Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County will be offering a three-part workshop series taught by Betsy Busche of Spongetta's Garden in West Winfield, NY. The workshops will be held via Zoom, and links will be sent via email prior to the event. You can register for each individually for $10 using the links in the descriptions below.
August 10 - Fall Planting for June Flowers
The secret to field grown flowers in Upstate New York in June is to plant them now. Learn which annuals, biennials and perennials make good candidates for wintering over. We will discuss how to plant them and protect them. This is includes a close look at hardy annual varieties including dianthus, canterbury bells, foxglove, snapdragon, bupleurum, feverfew, columbine, delphinium, yarrow, veronica and larkspur.
August 17 - Profitable Market Bouquets
Anyone can go out to the garden and make a bouquet, but it takes planning and efficiency to create dozens, or hundreds, of mixed bouquets every week at a price point we can live on. This session is as much about flower choice as it is tips and tricks to make this process easier. Most of us have had the revelation at some point that we are selling too large of bouquets for way too little money, so we will break down our recipes by stem and price point. Garden planning is crucial so you have enough of everything you need, including the elusive fillers. Finally we will discuss customer perception, packaging and color theory.
August 24 - Harvesting Flowers for Longest Vase Life
Every single flower variety has different needs so when it comes to cutting, it can get very confusing. A sunflower harvested just as the petals are lifting off the face is going to last twice as long because the pollinators have not found it yet. But a zinnia cut before the stem stiffens will immediately bend over. We will delve into groups of flowers, breaking down when and how to harvest. Learn how to do a vase test, establish cleaning protocols and the ins and outs of flower food.
Betsy Busche grows her flowers on multiple properties totaling just under an acre. She sells her bouquets through multiple outlets including a CSA, farmer’s market, retail stores, and directly from her home studio. She also offers arrangements and bulk flower buckets for events such as weddings and parties.