Late-season superstars: heirloom chrysanthemums from propagation to sale with Kate Dagnal of Goose Creek Gardens in Pennsylvania

Heirloom chrysanthemums fill an important role for local growers- as very late bloomers they can be one of the last flowers in the fall to keep cash flow going after others have succumbed to the cold. Our guest this week, Kate Dagnal of Goose Creek Gardens, grows thousands of bouquets every year for grocery stores, and heirloom chrysanthemums are the anchor flower she uses to finish out the season. In this interview we go deep on everything you need to know to grow great heirloom chrysanthemums, including propagation, growing, harvesting and postharvest.We discuss why new varieties of mums aren’t being sold in the US (thus the term “heirloom”) and some important differences mums have from other flowers- they need to be propagated from cuttings, and day length is what triggers them to bloom. Heirloom mums come in a wide range of shapes and colors- from big focal flowers to delicate sprays- so they can play many different roles in late season design work. They also have excellent vase life if handled properly- listen to this week’s interview for everything from how to propagate, what stage to harvest, how much frost protection they need, how to handle after harvest, favorite varieties and more! Connect With Guest:Website: goosecreekgardens.comInstagram: @goosecreekgardens Free companion article:All about chrysanthemums by Rebecca Kutzer-Rice from Growing for Market MagazineHuge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: This episode is brought to you by Tend, the all-in-one, AI-powered farm management platform trusted by modern growers. Tend helps you cut through the busywork, so you can focus on growing and selling what matters. With Tend, you can plan your crops, assign and track tasks, manage inventory, and handle your sales and accounting, all in one smart, easy-to-use platform. Whether you run a 1-acre farm or manage a large operation, Tend adapts to your scale and style, supporting everything from manual labor to fully mechanized workflows. Try it for free at Tend.com, no credit card required. Farmhand is the virtual assistant built for farmers—helping CSAs scale sales, run error-free fulfillment, and deliver 5-star service. Whether you’re at 100 members or 1,000, Farmhand helps you grow without burning out. You’ve heard us—and our farmers—right here on the Growing for Market Podcast. Explore more stories and learn more at farmhand.partners/gfm. Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.com. BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that’s tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure -- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more. There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there’s only one that’s cooperatively owned by farmers. That’s GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, at grownby.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial