THE PEONY COURSE is a self-paced digital course that teaches you how to successfully grow - and sell - peonies

Want to learn to grow a crop that provides residual income for decades? How about a perennial that’s beginner-friendly, low-maintenance, drought tolerant, and pest- and disease resistant? Could a valuable bloom coveted everywhere from high-end weddings to roadside farm stands benefit your business?

Peonies provide all of this. Plus, they’re arguably one of the most beautiful (and fragrant) flowers on the planet.

 

You’ve heard it before: Get your perennials in first!

Maybe you haven’t had the time, or aren’t sure how to get the best return on your investment. Or maybe you’re looking to expand your collection, learn proper care & maintenance, and discover which varieties to grow for your market.

As farmers and florists, we work long and hard, and the to-do list is never quite finished. Consider this: a dependable perennial cash crop like peonies can make your life easier for years to come.

Peonies are not only an investment in your business, but in your future.

How to grow peonies as cut flowers

PEONIES

Provide cut flower growers with residual income for decades

 

Stem Production

Average number of stems per plant for highly productive peony varieties (Source: Tanglebloom production records, 2015 to 2023)
 

Price per stem ($USD)

High quality peony stems: Average price by market (Source: Brides, A Glossary of Wedding Flowers by Season, 2/28/2023)
 

Course Content

  • Learn how peonies can benefit your flower businesses’ bottom line for decades. Learn the differences between the three categories of peonies and discover which will make the best cut flowers for your farm or flower program.

  • How to select, design, and prepare your peony patch or field for optimal production and ease of maintenance. Learn the infrastructure, implements, and tools needed for your site, soil, and growing zone.

  • Learn step-by-step peony root planting, plus our seasonal maintenance schedule. We’ll also look at the most common pests and diseases that could harm your plants - and how to deal with them. Soil, amendments, fertilizer, water needs: we’ll cover it all!

  • Learn proper harvest stage and techniques; post-harvest handling; short and long term storage solutions; plus how to ensure the longest vase life for your customers

  • Explore detailed plant profiles for our top 20 tested peony varieties for cutting. We’ll cover workhorses, lesser known varieties, and the best designer types. Learn how to select varieties for various design applications and sales outlets.

  • In this module we’re sharing everything we know about varieties gaining popularity and new introductions (think the ‘Cafe au Lait’ of peonies!). Find out where to source them and how to work them into your program.

  • Learn where to source peony roots at wholesale pricing for cut flower production, plus ordering schedules and procedures. We’ll cover trusted sources for both large and small orders.

    Need wholesale peony stems for design work while your patch matures? We’ll share our favorite quality sources for wholesale peonies and how to get started buying wholesale.

  • In this module we’re covering a topic that’s rarely discussed amongst small peony growers: How to build your own peony stock. Learn everything you need to know to start building your own stock for expansion, breeding, nursery sales, or trialing new and rare varieties.

  • Where are you going to sell all those gorgeous peonies? Let’s develop your plan!

    Learn how to:

    • choose the right sales channels

    • find your ideal clients

    • launch & sell your offerings

    • diversify your income with agritourism

    Selling is a topic that’s rarely covered in depth in floral industry courses and it’s arguably the most important part. After all, if you aren’t making money from the flowers you grow — you have an expensive hobby, not a business.

    What we want is a profitable, sustainable business, so let’s get down to it! I believe, whole-heartedly, that the Sales & Marketing modules alone are worth the price of this course.

  • Download our printable workbooks on GROWING and SELLING peonies with sample workflows, checklists, how-to guides and more! These guides will save you hours of work, and become easy references for care, maintenance, and marketing that you’ll turn to time and time again.

  • Join our private members-only forum (Facebook Group) to ask questions, receive support, and enjoy networking with other cold-climate flower growers just like you.

  • Join our seasonal Q&A sessions (via Zoom) to get your questions answered, plus special presentations on topics you’re interested in, like selling to florists. Sessions are recorded, replays are available, and students may submit questions in advance.

 

Hey flower friend,

I’m Melissa, founder of TANGLEBLOOM.

