Flower plug and propagation trends with Bailey Hale of Farmer Bailey plug and plant brokers

When he was running Ardelia Farm in Vermont, Bailey Hale found that many trending flower varieties were not available in quantities market farmers could use, or available at all, which led him to start brokering orders with other growers. In this interview, we hear about how that business grew until Farmer Bailey plant brokerage became the full-time business and moved to Portugal. Bailey tells us how his background as a floral designer and farmer helps him spot new varieties that will become important for flower growers.  Bailey and host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice of Moonshot Farm discuss why growers are trying more fall planting of bulbs, what to start from seed and what to use plugs for, and thoughts on plug sizing. They also talk about coming developments in ranunculus, nigella, campanula, evergreen campanula, and dahlia breeding, including winter dahlias. They also talk about Bailey’s sweet peas and methods for growing them, and what they would do if they were starting over. Rebecca’s article from the May Growing for Market Magazine came up during the interview, so we linked it here if you want to read about “Strategies for reducing plant input costs on flower farms.” Connect With Guest: Website: farmerbailey.com Instagram: @farmerbaileyplugs Read the article “Strategies for reducing plant input costs on flower farms” by host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice from the May 2026 Growing for Market Magazine Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: 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. If you grow for market, you know performance is everything. That’s why so many farmers are turning to Burpee’s Farmers Market. Dedicated to professional growers, Burpee is now offering non-GMO seeds in larger quantities – bred and selected for standout flavor, strong yields, and the kind of visual appeal your customers crave. Burpee’s been doing this for 150 years, and they’re still creating new varieties with growers like you in mind. You can check out the full lineup at Burpee.com/FarmersMarket. 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. For more on veg and flower market farming, subscribe to Growing for Market Magazine!