small L shape; put the turf back over the chicken wire lying on the ground. You don’t have to dig a big trench this way. As the rabbit starts to dig at the base of the fence, it keeps hitting the buried chicken wire laid flat outside the fence posts and can’t dig its way in. If it’s soil in this area, probably pin the chicken wire down and put soil on top and seed it. Muntjac can jump 1.5m and deer even higher. It did solve their rabbit problem. Like the idea of feral cats and Jack Russell as well !
I have rabbits and all I can say is that they are really clever and will do everything in order to get themselves to something that they want to eat. The method explained above will work for sure and it’s really well explained.
Oh Sarah, I can hear it in your voice and see it in your face. You are not alone, this year is so challenging. I gave my first allotment and gave out so much effort into setting things up. Slugs are eating everything and what’s left is hardly growing, it’s so cold and cloudy. Hang onto the little wins. Honest videos are so much better than false positive ones. Helps us amateurs feel better. Keep going ❤
You better bloody not stop :) Your at the spearhead of British growers and you produce amazing produce from your crops , I love the palette :) Anyway I’ve been a gardener for 35 years and we get these cycles very so often so don’t worry ❤
Dear Sarah, I am watching a lot of flower farmer channels and always waiting for your videos! Your bouquets are exceptionally beautiful and I would love to see more design, bouquet making videos as well as new varities you grow, shopping for design work, farm supplies, plants or seeds, the countryside you live in etc...
There are never enough bouquet videos for me on UA-cam! I'm really surprised there isn't more content like this. Just 5 to 10 minute videos of making bouquets (or even just making one bouquet if that's all you have flowers for). It's incredibly relaxing for me and I will often rewatch bouquet videos because there's no new content.
Don't ever stop Sarah... It's a horrid year, everything is being eaten by slugs.. You are not alone. But Sarah you are the champion of British flower growing in my opinion. Your style, your teaching method, your passion it all shines through.. Please know we are all behind you. I know it's hard but lean on us. You don't have to be positive all the time, you resonate with us always 🥰 We love you and eagerly await your videos. You've got this xx
I would love to see how you keep everything watered. Do you have an irrigation system or do you hand water, etc? I would also like to see what kind of farm or ranch you live on. I have been watching your channel for a few years now and I am very curious!
Another flower farmer here. We have a horrible time with deer. It has been challenging. Appreciate your realness and love your channel. Especially your bouquet arranging videos. 🤍
Don’t give up you have always inspired me to grow new things!! I love you realness in the garden it happens to all of us. You still have time for a beautiful season.
I’m so very sorry Sarah! I only grow a small cutting garden for sharing flowers with my community. I have never had a spring with so much rain; my garden was planted nearly three weeks later than last year! I direct sowed my sunflowers and “something” pulled up all of the seeds and ate all but one! There always seems to be some kind of challenge. YOU are a strong, smart, and educated woman; you will bounce back! I love all of your videos, but I am so very sorry that you are having many struggles. Praying for a prosperous year for you despite the early challenges.
Thankyou for sharing your hardships Sarah. I really appreciate when farmers share their highs, lows and the in-between times. Those are the channels that I am drawn to. You're on the right track by looking for those little moments in the day that you can take joy from and I'm sending you an embracing hug which I hope you can feel next time the tears come. As for further posts, I'd like to see what you're interested in as that is what will give you the energy to post; and throw in some of those little moments of appreciation that you find in your day. This will help you to keep looking for them and will help remind me to do the same in my life. xo
You are not alone! Every garden, allotment or farming channel I watch are having issues. It's either crazy weather or pest pressures.🐚🐌🐚🐌 Just look at how far you have come on your flower farming journey, not to mention your side husstles like worm farm and stable duties, you are amazing! The only concern I have for you is your back!! Please splash out some of the cash you don't have (yet) to pay for some help to put the HUGE amount of seedling in the ground. Onwards and upwards. 💪
Sarah, this year we had a storm that not only destroyed a hoophouse. It also knocked down a fence in the process and by the time we saw it in the morning rabbits has eaten 80% of our starts. We are recovering now but setbacks can really impact your mental health. You can do this! One success into another, onward and forward.
Firstly, my sympathies to your current hardship. I've been a farmer and I fully understand such trials. I have a great slug tip. It has 100% solved my slug issue in my vegetable garden. I sprinkle Cayenne pepper around seedlings, just a light dusting. And I now have full control of them. And is there a way to try to target the rabbit population? Do you have anyone in your area who runs a ferret? Thats a thing in my country. A good Jack Russell terrior can help too. Infiltrating their burrows is a great way of removing their presence. Or, there's always bullets of course. In New Zealand, that's our first option. Fencing should be the backstop, not the frontline of defence. I really enjoy your videos and I think your pivot towards that is a good idea given it will refocus your days until you get back into flower harvest mode. I sell composting worms and I enjoyed your previous worm bin videos. I find my worm sales income tides me over (I'm a sculptor) during lean times. I breed them in a quality way, selling clean (from any other pest organisms) and feed them on hard feeds, rather than scraps or garden debris, so their bins are simply worms, bedding and feedstock. I decided to do it in an optimal way so my product is superior to most other local sellers. I can post them natiowide. Is there an option for you to do this as a side hustle? I sell 200gms worms for $25 NZ dollars and the demand is more than I can fill. It also helps in regard to worm farming chores being quite mediative to me. I never tire of doing my worm ranching tasks. Best of luck, you have all the skills to succeed!!
Sarah, you are stronger than you know. Your videos are so inspiring. I love how intuitively you grow and how you flow with life and its obstacles/challenges. Some days I sit and cry too. You are not alone. You bring beauty to this world and I am grateful for every single video! Sending you positive vibes snd prayers from the US. 💝
We have bunnies and they don't like strong scents. What I do in my perennial borders around our acre is a chop and drop method using onion chives, garlic scapes, oregano. Hen manure pellets also work for a bit at the beginning of the Season. I've thought of making a liquid concoction with these things and spray after it rains. What you really need is some Fox to move in. Glad to see you back on UA-cam. I love watching you fix and build things. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.
I love compost videos. I hate destructive rabbits. I am so sorry for your troubles but please carry on growing. We will always watch. Yorkshire lasses never get beaten❤❤!
I live in the US Sarah, in southwest Kansas in what used to be the ‘Dust Bowl’. I have mice in my greenhouse too! Also grasshoppers by the thousands! This is my second year as a flower farmer, I really appreciate knowing someone else out there is struggling and I hope you won’t give up, you weren’t the first flower farmer I watched in order to start my tiny business. DON’T GIVE UP SARAH! You are so talented and work so hard! Most of the florists in my area order in flowers from all over the world and the flowers they use have no soul, you know what I mean? They have no idea how to arrange fresh-cut flowers that are beautiful and fragrant. I have my work cut out for me! Haha Take care and looking forward to seeing more videos. All the Best from Kansas
This year is rubbish, but I'm glad you're back! Videos i want to see: Exact recipe for soil blocking (if you still do it) When to do certain tasks e.g. cutting back, biennial sowing Anything about green manures Anything about Korean natural farming How you set up your course What are your sales outlets and how did you build those? How do you price your bouquets?
Thank you, thank you, thank you, though I'm gutted for you, it is sort of comforting to know that its not just me! I have a micro flower farm in the South East, doing subscriptions, diy buckets and bouquets. This year has been awful, I too have spent time sat on the kitchen floor crying this and I have been flower farming for 7 years as well. Even today, I was on the farm, thinking I'm working 24/7 here, and there is nothing to see! We seem to have had the same problems. Mice ate all my tulips and ranunculus, slugs took out first crop of sweet peas, and most of the first hardy annuals. Rabbits then got into my farm and destroyed 50% of my crop. I too am seriously debating whether its worth the stress, anxiety and disappointment. I really do hope you find someway to salvage the situation, or maybe another avenue will open up? Big hugs from one frustrated flower farmer to another.
What a bummer! Those pesky rabbits are no fun. So sorry to hear about the struggles this spring. You strike me as a very resilient person-hang in there, we are rooting for you. Best wishes for a better summer and fall season.
I am so sorry this has happened to you. How devastating! I appreciate your honesty and for sharing your thoughts with us. It was etremely useful to see what you are doing to mitigate these things. Personally, I swear by thick landscape fabric for weed control. We only need a certain amount of access to the soil for planting and feeding, but between rows, where the plants roots reach into, the soil does really well under the fabric. For me, it's like this soil is resting. It takes the pressure off me to weed and worry about the encrouchment of my neighbour's weeds and brambles into my garden. Farming is so challenging for many reasons, but you have had an awful run of bad luck. Don't give up Sweetie, you have so much fire in you and have come so far! This video has made me feel less alone about my own challenges and losses. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Sarah, don't give up. These things are sent to try us. Stop, take a step back and think of your previous years. This is just a blip, you can take breath and rectify issues and start fresh. You have grown a successful business and you will continue to be successful. Have Faith and confidence in yourself, you know you can do it ❤❤.
I was so happy to see your video "pop's up this morning. I can only imagine your disappointment after all your hard work only to have everything decimated by rabbits and other "critters". But you are strong, and smart, and you can do this. Don't give up😢😢. Your flowers and bouquets are just beautiful. As my grandad used to say, "Chin up girl". Keep making your honest, refreshing videos ❤
I´d love to see more "plant portraits" from seed/plugs, planting space, top or not, and harvest stage, cut´n come again or not, and exactly where to cut etc.
Hi Sarah this is my first year and omg I want to give up already. The slugs, pests, the weather its all just so heartbreaking. I will keep going though I will ...thank you for making me feel better and just to know im not alone really helps . Thank you x
I find I learn the most from challenges - and while it IS always lovely to watch you put your stunning bouquets together from the abundant rows of gorgeous flowers on your farm, I would LOVE to watch videos of you "trouble shooting" challenges with various flower crops! There are many channels of "everything is always great" flower farming content, but to be able to learn from an experienced farmer how to figure out a problem with certain crops or field - that would be amazing! You can still be your upbeat self and yet show us valuable content that isn't just the successful crops. I was having trouble germinating several of my favorite cool flowers earlier this season and then I remembered back to a video you made a couple of yrs ago where you decided to see if you could get germination in a damp kitchen roll stored in a container with a lid. It worked and I was so thankful you can shown us there can be more than one way to germinate difficult seeds! It may be more challenging to film struggles with a certain crop or field, but we are here for it! It's just real life in farming and what wisdom and experiences you choose to share, may help someone else overcome their challenges too!
Hi Sarah, just seen your latest video and have subscribed to your channel. You have a great thing going. This year has been a challenge for a lot of growers, whether it’s flower growers, allotment’s or other. There will be good seasons and bad but stick with it. You sound as though you have a great passion in what you do and wish to achieve in the future. And yes, the compost we produce is invaluable so produce as much as you can. We collect leaves in the autumn and nettles where possible. Might even be worth setting aside a small comfrey bed as a cut and compost crop or use to make a liquid feed! Just Growing.
Same here, nothing much growing from seed and those that manage to survive get eaten by slugs. Too much rain, not enough light. Fingers crossed for next year. 🤞🏼🥰🙏🏼
Hi Sarah, I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles this year. This has been a terrible year for wet, cold weather and slugs. My allotment where I grow flowers has had drainage problems and everything is flowering late. I don't have bunny problems and I can only imagine your heartache over that problem. Good luck with your remaining plants and don't give up.
So sorry you have suffered all these setbacks. I too would be weeping! This is your livelihood and I do hope things start to turn around for you. All commercial and home gardeners have suffered this year. Germination has been dreadful which I put down to the peat free compost. I practice no dig and certainly can’t afford top of the range peat free. Also on the allotment the bindweed has broken through all my beds so I am virtually back to square one. It’s not as easy as Charles Dowding makes out! All the very best for the future.
I'm glad you are ok. I was begining to worry. I've also had problems. Mostly with germination and I'm thinking it's a combination of things, in my situation. Apart from the weather, (vile here in the midlands) I've not been storing seeds properly I think, the birds are taking the direct sown seeds (those that have germinated) and the soil is not that brilliant. I also practise no dig (saves my back). But the veggies are also taking a long time. Those in the ground have been sulking or seem to be dying off. Peas have only just got going, and the courgettes that are left amy not produce anything. Oh well, I'm starting to plan for next year already! Chin up. We're all behind you!
Oh, the joys of farming, right? I love all your videos. They are genuine and real and I feel like I know you because of this. I'm sorry you are going through a tough time, but I know you will do what it takes to overcome your challenges. Chin up! Look ahead! You are already doing this, I know. You inspire me to get my soil in better condition and to just get out there and love my plants. Cheers ❤
I'm so sorry for all your current troubles. Even so, it's amazing to see what you've achieved in just 7 years. I live in Boston US and rabbits this year have been horrible. Good luck
So glad to see you back Sarah.I really missed your videos. Your bouquets are always so beautiful,you have a lovely style. Please don’t give up because you are so talented.
Hi Sarah, Thank you for sharing your recent video. As you,Im a Yorkshire lass born & bred,now living in Gloucestershire with my Hubby. My dream was to be a flower farmer, but chronic health and a cancer journey has made me chance directon to a much smaller scale of growing cut flowers and creating natural Christmas wreaths. Im sending you a heartfelt hug,love and strength to help see through this challenging season You have an amazing gift, your have an inner strength,Yorkshire grit!!.. try and learn from these disheartened experiences. You will work through this,work with mother nature's hand... Look at other flower farmers and take on their ideas that may hekp. Cloudberry flowers in Scotland, Catherine, I would recommend in getting in touch with. Take care... Breathe.... And please don't give up. Love and hugs, Judy X
I am so sorry to hear of your cut flower issues. I live in Alberta, Canada and have been wanting to do a cut flower business for years but I help my husband calve 100 cows in the spring so it is a real challenge to grow flowers at the same time. We've had a cold dry spring and then it started to rain and we had frost last night. I don't have any annuals out in the garden this year, thank God, as they would have all died due to the frost. I wish you the best of luck in the future. I enjoy your videos and hope you will endure. God speed!
Sorry to hear of your struggles. It's been a bad slug year for for my garden as well as poor seed germination. I've recently taken on a second allotment plot and plan to have cut flowers and vegetables in it. I would love future videos on a grow along theme and cut flower field plans. (I'm a poor judge of how big plants actually get and the spacing they need) Summer seems to be the time to sow biennuals and autumn for hardy annuals, so plenty to pick from. I also love your seed shopping videos and any clips which feature the animals.
Thank you so much for sharing your struggles. Like many of us lucky enough to have a garden it's the slugs are decimating my plants thick and fast. It's my first time growing attempting growing plants from seed and the slugs have managed to get into my greenhouses (tiny cheap plastic ones from Amazon) and cold frames. For me that's been devastating enough especially when they were so healthy! I can't imagine the heartbreaking devastation of all your hard work! I wonder if this brave and open view on UA-cam will enable the universe to shine a light on your beautiful dahlias to see you through. Thank you for being so open with us all, nature can be a beautiful thing but it can also be very cruel. I'm really grateful you've allowed us to see the realities of glower farming. Sending love ❤
Hi Sarah, keep a brave heart - you said yourself you are normally a positive person and you just have to keep on getting up again after the knockback. I am setting up a flower farm in SW France and I gotta say I would have thought the Yorkshire weather would have been your main enemy, but I guess I forgot about the animal world's need to survive. I'm enclosing an acre in 6 foot high deer fencing with chicken wire 2 feet high and 2 feet deep but I love the suggestion from amandaheron of laying it out under the grass maybe 6 feet wide. I think I'll do that as well. I just couldn't bear losing crop when it could have been mitigated. I also like what you've done with your access gates - great idea. I'm also going to put a trigger wire outside the deer fence 7 feet away and 5-6 feet high probably electrified, more expense but probably necessary. Really good luck with 2025. Philip from Gweek Nurseries or in France; La Pepiniere du Gwique
Please know your watchers and followers.Love you and whatever you need to do to be happy and satisfied is what you need to do. I'm sorry for the frustrating season but you are amazing.
