So much more is possible for local KC flowers
The international floral trade Information resources Flowers to grow The KC market
www.bluemorningglory.com About you ● Veggie/market grower who wants to add flowers ● Neighbor who supports Cultivate KC ● Flower lover ● Flower gardener who wants to expand ● Flower grower ● Other
www.bluemorningglory.com Assumptions ● This is a mixed crowd of neighbors, friends, gardeners, local food supporters, beginning growers and some professional growers. ● You’re really interested in flowers …
What I’ll talk about ● Overview of the worldwide floral industry. ● What I consider the best information resources. ● Some key flowers to grow, categorized. ● Observations about the KC market & my dream for it.
Won’t cover ● Hoophouses, row cover, soil amendments, soil blocks and other specifics of growing. ● Floral design.
www.bluemorningglory.com About us ● Blue Morning Glory focuses on custom wedding and event work in KC-Lawrence area ● Boutique flower farm, about 1.5 acres in production ● Slow build, bootstrapped business ● Near-future plans: Design workshops, gardening/small-scale growing workshops, holiday pop-up shops, farm tours & events, possible bucket subscription Kirsten ● Gardening seriously and flower-obsessed since grade school ● All high school and college jobs in horticulture ● Editor of national floral trade magazine, 1990-1994 ● Part of the research team that established the KU Native Medicinal Plant Research Garden ● 25 years in communications www.bluemorningglory.com
The international floral trade
Just the basics
www.bluemorningglory.com Journey of a flower
Royal FloraHolland, formerly Flower Auction Aalsmeer
Colombia
Source: https://research.rabobank.com/far/en/sectors/regional-food-agri/world_floriculture_map_2016.html
Valentine’s Day (the perfect storm, the perfect time to talk about the trade)
● One of the largest floral holidays of the year; high consumer expectations. (Is it about love—or sales? “If I don’t, she’ll be mad.”)
● Symbol of red roses (is it about love—or trained consumers?)
● Flowers coming from all over the world (carbon footprint).
● Wholesale florists and retail florist stockpiling red and pink roses, etc., for weeks (freshness).
● Winter season in North America affects availability, shipping conditions, costs (out of season).
www.bluemorningglory.com Should we buy flowers for Valentines’ Day?
www.bluemorningglory.com Journey of a flower
Breeder or seed company Grower (e.g., Colombia) Truck to airport (e.g., Netherlands) Truck from airport to auction (Aalsmeer, Holland) Next country/customs Next country/customs
Truck/plane to national Truck from airport to distributor wholesale house (e.g., Miami, New York) (e.g., Los Angeles)
Regional wholesale florist or supermarket Retail florist End user warehouse or supermarket
Number of days in transit? Without water. Longest route possible vs. shortest route possible Shortest route possible
Local grower
Regional wholesale Retail florist Flower market florist or supermarket or supermarket warehouse
Via farmers market End user or direct
Cities with flower markets in the U.S.: New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Twin Cities http://seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com/ https://www.tcflowerexchange.com/ Wholesale florist vs. flower market
● Part of conventional/traditional ● Unusual system ● Privately or cooperatively owned ● Privately owned ● Imported flowers or locally-grown or ● All or mostly imported flowers combo
● Sells only to retail florists ● Sells to retail florists and the public
www.bluemorningglory.com
https://research.rabobank.com/far/en/sectors/regional-food- agri/world_floriculture_map_2016.html
How about flowers grown in the U.S.?
www.bluemorningglory.com Source: “A Flower-Farming Renaissance: America’s Slow Flower Movement,” Modern Farmer magazine, March 28, 2016 | https://modernfarmer.com/2016/03/slow-flowers/ Source: “A Flower-Farming Renaissance: America’s Slow Flower Movement,” Modern Farmer magazine, March 28, 2016 | https://modernfarmer.com/2016/03/slow-flowers/ What’s important in a flower?
To you?
www.bluemorningglory.com What’s important in a flower?
To a grower/breeder/distributor? ● Shape of flower for efficient packing ● Durability ● Vase life
To a retail florist? ● Ease of use in design ● Vase life
www.bluemorningglory.com Imported flowers Beautiful imported flowers & possibly some local Locally-grown flowers Information resources Books
The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, Lynn Byczynski
The Flower Farmer's Year: How to Grow Cut Flowers for Pleasure and Profit, Georgie Newbery
Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long-Blooming Hardy Annual Flowers Using Cool Weather Techniques, Lisa Mason Ziegler
The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, Eliot Coleman
The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep- Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses, Eliot Coleman Books cont.