Over the last 10 years I started Vermont’s first flower CSA, made thousands of bouquets, designed dozens of weddings, & spread joy with donated stems. I help farmers & florists like you create beauty and a sustainable business as a Certified Life & Business Coach and floral educator.

Plus, I grow hundreds of peonies (no surprises there, right?), research perennials, engage in agritourism, and advocate for small farmers.

I can’t wait to help you make residual income for decades growing one of the most popular - and low maintenance - flowers on Earth.

 

What students are saying…

Melissa, I am sending a quick note to tell you how helpful and meaningful this course has been for me. You are gracious, kind, knowledgeable and so thoughtful in your course, email exchanges and posts. I am so grateful I found this course. Thank you for it all!
— Christine, retired RN & peony grower, Maine
Started your course today! You have a great voice and cadence for teaching. The course seems really well set up, and it’s exactly what anyone new to growing peonies commercially would want to know.
— Brooke, Jenny Creek Flowers, New York
Love the content, amazing! Thanks for the support.
— Monica

“When I found this course I felt drawn to it, and it has been worth the investments of money and time. I wanted to round out my business plan and create better work-life balance.”

- Celia, RN and flower farmer, Arizona

How to grow peonies for cut flower production

“She’ll answer any question with sincerity and patience. It’s clear that Melissa truly aims to help you succeed.”

- Sydney, Top Blossom Farm, Maine

How to grow and sell peonies

She’s an absolute expert on the start to finish process of raising the most coveted flowers in the design world, and also an excellent business woman who is sure to help you refine and reach your goals, work efficiently, and be more satisfied on your flower journey. ”

- Amber, Ediflorial, Minnesota

FAQ:

  • The Peony Course is designed for flower farmers, farmer-florists, part-time growers, diversified farms, professional gardeners, and floral designers who are interested in successfully growing and selling their own cut flower peonies.

    We consider “small scale” to be up to 3000 plants in production, but the majority of our students have, or are planning for, 50-500 plants. Growers might be in their first few years of farming, planning a new business, a part-time specialty producer, or an experienced grower looking to specialize or add a perennial peony crop to their program.

    Our current students include beginner flower farmers; experienced farmers adding peonies to their program; diversified vegetable, berry, and orchard operations; farmer-florists; part-time growers and designers; stay-at-home parents, and those starting a peony retirement project.

  • Two things set this course apart from anything else:

    1. Focus on Sales & Marketing

      Most courses emphasize growing methods and gloss over sales and marketing. As flower farmers with a decade+ of experience, we know selling is the hard part. We want you to have a solid plan for selling your peonies and teach you all about this in Part II: Sales and Marketing.

    2. Sustainability in business and life

      We know how important it is to grow flowers sustainably. But what about our business as a whole? Our lives? Peonies provide many benefits that help create better balance as a flower grower. The Peony Course weaves balance building strategies throughout its content and empowers you to consider your business values and desired lifestyle.

    Our goal is a course that will become your go-to resource for everything you need related to peony production and flower sales. Something you’ll reference for years to come, with access to all course improvements and updates, for the life of the course.

    We’re sharing our approaches that save time, money, energy, and stress - because you deserve a life as beautiful as the flowers you grow.

  • Peony cut flower production is recommended for cold climates. Peonies grow best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-7, sometimes 8. Our farm is located in Zone 5 Vermont. Find your US hardiness zone. Find your Canadian hardines zone.

  • The course is arranged in two parts: Growing and Selling. Each part is organized into modules as described in the Course Content above. Each module contains recorded video content you can work through at your own pace. Lessons are <30 minutes so you can learn in easy-to-digest portions, with over 4 hours of video total.

    Some modules will also include demonstration videos.

    A downloadable & printable workbook includes supplementary content like checklists, schedules, how-to instructions, reference guides, and worksheets to use in your business.

    Members also receive access to our private forum for questions, support and networking and Live Group Sessions (via Zoom) for Q&A which are recorded and available for replay.

    All future course updates & improvements are available to members at no extra charge.

    You get instant access to all course content when you sign up!

  • The Peony Course is currently priced at $699 USD with payment plans available. We accept all major credit and debit cards and PayPal.

 
 
 

Videography by Haptic Pictures LLC, Photography by Krystina Olsen Studio, Music by Brendan Taaffe