Good to see you back online, and sharing your experience on UA-cam. It seems this year has been really hard with the cold, damp weather, and numerous pests. Well done for concentrating on the positives, and reflecting with gratitude, something I wish I'd learnt years ago. You should also be aware of the joy you bring to others showing what you are achieving when many of us for one reason or another can not. In terms of content, please can you update us on the worms?
It sounds like you have had a rough season! I feel bad for you. Thank you for sharing with us about it. I was so encouraged to hear that even after 7 years, you don't have everything figured out. Sometimes i watch flower farmer videos and it seems like everyone does everything perfectly and always gets tons of beautiful flowers. Then when I'm struggling i feel like i must not be as good at farming as everyone else and i get so so discouraged. This is only my second year. My fences are not working to keep the deer the rabbits out either so I have resorted to spraying liquid fence on my plants especially at the beginning when they're still small. It's pretty expensive but if I can keep on top of it then I don't lose my plants to the rabbits and deer. The slugs are the bane of my existence! I just bought slug pellets and put them out last night for the first time, so I'm hoping that's going to help with my slug problem. I have an insane population of them. I really enjoyed hearing how you were trying to prep that new field. I can't believe the horses got in there and broke the fence down. I would have sat on the floor and cried too. Keep your chin up! I really enjoy watching your videos. You're so cheerful and friendly.
Don’t worry - you’ve inspired me to try growing some flowers on my smallholding :-) PS I did the same planted rye and vetch .. I made two mistakes number one my supplier of rye turned out to be treated the seeds can you believe it …..so the seeds were efectively dead… and I planted a bit too late,……..lol I. Complete beginner so I’m getting experience as I go
My favourite video was your seed shopping video, loved the inspiration to try new varieties 💐 Would love videos on harvesting different varieties and bouquet making. 🌸 Sorry to hear about your season struggles, but thank you for keeping it real ❤
Please stay strong and post up the losses as well as the gains. What doesn't break you makes you and we can all learn from those losses. I live in the Yorkshire Wolds, but just grow cut flowers for myself and my friends who live in my village. I watch you because of your creativity, drive and you are not too far away. I also watch the Common Farm Flowers, but as that is in the home counties a different climate. Perhaps this year you could set up a 'buy me a coffee' like the lady on there does and more flower arranging (when you get some flowers). Above all please don't give up as I love to watch you ❤❤❤
You truly are an amazing human, Sarah. I'm amazed at your resilience and positivity in adversity, and hope the remaining season is a good one. Looking forward to add'l soil health content.
I completely understand! You are not alone. I had a very busy spring to the point that I got really behind on seed sowing. Those that I did get started and in the ground experienced a flood and massive hail storm just a week after planting…. The deer have also been decimating everything, it’s been an all out war trying to keep them out! It’s sooo frustrating and I really just want to give up too, but I don’t know what else I’d do, so for now I’m just pressing on and hoping for the best! The last three years it was drought, now it’s flood and hail lol… gotta love it (and cry a little 😅)
I have been a long time watcher of your channel but this is my first time commenting. I have loved watching you dive into regenerative farming, a topic I care deeply about. What you experienced this season is devastating and I really don’t have any words for that. Please know that we are all rooting for you and that we need more of what you’re doing on UA-cam- with the worm farm, the cover cropping and building a sustainable farm. Sending you good vibes from across the pond!!
Dear sarah OH! what a cold awful wet beginning of summer? Lost my Box sculptured hedge to Boxcaterpillar, My climing roses black spot and mould, my miniture christmas tree went brown...lost. The lawn is patchy and looks dreadful, can totally identify with wanting to give up on gardening but Heh Ho just ordered some Astrantia and Echanacea and new pots if this all goes belly up I will cry!!Best Wishesxxx☺
Absolutely heartbreaking, after so much work too. but u are incredible! 🎉So inspiring and keeping it real 😊 Thanks for sharing everything that’s going on and i love your plans. What a terrible season it’s been so far. Everyone is saying that right. Fingers crossed for a better year ahead ❤
Hi Sarah, sending good vibes from New England!! Fellow flower farmer for over 14 years. The only silver lining in these tough years is leaning into the loss and learning the lesson. 💗 You got this!!! Keep your chin up!!!!
Sarah I just want to give you a big hug. ❤Your sad face and your voice. 🥀Looked for you week after week worried but left you alone. You are so clever and such a wonderful young lady who grows beautiful flowers in the best soil. Very clever. There are so many here who have your back. ❤️including me. But you have to take time for you. We will all wait - no pressure. xxxxx
Your videos have been my favorites since I started growing flowers and wanting to be a flower farmer. You have been a huge inspiration and sharing your struggles makes you an even bigger inspiration. This is only my second year and I too have been bombarded with pests. I quit on a regular basis then something makes me keep going the next day. I feel your pain on a much smaller flower garden scale. Hard work and all the many dreams are very hard to see destroyed but you have too much knowledge and ambition and talent to let go. I believe your struggles will lead you down an even better path…keep dreaming and all your fans will keep watching!
Oh dear, this is really a hard loss. Feeling sad for you. Keep up the great work, next year will be better. Honestly I layed out poison because of rats and voles eating too much of my vegetables and compost worms. There is also pressure from deers who ate all my strawberries including the leaves last years. It might even happen that hungry wild boars break into the garden. Am growing a lot in protected containers now. Plants and money were stolen from my trust flower stand. This June is extremely cold here and we had several nights with temperature minima of 4 degrees celsius. A challenging year for farmers and gardeners. Love and greetings from Germany.
Hi flower friend! I'm a 3rd year flower farmer in USA, GA. I just wanted to say I love watching you and I have learned a lot from your content. Thanks for sharing with us all! I feel very discouraged at times too, I think it's just part of this type of industry! I would love to see how you make some vase arrangements!
It's great to see you back and your positivity is what is going to get you through. I'm a florist and on the verge of moving (also a very difficult process!) and I hope to start growing flowers as soon as I can. I love all your flowery content but I reckon information around preparing beds, no dig, soil health etc would be really useful for me. Keep going 👍
I think the wire mesh fence is a great option. The bunnies will split plastic fencing and dig or hop over low netting. The cost upfront will pay dividends later.
Don't give up! I think starting a business is like planting a fruit tree, you won't get any true harvests until a few years have passed, but it is well worth the wait! You're doing awesome! Just found you because you were on my homepage. I didn't even know you *could* do this as a business. Super lovely (but obviously very difficult) job! (I was trying to super-chat this but I think you have to enable that first 👀)
Hello Sarah from the USA. I have gained so much knowledge and inspiration by you from building compost and improving soil health and of course growing flowers. Your flower bouquets are gorgeous, plentiful and may I say highly under priced. I am so sorry to hear of your troubles this spring. Losing that many plants is so discouraging! I can’t grow a sunflower to save my life. They are eaten in doors and out by mice and chipmunks. I don’t have rabbits but deer o deer and slugs. Hang in there. Your videos are great because you share so much of your growing journey with fellow growers. Despite my short zone 4 hardiness zone I still tell myself ‘don’t give up’ because I have to grow. Looking forward to more videos.
Hi Sarah, I too have been experiencing a rabbit problem in our garden this year in Shropshire, we can see them but are struggling to catch them as they have all my nice plants to eat and won’t go into the trap! It annoying for me but when it’s your business it must be devastating, I hope you can recover from it. I love watching your videos as they have inspired me to try lots of new things and I very much hope you will keep going. Every year has its ups and downs, I’ve learnt that you never really crack gardening as every year brings new challenges, best wishes for the rest of the year, I look forward to lots more videos, Jenny
Oh Sarah it’s a terrible year but mine is hobby not my living I do have a business for 31 years and it’s tough for different reasons but for what it’s worth clearly your a Grafter I did one video and had help and I know how much work it involves so thank you for your honesty and sharing. I love your bouquets. I love growing flowers and I feel so sorry that you’ve had such a tough time.recently I wish you all the best and hope you have no further disasters or setbacks , I really enjoy your videos so thank you but I’m sure in years to come you will be able to just view this as one of the rubbish years and I wish you many many prosperous years in the future
Good to see you’re back - so sorry this season has been so tough! I’d echo what others have said and say that I appreciate seeing the challenges as well as the good stuff. I know you haven’t asked for any advice so feel free to disregard the following but I just wanted to throw a few things out there in case you hadn’t considered them/ or were still considering options. I know how frustrating it can be ☹️ we had such a thrip problem this season it ruined most of my summer crop. We’ve also had a terrible time with rabbits this year too- we found the best thing was to knock back the population a bit .. sounds rough I know, but they breed so quickly and don’t regulate their own population like say hares do. We also used a natural spray on our tree seedlings which worked extremely well. Might be something similar in the UK that could be useful? In terms of fencing, I’ve seen people make a ‘skirt’ out of the netting so kind of bending it in an L shape - that way they can’t dig down through the netting. Also maybe a hot wire for the horses?? Re the recouping the flowers side - would buying wholesale from local farmers to create your bouquets work? Probably less profit but would you could keep your customers happy? I also found out sunflowers can take a -3.5 degree frost … so might still be good later in the season if you can get them re-sown now? 50-60 day turn around for Vincent’s choice variety and most pro cuts are similar. Hope you find a way to salvage the season ❤
So sorry to hear about these struggles. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing the hard stuff with us. Don't give up Sarah. The amazing things happen right after the times when you think you can't go on and want to give up. Get a box of tissues, rent the movie "Biggest Little Farm", and have some good cries. Then get yourself up, get back at it and think of some ways to solve the problems! We are all here cheering you on 😊. The world needs more people like you who are soil advocates, curious, and like to figure things out. You are so talented and I love your floral design style. Can't wait to see more videos, of the failures and when you are drowning in gorgeous blooms soon. The good, bad and ugly ❤
I totally understand. My nemesis are groundhogs. Bunnies and deers too, but anywhere they can get, groundhogs can too. Sometimes the critters can really mess up our plans and knock the joy right out of us. Hang in there!
Hey Sarah! Last year was the first time I planted some flowers- only a small amount because I had only planted vegetables. I’ve watched your videos, some I have watched multiple times, all last year and over the winter in NY. I knew this year I would need to do something big inspired by the varieties you choose for your bouquets. Early in the spring I started several seedlings indoors and at the end of May I ended up planting about 2,000 flower seedlings in my garden! I look for your videos as inspiration in what I want to do. I hope you are able to get back on track and keep going! 😊
Hi Sarah, so good to see you again. Your honesty is much appreciated and you absolutely should keep going. You have been such an inspiration to me and I’ve learned so much. You are a brilliant role model. Keep going, this too shall pass, sunshine and bountiful blooms on the other side. Take care . Fiona 🥰
No you can't give up! Your My favourite flower channel by far. Everything seems off this year since floods i swear all the nasties have trebled ive currently got billions of big black slugs literally covering 7 acres and i have no way of getting rid of them, plus today i found out my ground has fungus gnats which are biting me, my horses and larvae potentially trying to eat everything. Today i questioned if im putting time and money into the right places and there was a conversation about selling up and moving to south west 😂but i dont mean it, there's always a solution
So pleased to see your return, sorry to hear of your difficult season so far. Good to hear you making new plans and looking forward, you’ve learnt so much during this trying time. I struggle with compost, so look forward to you sharing this . The flowers will come again, you have such a wonderful style that we all enjoy. Best wishes from Australia.
Oh Sarah it has been such a difficult start to the year, slugs, wet, cold, limited hours, I don’t have a rabbit problem but I can identify with everything else and in a strange way it is reassuring to see that you still have lots to plant out too (i am also nervous about the massive slug rave ups we are having) they are eating everything! When I started my cut flower journey 4 years ago your videos were the first I came across and I was inspired and reassured by your honest and open approach and here you are still sharing your knowledge despite the setbacks ❤ We are all rooting for you and hope the season gets better x
glad to see you back Sarah. I love your positive attitude to what is really a disastrous start to the season. I am growing for my nephew's wedding ( small scale compared to you and thankfully not my income source) and the weather has seen to a very slow and pest ridden start to the season. its frustrating at best! I will look forward to your beatiful bouquets later in the season with what you manage to grow. I welcome the idea of compost making information and tests and would be great to get your take on the best way to make compost on a small scale for those of us who are gardeners with cutting patches rather than flower farmers. im sure whatever you post will be interesting and educational. good luck. x
Thanks for sharing the gritty side of flower farming too. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows for sure. Sorry for all of your efforts being demolished 😢
So good to see you post again and so so sorry to hear that your seedlings were eaten! For content, I would love to hear what watering system do you use? the wind is really drying out my seedlings once planted out😕
So lovely to see you back xx how about some slug videos? I hear some slugs dont eat living plants(not sure I believe it!). Also could you investigate some repellent methods. Eg garlic water, grapefruit, beer traps, copper tape. Do they work? Hang in there!!! My zinnias are getting munched as I put them in!! Xx
It’s great to see you back Sarah! It’s hard doing any kind of farming and flower farming is no exception. (Fellow UK flower farmer here) The flowers will come and hopefully after a bad start it will be a good end. You can chat about anything to do with the farm and we’ll be watching and listening. 🌸
So I found your videos last year and felt totally inspired. Just your style of bouquets and how they had a rustic beauty to them. It made me want to try my hand at growing some. I’ve been gardening for years and years but never really thought about growing cutting type flowers. I’ve made a few bouquets for my home and am working on setting up a little roadside stand in the coming weeks. It’s really just for fun and to bring others joy. Don’t be too hard on yourself. As someone who’s primarily grown food for a long time, every single season is different with its own wins and defeats. Learn from the challenges and keep going. ❤
I’m so sorry it’s been such a rough time for you. It can certainly be demoralizing. I’m so impressed by your determination to be positive. But I’m glad you’re also letting yourself feel sad about the situation. You deserve all the best and I’m wishing you much success for the rest of the season!
Sarah so sorry for the loss of your plants. I've been fighting pesky rabbits in my garden too. I'm just a home gardener and can only imagine the devastation you are feeling. Hoping next year will be better for you. Bonny, Canada
Hi Sarah, my heart breaks for you. It’s crushingly disappointing when this happens. I’m in Australia and the rabbits and quenda did the same to me a few years ago. We put up a fence with an external skirt (about 45cm worth). It was a game changer. The rabbits go up to the fence to dig and fail. I learnt this tactic from a sanctuary I volunteered at. It kept rabbits and foxes out there. Perhaps worth a try. In the meantime, running growing workshops for keen beginners/flower gardeners might bring some income in for you. People love getting face to face experience. Good luck. ❤
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Hi Sarah You are an inspiration. I have been a flower farmer for 3 years and every time I want to cry and give up, I watch one of your videos. You will overcome this but definately need a few cats - I have neutered males and they are killing machines - no issues with bunnies since I got them. Please continue growing and making your videos. You have a brilliant presenting style and take comfort in the fact so many of us are delighted you are back.
To me, when you show and talk about your challenges, that can be as beneficial to your viewers as much or more as your successes. It lets us know that we all can solve the inevitable problems that are bound to come up like the rabbits. I have had problems with them, too. My favorite videos that you ever produced were those associated with setting up your workshop. I watched every single one - some multiple times.
Hi Sarah. A rabbit trick I was taught. Rabbits are a big problem, as well as deer. I worked once with a guy whose father had a rabbit farm when he was young. We had to put in a rabbit and deer proof fence on a garden I designed and we used his father’s technique: get a turf cutter if you have grass outside the fence and remove two widths of turf from the ground outside the area you want to protect; put in tall fence posts; attach chicken wire so that it gets to the height you want and at the base turn the wire out so that it covers the two widths of turf area going away from the fence forming a small L shape; put the turf back over the chicken wire lying on the ground. You don’t have to dig a big trench this way. As the rabbit starts to dig at the base of the fence, it keeps hitting the buried chicken wire laid flat outside the fence posts and can’t dig its way in. If it’s soil in this area, probably pin the chicken wire down and put soil on top and seed it. Muntjac can jump 1.5m and deer even higher. It did solve their rabbit problem. Like the idea of feral cats and Jack Russell as well !
I have rabbits and all I can say is that they are really clever and will do everything in order to get themselves to something that they want to eat. The method explained above will work for sure and it’s really well explained.
Oh Sarah, I can hear it in your voice and see it in your face. You are not alone, this year is so challenging. I gave my first allotment and gave out so much effort into setting things up. Slugs are eating everything and what’s left is hardly growing, it’s so cold and cloudy. Hang onto the little wins.
Honest videos are so much better than false positive ones. Helps us amateurs feel better. Keep going ❤
You better bloody not stop :)
Your at the spearhead of British growers and you produce amazing produce from your crops , I love the palette :)
Anyway I’ve been a gardener for 35 years and we get these cycles very so often so don’t worry ❤
Dear Sarah, I am watching a lot of flower farmer channels and always waiting for your videos! Your bouquets are exceptionally beautiful and I would love to see more design, bouquet making videos as well as new varities you grow, shopping for design work, farm supplies, plants or seeds, the countryside you live in etc...
Have you considered raised beds? They seem to be the rage here in the USA. Birdies beds
There are never enough bouquet videos for me on UA-cam! I'm really surprised there isn't more content like this. Just 5 to 10 minute videos of making bouquets (or even just making one bouquet if that's all you have flowers for). It's incredibly relaxing for me and I will often rewatch bouquet videos because there's no new content.
Don't ever stop Sarah... It's a horrid year, everything is being eaten by slugs.. You are not alone.
But Sarah you are the champion of British flower growing in my opinion. Your style, your teaching method, your passion it all shines through.. Please know we are all behind you.
I know it's hard but lean on us. You don't have to be positive all the time, you resonate with us always 🥰
We love you and eagerly await your videos. You've got this xx
I would love to see how you keep everything watered. Do you have an irrigation system or do you hand water, etc?
I would also like to see what kind of farm or ranch you live on. I have been watching your channel for a few years now and I am very curious!
Another flower farmer here. We have a horrible time with deer. It has been challenging. Appreciate your realness and love your channel. Especially your bouquet arranging videos. 🤍
You got this, Sarah...ride the storm...hang on in there...🎉
Don’t give up you have always inspired me to grow new things!! I love you realness in the garden it happens to all of us. You still have time for a beautiful season.
I’m so very sorry Sarah! I only grow a small cutting garden for sharing flowers with my community. I have never had a spring with so much rain; my garden was planted nearly three weeks later than last year! I direct sowed my sunflowers and “something” pulled up all of the seeds and ate all but one! There always seems to be some kind of challenge. YOU are a strong, smart, and educated woman; you will bounce back! I love all of your videos, but I am so very sorry that you are having many struggles. Praying for a prosperous year for you despite the early challenges.
Thankyou for sharing your hardships Sarah. I really appreciate when farmers share their highs, lows and the in-between times. Those are the channels that I am drawn to. You're on the right track by looking for those little moments in the day that you can take joy from and I'm sending you an embracing hug which I hope you can feel next time the tears come. As for further posts, I'd like to see what you're interested in as that is what will give you the energy to post; and throw in some of those little moments of appreciation that you find in your day. This will help you to keep looking for them and will help remind me to do the same in my life. xo
You are not alone!
Every garden, allotment or farming channel I watch are having issues. It's either crazy weather or pest pressures.🐚🐌🐚🐌
Just look at how far you have come on your flower farming journey, not to mention your side husstles like worm farm and stable duties, you are amazing!
The only concern I have for you is your back!! Please splash out some of the cash you don't have (yet) to pay for some help to put the HUGE amount of seedling in the ground.
Onwards and upwards. 💪
Sarah, this year we had a storm that not only destroyed a hoophouse. It also knocked down a fence in the process and by the time we saw it in the morning rabbits has eaten 80% of our starts. We are recovering now but setbacks can really impact your mental health. You can do this! One success into another, onward and forward.
Thanks for keeping it real! It isn’t always sunshine and rainbows.
Firstly, my sympathies to your current hardship. I've been a farmer and I fully understand such trials. I have a great slug tip. It has 100% solved my slug issue in my vegetable garden. I sprinkle Cayenne pepper around seedlings, just a light dusting. And I now have full control of them. And is there a way to try to target the rabbit population? Do you have anyone in your area who runs a ferret? Thats a thing in my country. A good Jack Russell terrior can help too. Infiltrating their burrows is a great way of removing their presence. Or, there's always bullets of course. In New Zealand, that's our first option. Fencing should be the backstop, not the frontline of defence. I really enjoy your videos and I think your pivot towards that is a good idea given it will refocus your days until you get back into flower harvest mode. I sell composting worms and I enjoyed your previous worm bin videos. I find my worm sales income tides me over (I'm a sculptor) during lean times. I breed them in a quality way, selling clean (from any other pest organisms) and feed them on hard feeds, rather than scraps or garden debris, so their bins are simply worms, bedding and feedstock. I decided to do it in an optimal way so my product is superior to most other local sellers. I can post them natiowide. Is there an option for you to do this as a side hustle? I sell 200gms worms for $25 NZ dollars and the demand is more than I can fill. It also helps in regard to worm farming chores being quite mediative to me. I never tire of doing my worm ranching tasks. Best of luck, you have all the skills to succeed!!
Keep making videos, Sarah! You’re an inspiration to us all!
Thank you for your honesty Sarah and looking forward to seeing you happy again ❤️
Sarah, you are stronger than you know. Your videos are so inspiring. I love how intuitively you grow and how you flow with life and its obstacles/challenges. Some days I sit and cry too. You are not alone. You bring beauty to this world and I am grateful for every single video! Sending you positive vibes snd prayers from the US. 💝
We have bunnies and they don't like strong scents. What I do in my perennial borders around our acre is a chop and drop method using onion chives, garlic scapes, oregano. Hen manure pellets also work for a bit at the beginning of the Season. I've thought of making a liquid concoction with these things and spray after it rains. What you really need is some Fox to move in. Glad to see you back on UA-cam. I love watching you fix and build things. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.
I love compost videos. I hate destructive rabbits. I am so sorry for your troubles but please carry on growing. We will always watch.
Yorkshire lasses never get beaten❤❤!
I live in the US Sarah, in southwest Kansas in what used to be the ‘Dust Bowl’. I have mice in my greenhouse too! Also grasshoppers by the thousands! This is my second year as a flower farmer, I really appreciate knowing someone else out there is struggling and I hope you won’t give up, you weren’t the first flower farmer I watched in order to start my tiny business. DON’T GIVE UP SARAH! You are so talented and work so hard! Most of the florists in my area order in flowers from all over the world and the flowers they use have no soul, you know what I mean? They have no idea how to arrange fresh-cut flowers that are beautiful and fragrant. I have my work cut out for me! Haha Take care and looking forward to seeing more videos. All the Best from Kansas
This year is rubbish, but I'm glad you're back!
Videos i want to see:
Exact recipe for soil blocking (if you still do it)
When to do certain tasks e.g. cutting back, biennial sowing
Anything about green manures
Anything about Korean natural farming
How you set up your course
What are your sales outlets and how did you build those?
How do you price your bouquets?
Thank you, thank you, thank you, though I'm gutted for you, it is sort of comforting to know that its not just me! I have a micro flower farm in the South East, doing subscriptions, diy buckets and bouquets. This year has been awful, I too have spent time sat on the kitchen floor crying this and I have been flower farming for 7 years as well. Even today, I was on the farm, thinking I'm working 24/7 here, and there is nothing to see! We seem to have had the same problems. Mice ate all my tulips and ranunculus, slugs took out first crop of sweet peas, and most of the first hardy annuals. Rabbits then got into my farm and destroyed 50% of my crop. I too am seriously debating whether its worth the stress, anxiety and disappointment. I really do hope you find someway to salvage the situation, or maybe another avenue will open up? Big hugs from one frustrated flower farmer to another.
What a bummer! Those pesky rabbits are no fun. So sorry to hear about the struggles this spring. You strike me as a very resilient person-hang in there, we are rooting for you. Best wishes for a better summer and fall season.