The Lean Farm: How to Minimize Waste, Increase Efficiency, and Maximize Value and Profits with Less Work, Ben Hartman
Specialty Cut Flowers: The Production of Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs, and Woody Plants for Fresh and Dried Cut Flowers, Allan M. Armitage and Judy M. Laushman
Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms, Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai
The Flower Workshop: Lessons in Arranging Blooms, Branches, Fruits, and Foraged Materials, Ariella Chezar with Julie Michaels
Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful, Amy Stewart Farmer-florist Instagram feeds
Floret (Erin Benzakein): @floretflower
Love ‘n Fresh Flowers (Jennie Love): @lovenfreshflowers
Erika Stephens: @junesblooms
Little Boy Flowers (Angie Tomey): @littleboyflowers
Green and Gorgeous (Rachel Siegfried): gandgorgeousflowers
Field of Roses (Zoey Fields): @field0froses
www.bluemorningglory.com Blogs, websites, videos, memberships
Floret website and blog: www.floretflowers.com
Floret online workshop: www.floretflowers.com/workshops/online-workshop/
Johnny’s Selected Seeds website, section on flowers: www.johnnyseeds.com/flowers/
Slow Flowers: https://slowflowers.com/
Debra Prinzing blog: http://www.debraprinzing.com/
ASCFG (Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers): http://www.ascfg.org/
Alison Ellis/Real Flower Business: YouTube videos Favorite sources for seeds, bulbs, etc. (if you don’t have a retail license)
Flower seeds: Johnny’s Selected Seeds: www.johnnyseeds.com/flowers/
Bulbs (Van Engelen): https://www.vanengelen.com/
Dahlia tubers (Swan Island): https://www.dahlias.com/
Native perennials (Missouri Wildflowers Nursery): http://mowildflowers.net/
There are many other sources, but these can get you a long way. What to grow
www.bluemorningglory.com Categories of flowers
I. Cool-season annuals: 1. Grow out in July & August, plant in September & early October 2. Direct-sow in September & early October & 3. Grow out in January & February, plant in March 4. Direct-sow in February
Favorites: Direct-sow: Larkspur, nigella, bupleurum Grow indoors and plant out: Yarrow, snapdragon, matricaria, rudbeckia, foxglove, ornamental carrot
www.bluemorningglory.com
Categories of flowers
II. Early spring-planted annuals: Grow out January-March, plant March & April
Favorites: Eucalyptus, scabiosa, yarrow, snapdragon, eryngium, Ammi majus & Ammi visnaga
III. Late spring-planted annuals: 1. Grow out February-April, plant after date of last frost 2. Direct-sow after frost
Favorites: Celosia, gomphrena, statice, amaranth
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Categories of flowers
IV. Warm-season annuals: Direct-sow after date of last frost
Favorites: Zinnias (Benary’s Giant, Queen series, Oklahoma series), cosmos, broom corn
V. Bulbs, corms, tubers 1. Fall-planted for spring bloom (some naturalize as perennials) 2. Spring-planted for summer bloom
Favorites: Narcissus, snowdrops, double tulips (treat as annual), dahlias
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Categories of flowers
VI. Perennials: 1. Plant tubers and large pots in fall 2. Plant small plugs in spring to establish (fall plants vulnerable to frost-heave)
Favorites: Peonies, mints (be careful); Lavender ‘Phenomenal’, native species (mountainmints, rudbeckias, goldenrods)
VII. Shrubs 1. Plant in fall or spring
Favorites: Thornless blackberry, caryopteris, viburnums
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Growing flowers is expensive and labor-intensive.
Do not underprice your flowers and undercut the market.
Or everyone loses.
www.bluemorningglory.com The Kansas City market for cut flowers
www.bluemorningglory.com The Kansas City-area market
Everyday indulgences: ● Coffee ● Bread ● Chocolate ● But not flowers
When people buy flowers: ● Weddings ● Funerals ● Valentine’s Day ● Mother’s Day ● Graduation ● Farmers Market ● When they feel obligated ● When they get an experience out of it—Farmers market or agritourism Wholesale florist vs. flower market
● Part of conventional/traditional ● Unusual system ● Privately or cooperatively owned ● Privately owned ● Imported flowers or locally-grown or ● All or mostly imported flowers combo
● Sells only to retail florists ● Sells to retail florists and the public A flower market in Kansas City
● Cooperatively-owned by local growers
● Centrally located
● Entirely or mostly locally-grown product
● Sells to retail florists on regular days then opens to the public
● Hosts regular events that are open to the public
● Opens people’s eyes to a whole idea about flowers
● People buy flowers the way they buy bread, coffee, chocolate
● Foodies feel as passionate about flowers
● The most beautiful weddings are done with local flowers
● People seek out local flowers as gifts www.bluemorningglory.com