I am so sorry this has happened to you. How devastating! I appreciate your honesty and for sharing your thoughts with us. It was etremely useful to see what you are doing to mitigate these things. Personally, I swear by thick landscape fabric for weed control. We only need a certain amount of access to the soil for planting and feeding, but between rows, where the plants roots reach into, the soil does really well under the fabric. For me, it's like this soil is resting. It takes the pressure off me to weed and worry about the encrouchment of my neighbour's weeds and brambles into my garden. Farming is so challenging for many reasons, but you have had an awful run of bad luck. Don't give up Sweetie, you have so much fire in you and have come so far! This video has made me feel less alone about my own challenges and losses. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Sarah, don't give up. These things are sent to try us. Stop, take a step back and think of your previous years. This is just a blip, you can take breath and rectify issues and start fresh. You have grown a successful business and you will continue to be successful. Have Faith and confidence in yourself, you know you can do it ❤❤.
Would love a tour of your new workshop and all your lessons learned on building it
I was so happy to see your video "pop's up this morning. I can only imagine your disappointment after all your hard work only to have everything decimated by rabbits and other "critters". But you are strong, and smart, and you can do this. Don't give up😢😢. Your flowers and bouquets are just beautiful. As my grandad used to say, "Chin up girl". Keep making your honest, refreshing videos ❤
I´d love to see more "plant portraits" from seed/plugs, planting space, top or not, and harvest stage, cut´n come again or not, and exactly where to cut etc.
Hi Sarah this is my first year and omg I want to give up already. The slugs, pests, the weather its all just so heartbreaking. I will keep going though I will ...thank you for making me feel better and just to know im not alone really helps . Thank you x
I find I learn the most from challenges - and while it IS always lovely to watch you put your stunning bouquets together from the abundant rows of gorgeous flowers on your farm, I would LOVE to watch videos of you "trouble shooting" challenges with various flower crops! There are many channels of "everything is always great" flower farming content, but to be able to learn from an experienced farmer how to figure out a problem with certain crops or field - that would be amazing! You can still be your upbeat self and yet show us valuable content that isn't just the successful crops.
I was having trouble germinating several of my favorite cool flowers earlier this season and then I remembered back to a video you made a couple of yrs ago where you decided to see if you could get germination in a damp kitchen roll stored in a container with a lid. It worked and I was so thankful you can shown us there can be more than one way to germinate difficult seeds!
It may be more challenging to film struggles with a certain crop or field, but we are here for it! It's just real life in farming and what wisdom and experiences you choose to share, may help someone else overcome their challenges too!
Hi Sarah, just seen your latest video and have subscribed to your channel. You have a great thing going. This year has been a challenge for a lot of growers, whether it’s flower growers, allotment’s or other. There will be good seasons and bad but stick with it. You sound as though you have a great passion in what you do and wish to achieve in the future. And yes, the compost we produce is invaluable so produce as much as you can. We collect leaves in the autumn and nettles where possible. Might even be worth setting aside a small comfrey bed as a cut and compost crop or use to make a liquid feed! Just Growing.
Same here, nothing much growing from seed and those that manage to survive get eaten by slugs.
Too much rain, not enough light.
Fingers crossed for next year. 🤞🏼🥰🙏🏼
Hi Sarah, I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles this year. This has been a terrible year for wet, cold weather and slugs. My allotment where I grow flowers has had drainage problems and everything is flowering late. I don't have bunny problems and I can only imagine your heartache over that problem. Good luck with your remaining plants and don't give up.
So sorry you have suffered all these setbacks. I too would be weeping! This is your livelihood and I do hope things start to turn around for you. All commercial and home gardeners have suffered this year. Germination has been dreadful which I put down to the peat free compost. I practice no dig and certainly can’t afford top of the range peat free. Also on the allotment the bindweed has broken through all my beds so I am virtually back to square one. It’s not as easy as Charles Dowding makes out! All the very best for the future.
I'm glad you are ok. I was begining to worry. I've also had problems. Mostly with germination and I'm thinking it's a combination of things, in my situation. Apart from the weather, (vile here in the midlands) I've not been storing seeds properly I think, the birds are taking the direct sown seeds (those that have germinated) and the soil is not that brilliant. I also practise no dig (saves my back). But the veggies are also taking a long time. Those in the ground have been sulking or seem to be dying off. Peas have only just got going, and the courgettes that are left amy not produce anything. Oh well, I'm starting to plan for next year already! Chin up. We're all behind you!
You are strong. You are brilliant. You are lovely and your plants love you.
Don't give up!
Oh, the joys of farming, right?
I love all your videos. They are genuine and real and I feel like I know you because of this.
I'm sorry you are going through a tough time, but I know you will do what it takes to overcome your challenges. Chin up! Look ahead! You are already doing this, I know.
You inspire me to get my soil in better condition and to just get out there and love my plants.
Cheers ❤
I'm so sorry for all your current troubles. Even so, it's amazing to see what you've achieved in just 7 years.
I live in Boston US and rabbits this year have been horrible.
Good luck
So glad to see you back Sarah.I really missed your videos. Your bouquets are always so beautiful,you have a lovely style. Please don’t give up because you are so talented.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for sharing your recent video.
As you,Im a Yorkshire lass born & bred,now living in Gloucestershire with my Hubby.
My dream was to be a flower farmer, but chronic health and a cancer journey has made me chance directon to a much smaller scale of growing cut flowers and creating natural Christmas wreaths.
Im sending you a heartfelt hug,love and strength to help see through this challenging season
You have an amazing gift,
your have an inner strength,Yorkshire grit!!..
try and learn from these disheartened experiences.
You will work through this,work with mother nature's hand...
Look at other flower farmers and take on their ideas that may hekp.
Cloudberry flowers in Scotland, Catherine, I would recommend in getting in touch with.
Take care...
Breathe....
And please don't give up.
Love and hugs,
Judy X
I am so sorry to hear of your cut flower issues. I live in Alberta, Canada and have been wanting to do a cut flower business for years but I help my husband calve 100 cows in the spring so it is a real challenge to grow flowers at the same time. We've had a cold dry spring and then it started to rain and we had frost last night. I don't have any annuals out in the garden this year, thank God, as they would have all died due to the frost. I wish you the best of luck in the future. I enjoy your videos and hope you will endure. God speed!
Sorry to hear of your struggles. It's been a bad slug year for for my garden as well as poor seed germination. I've recently taken on a second allotment plot and plan to have cut flowers and vegetables in it. I would love future videos on a grow along theme and cut flower field plans. (I'm a poor judge of how big plants actually get and the spacing they need) Summer seems to be the time to sow biennuals and autumn for hardy annuals, so plenty to pick from. I also love your seed shopping videos and any clips which feature the animals.
Thank you so much for sharing your struggles. Like many of us lucky enough to have a garden it's the slugs are decimating my plants thick and fast. It's my first time growing attempting growing plants from seed and the slugs have managed to get into my greenhouses (tiny cheap plastic ones from Amazon) and cold frames. For me that's been devastating enough especially when they were so healthy! I can't imagine the heartbreaking devastation of all your hard work! I wonder if this brave and open view on UA-cam will enable the universe to shine a light on your beautiful dahlias to see you through. Thank you for being so open with us all, nature can be a beautiful thing but it can also be very cruel. I'm really grateful you've allowed us to see the realities of glower farming. Sending love ❤
Hi Sarah, keep a brave heart - you said yourself you are normally a positive person and you just have to keep on getting up again after the knockback. I am setting up a flower farm in SW France and I gotta say I would have thought the Yorkshire weather would have been your main enemy, but I guess I forgot about the animal world's need to survive. I'm enclosing an acre in 6 foot high deer fencing with chicken wire 2 feet high and 2 feet deep but I love the suggestion from amandaheron of laying it out under the grass maybe 6 feet wide. I think I'll do that as well. I just couldn't bear losing crop when it could have been mitigated. I also like what you've done with your access gates - great idea. I'm also going to put a trigger wire outside the deer fence 7 feet away and 5-6 feet high probably electrified, more expense but probably necessary. Really good luck with 2025. Philip from Gweek Nurseries or in France; La Pepiniere du Gwique
I'm so sorry to hear about the rabbit issues. They are such a pain. I love your positive attitude. I hope you find a strategy to save the plants.
Thanks Liz 😁
Please know your watchers and followers.Love you and whatever you need to do to be happy and satisfied is what you need to do. I'm sorry for the frustrating season but you are amazing.
Good to see you back online, and sharing your experience on UA-cam. It seems this year has been really hard with the cold, damp weather, and numerous pests.
Well done for concentrating on the positives, and reflecting with gratitude, something I wish I'd learnt years ago. You should also be aware of the joy you bring to others showing what you are achieving when many of us for one reason or another can not.
In terms of content, please can you update us on the worms?
It sounds like you have had a rough season! I feel bad for you. Thank you for sharing with us about it. I was so encouraged to hear that even after 7 years, you don't have everything figured out. Sometimes i watch flower farmer videos and it seems like everyone does everything perfectly and always gets tons of beautiful flowers. Then when I'm struggling i feel like i must not be as good at farming as everyone else and i get so so discouraged. This is only my second year.
My fences are not working to keep the deer the rabbits out either so I have resorted to spraying liquid fence on my plants especially at the beginning when they're still small. It's pretty expensive but if I can keep on top of it then I don't lose my plants to the rabbits and deer. The slugs are the bane of my existence! I just bought slug pellets and put them out last night for the first time, so I'm hoping that's going to help with my slug problem. I have an insane population of them.
I really enjoyed hearing how you were trying to prep that new field. I can't believe the horses got in there and broke the fence down. I would have sat on the floor and cried too. Keep your chin up! I really enjoy watching your videos. You're so cheerful and friendly.
Hi Sarah, Hope you have a better year! Best, Albert, SF, USA
Don’t worry - you’ve inspired me to try growing some flowers on my smallholding :-) PS I did the same planted rye and vetch .. I made two mistakes number one my supplier of rye turned out to be treated the seeds can you believe it …..so the seeds were efectively dead… and I planted a bit too late,……..lol I. Complete beginner so I’m getting experience as I go
My favourite video was your seed shopping video, loved the inspiration to try new varieties 💐 Would love videos on harvesting different varieties and bouquet making. 🌸 Sorry to hear about your season struggles, but thank you for keeping it real ❤
Please stay strong and post up the losses as well as the gains. What doesn't break you makes you and we can all learn from those losses. I live in the Yorkshire Wolds, but just grow cut flowers for myself and my friends who live in my village. I watch you because of your creativity, drive and you are not too far away. I also watch the Common Farm Flowers, but as that is in the home counties a different climate.
Perhaps this year you could set up a 'buy me a coffee' like the lady on there does and more flower arranging (when you get some flowers). Above all please don't give up as I love to watch you ❤❤❤
You truly are an amazing human, Sarah. I'm amazed at your resilience and positivity in adversity, and hope the remaining season is a good one. Looking forward to add'l soil health content.
Good to see you back. I’ve missed you. I love your channel.👍💚
Oh Sarah... you are amazing... your working with nature so there will be challenging times.
Stay focussed.
I completely understand! You are not alone.
I had a very busy spring to the point that I got really behind on seed sowing. Those that I did get started and in the ground experienced a flood and massive hail storm just a week after planting…. The deer have also been decimating everything, it’s been an all out war trying to keep them out! It’s sooo frustrating and I really just want to give up too, but I don’t know what else I’d do, so for now I’m just pressing on and hoping for the best! The last three years it was drought, now it’s flood and hail lol… gotta love it (and cry a little 😅)
I have been a long time watcher of your channel but this is my first time commenting. I have loved watching you dive into regenerative farming, a topic I care deeply about. What you experienced this season is devastating and I really don’t have any words for that. Please know that we are all rooting for you and that we need more of what you’re doing on UA-cam- with the worm farm, the cover cropping and building a sustainable farm. Sending you good vibes from across the pond!!
Dear sarah OH! what a cold awful wet beginning of summer? Lost my Box sculptured hedge to Boxcaterpillar, My climing roses black spot and mould, my miniture christmas tree went brown...lost. The lawn is patchy and looks dreadful, can totally identify with wanting to give up on gardening but Heh Ho just ordered some Astrantia and Echanacea and new pots if this all goes belly up I will cry!!Best Wishesxxx☺
Absolutely heartbreaking, after so much work too. but u are incredible! 🎉So inspiring and keeping it real 😊 Thanks for sharing everything that’s going on and i love your plans. What a terrible season it’s been so far. Everyone is saying that right. Fingers crossed for a better year ahead ❤
Hi Sarah, sending good vibes from New England!! Fellow flower farmer for over 14 years. The only silver lining in these tough years is leaning into the loss and learning the lesson. 💗 You got this!!! Keep your chin up!!!!
Sarah I just want to give you a big hug. ❤Your sad face and your voice. 🥀Looked for you week after week worried but left you alone. You are so clever and such a wonderful young lady who grows beautiful flowers in the best soil. Very clever. There are so many here who have your back. ❤️including me. But you have to take time for you. We will all wait - no pressure. xxxxx
Your videos have been my favorites since I started growing flowers and wanting to be a flower farmer. You have been a huge inspiration and sharing your struggles makes you an even bigger inspiration. This is only my second year and I too have been bombarded with pests. I quit on a regular basis then something makes me keep going the next day. I feel your pain on a much smaller flower garden scale. Hard work and all the many dreams are very hard to see destroyed but you have too much knowledge and ambition and talent to let go. I believe your struggles will lead you down an even better path…keep dreaming and all your fans will keep watching!
Oh dear, this is really a hard loss. Feeling sad for you.
Keep up the great work, next year will be better.
Honestly I layed out poison because of rats and voles eating too much of my vegetables and compost worms. There is also pressure from deers who ate all my strawberries including the leaves last years. It might even happen that hungry wild boars break into the garden. Am growing a lot in protected containers now.
Plants and money were stolen from my trust flower stand.
This June is extremely cold here and we had several nights with temperature minima of 4 degrees celsius.
A challenging year for farmers and gardeners.
Love and greetings from Germany.
Hi flower friend! I'm a 3rd year flower farmer in USA, GA. I just wanted to say I love watching you and I have learned a lot from your content. Thanks for sharing with us all! I feel very discouraged at times too, I think it's just part of this type of industry! I would love to see how you make some vase arrangements!
❤ LOVE ❤ watching you harvest and make bouquets!your bouquet making videos could be a master class for content perfection!!
We do our own mix now and working very well. We do a mix of horse poo, soil conditioner from the tip and sand, its been spot on for us.
It's great to see you back and your positivity is what is going to get you through. I'm a florist and on the verge of moving (also a very difficult process!) and I hope to start growing flowers as soon as I can. I love all your flowery content but I reckon information around preparing beds, no dig, soil health etc would be really useful for me. Keep going 👍
I think the wire mesh fence is a great option. The bunnies will split plastic fencing and dig or hop over low netting. The cost upfront will pay dividends later.
Don't give up! I think starting a business is like planting a fruit tree, you won't get any true harvests until a few years have passed, but it is well worth the wait! You're doing awesome!
Just found you because you were on my homepage. I didn't even know you *could* do this as a business. Super lovely (but obviously very difficult) job!
(I was trying to super-chat this but I think you have to enable that first 👀)
Hello Sarah from the USA. I have gained so much knowledge and inspiration by you from building compost and improving soil health and of course growing flowers. Your flower bouquets are gorgeous, plentiful and may I say highly under priced. I am so sorry to hear of your troubles this spring. Losing that many plants is so discouraging! I can’t grow a sunflower to save my life. They are eaten in doors and out by mice and chipmunks. I don’t have rabbits but deer o deer and slugs. Hang in there. Your videos are great because you share so much of your growing journey with fellow growers. Despite my short zone 4 hardiness zone I still tell myself ‘don’t give up’ because I have to grow. Looking forward to more videos.
Hi Sarah,
I too have been experiencing a rabbit problem in our garden this year in Shropshire, we can see them but are struggling to catch them as they have all my nice plants to eat and won’t go into the trap! It annoying for me but when it’s your business it must be devastating, I hope you can recover from it. I love watching your videos as they have inspired me to try lots of new things and I very much hope you will keep going. Every year has its ups and downs, I’ve learnt that you never really crack gardening as every year brings new challenges, best wishes for the rest of the year, I look forward to lots more videos,
Jenny
Oh Sarah it’s a terrible year but mine is hobby not my living I do have a business for 31 years and it’s tough for different reasons but for what it’s worth clearly your a
Grafter I did one video and had help and I know how much work it involves so thank you for your honesty and sharing. I love your bouquets. I love growing flowers and I feel so sorry that you’ve had such a tough time.recently I wish you all the best and hope you have no further disasters or setbacks , I really enjoy your videos so thank you but I’m sure in years to come you will be able to just view this as one of the rubbish years and I wish you many many prosperous years in the future
Thank you I have missed your content. Keep going
Good to see you’re back - so sorry this season has been so tough! I’d echo what others have said and say that I appreciate seeing the challenges as well as the good stuff. I know you haven’t asked for any advice so feel free to disregard the following but I just wanted to throw a few things out there in case you hadn’t considered them/ or were still considering options. I know how frustrating it can be ☹️ we had such a thrip problem this season it ruined most of my summer crop.
We’ve also had a terrible time with rabbits this year too- we found the best thing was to knock back the population a bit .. sounds rough I know, but they breed so quickly and don’t regulate their own population like say hares do. We also used a natural spray on our tree seedlings which worked extremely well. Might be something similar in the UK that could be useful? In terms of fencing, I’ve seen people make a ‘skirt’ out of the netting so kind of bending it in an L shape - that way they can’t dig down through the netting. Also maybe a hot wire for the horses?? Re the recouping the flowers side - would buying wholesale from local farmers to create your bouquets work? Probably less profit but would you could keep your customers happy? I also found out sunflowers can take a -3.5 degree frost … so might still be good later in the season if you can get them re-sown now? 50-60 day turn around for Vincent’s choice variety and most pro cuts are similar. Hope you find a way to salvage the season ❤
So sorry to hear about these struggles. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing the hard stuff with us. Don't give up Sarah. The amazing things happen right after the times when you think you can't go on and want to give up.
Get a box of tissues, rent the movie "Biggest Little Farm", and have some good cries. Then get yourself up, get back at it and think of some ways to solve the problems! We are all here cheering you on 😊. The world needs more people like you who are soil advocates, curious, and like to figure things out. You are so talented and I love your floral design style. Can't wait to see more videos, of the failures and when you are drowning in gorgeous blooms soon. The good, bad and ugly ❤
I totally understand. My nemesis are groundhogs. Bunnies and deers too, but anywhere they can get, groundhogs can too. Sometimes the critters can really mess up our plans and knock the joy right out of us. Hang in there!
I always love to see you picking flowers and making bouquets, they are beautiful and satisfied to watch !
Hey Sarah! Last year was the first time I planted some flowers- only a small amount because I had only planted vegetables. I’ve watched your videos, some I have watched multiple times, all last year and over the winter in NY. I knew this year I would need to do something big inspired by the varieties you choose for your bouquets. Early in the spring I started several seedlings indoors and at the end of May I ended up planting about 2,000 flower seedlings in my garden! I look for your videos as inspiration in what I want to do. I hope you are able to get back on track and keep going! 😊
Hi Sarah, so good to see you again. Your honesty is much appreciated and you absolutely should keep going. You have been such an inspiration to me and I’ve learned so much. You are a brilliant role model. Keep going, this too shall pass, sunshine and bountiful blooms on the other side. Take care . Fiona 🥰
No you can't give up! Your My favourite flower channel by far. Everything seems off this year since floods i swear all the nasties have trebled ive currently got billions of big black slugs literally covering 7 acres and i have no way of getting rid of them, plus today i found out my ground has fungus gnats which are biting me, my horses and larvae potentially trying to eat everything. Today i questioned if im putting time and money into the right places and there was a conversation about selling up and moving to south west 😂but i dont mean it, there's always a solution
OMGOSH!! I so feel for you! I love your channel so keep making videos and don't give up ok!!
So pleased to see your return, sorry to hear of your difficult season so far. Good to hear you making new plans and looking forward, you’ve learnt so much during this trying time. I struggle with compost, so look forward to you sharing this . The flowers will come again, you have such a wonderful style that we all enjoy. Best wishes from Australia.
Oh Sarah it has been such a difficult start to the year, slugs, wet, cold, limited hours, I don’t have a rabbit problem but I can identify with everything else and in a strange way it is reassuring to see that you still have lots to plant out too (i am also nervous about the massive slug rave ups we are having) they are eating everything! When I started my cut flower journey 4 years ago your videos were the first I came across and I was inspired and reassured by your honest and open approach and here you are still sharing your knowledge despite the setbacks ❤ We are all rooting for you and hope the season gets better x
glad to see you back Sarah. I love your positive attitude to what is really a disastrous start to the season. I am growing for my nephew's wedding ( small scale compared to you and thankfully not my income source) and the weather has seen to a very slow and pest ridden start to the season. its frustrating at best! I will look forward to your beatiful bouquets later in the season with what you manage to grow. I welcome the idea of compost making information and tests and would be great to get your take on the best way to make compost on a small scale for those of us who are gardeners with cutting patches rather than flower farmers. im sure whatever you post will be interesting and educational. good luck. x
Hope things are slightly better for you. Blessings to you.
Thanks for sharing the gritty side of flower farming too. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows for sure. Sorry for all of your efforts being demolished 😢
So good to see you post again and so so sorry to hear that your seedlings were eaten! For content, I would love to hear what watering system do you use? the wind is really drying out my seedlings once planted out😕
So lovely to see you back xx how about some slug videos? I hear some slugs dont eat living plants(not sure I believe it!). Also could you investigate some repellent methods. Eg garlic water, grapefruit, beer traps, copper tape. Do they work? Hang in there!!! My zinnias are getting munched as I put them in!! Xx
We missed you!! So glad you're ok, but hate that the bunnies have been such a pain this year!!! Looking forward to your new content
It’s great to see you back Sarah! It’s hard doing any kind of farming and flower farming is no exception. (Fellow UK flower farmer here) The flowers will come and hopefully after a bad start it will be a good end. You can chat about anything to do with the farm and we’ll be watching and listening. 🌸
So I found your videos last year and felt totally inspired. Just your style of bouquets and how they had a rustic beauty to them. It made me want to try my hand at growing some. I’ve been gardening for years and years but never really thought about growing cutting type flowers. I’ve made a few bouquets for my home and am working on setting up a little roadside stand in the coming weeks. It’s really just for fun and to bring others joy. Don’t be too hard on yourself. As someone who’s primarily grown food for a long time, every single season is different with its own wins and defeats. Learn from the challenges and keep going. ❤
I’m so sorry it’s been such a rough time for you. It can certainly be demoralizing. I’m so impressed by your determination to be positive. But I’m glad you’re also letting yourself feel sad about the situation. You deserve all the best and I’m wishing you much success for the rest of the season!
Sarah so sorry for the loss of your plants. I've been fighting pesky rabbits in my garden too. I'm just a home gardener and can only imagine the devastation you are feeling. Hoping next year will be better for you. Bonny, Canada
Hi Sarah, my heart breaks for you. It’s crushingly disappointing when this happens. I’m in Australia and the rabbits and quenda did the same to me a few years ago. We put up a fence with an external skirt (about 45cm worth). It was a game changer. The rabbits go up to the fence to dig and fail. I learnt this tactic from a sanctuary I volunteered at. It kept rabbits and foxes out there. Perhaps worth a try. In the meantime, running growing workshops for keen beginners/flower gardeners might bring some income in for you. People love getting face to face experience. Good luck. ❤
I hope you find a solution for your rabbit issue, glad you are getting a fridge to keep your seeds cool/constant. Wishing you better times ahead.
Hello Sarah, I would love to hear more of your farm animals. Wishing you the best moving forward ❤
I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles. I planted phacelia in spring in an area that needed some weed suppression, and the bees are loving it.