Specialty Cut Flower Production ATTRA and Marketing A Publication of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service • 1-800-346-9140 • www.attra.ncat.org

By Janet Bachmann Specialty cut fl ower production has the potential to increase income for both small and large farms. NCAT Agriculture This publication discusses several marketing channels and lists fl owers suitable for various markets. It Specialist covers production basics, harvest and postharvest handling, business planning and record keeping, © NCAT 2006 and resources for further information. Special thanks to the many cut fl ower growers around the country for their contributions to this publication, and to Judy M. Laushman, Executive Direc- tor of the Association of Spe- cialty Cut Flower Growers, Inc., for reviewing it. Contents Introduction Introduction ...... 1 nvironmentally sound production tech- What Should I Grow? .... 2 niques, increased farm diversifi cation, Markets ...... 3 Eand increased farm income are basic Production Basics ...... 10 parts of sustainable farming systems. Spe- Harvest and cialty cut fl ower production and marketing Postharvest ...... 16 offers both small- and large-scale growers a Summary ...... 21 way to increase the level of sustainability on References ...... 22 their farms. The tremendous variety of plants Further Resources ...... 22 that can be grown as cut fl owers allows grow- ers to choose those which are well-adapted to the farm site and grown without large off- site inputs. This variety also makes diversity in both production and marketing possible. And the high value of specialty cut fl owers can increase farm income. The phrase “specialty cut fl ower” originally referred to all species other than carnations, chrysanthemums, and roses. As recently as 1986, these three cut fl ower species, plus

gladiolus, accounted for more than 80 per- ©2005 clipart.com cent of total cut fl ower production. (Dole and Greer, 2004) Since then, specialty cut fl ow- and tulips are the remainder of the top fi ve ers have become the most important part of specialty cuts. (Dole and Greer, 2004) the U.S. cut fl ower industry. The combined ATTRA—National Sustainable production of carnations, chrysanthemums, As specialty cut flowers become more Agriculture Information Service and roses was $78 million in 2002, repre- important to the fl oral industry, growers is managed by the National Cen- ter for Appropriate Technology senting only 15 percent of total cut fl ower are fi nding that these fl owers make it easier (NCAT) and is funded under a and foliage production. In contrast, spe- to compete with imported products. Flow- grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s cialty cut production totaled $443 million. ers that don’t ship well or can’t handle long Rural Business-Cooperative Ser- intervals in a box can be picked by a local vice. Visit the NCAT Web site Cut lilies, once a relatively minor green- (www.ncat.org/agri. house cut fl ower, have replaced roses as the grower in the morning and be in a shopper’s html) for more informa- tion on our sustainable most important domestically produced cut house that afternoon. Specialty cuts can agriculture projects. /$"5 fl ower. Leatherleaf fern, gerbera, gladiolus, be grown as annuals or perennials, from have strong stems and are easy to Mark Cain (left) of Dripping Springs Garden presents bouquets to Carol Eichel- berger and Jean Mills of Coker, Alabama, at the Fayetteville Farmers’ Market. cut and transport without bruising or shattering the fl owers. • Color. What is popular at your mar- ket? Does it combine well with other colors you have chosen? Whites and pinks are popular spring wedding colors; oranges and coppers may be more popular in the fall. • Fragrance. Fragrance sells—to most people. Customers at the Fayette- ville, Arkansas, Farmers’ Market begin asking for extremely fragrant tuberoses two months before they are available—but some growers cannot stand to bring even a buck- Photo by Janet Bachmann etful to market in a closed van. • Old favorites. Think of custom- seeds, plugs, or bulbs. They include woody ers who see a bunch of sweet peas plants from which fl owers, stems, fruits, or and buy them because they are Related ATTRA foliage are harvested. They can be grown reminded of their grandmother’s Publications in the fi eld, in unheated hoophouses, and in fl ower garden. Zinnias can again be Agricultural Business heated greenhouses. By producing unusual, used as an example. Planning Templates and high quality fl owers, using proper posthar- • New introductions. New cultivars Resources vest handling techniques, and by providing help you stay competitive in a com- Community Supported excellent service, growers can continue to petitive market. Membership in Agriculture (CSA) expand markets for specialty cuts. the Association of Specialty Cut Direct Marketing If you are considering specialty cut fl ow- Flower Growers (ASCFG) is one Entertainment Farming ers as a farm enterprise, you should do as way to keep up to date on new and Agri-Tourism much research as possible before putting ones. The ASCFG in cooperation Farmers’ Markets one plant in the ground. The most valu- with seed companies sponsors tri- als of new varieties every year. Farmscaping to Enhance able information comes from other growers. Biological Control Other sources that you can rely on include Results of the trials are reported in the Association of Specialty Cut Flower the winter issue of The Cut Flower Flame Weeding for Vegetable Crops Growers, Cooperative Extension, suppliers, Quarterly. Rudbeckia Prairie Sun, and ATTRA. Dianthus Neon Duo, and count- Market Gardening: A less new sunfl owers are among the Start-Up Guide exciting introductions trialed by Overview of Cover Crops What Should I Grow? ASCFG volunteers. and Green Manures A tremendous number of choices are avail- • Vase life. Will the cuts last a week? Principles of Sustainable able. How can you choose, given such a vast Or longer? Weed Management array? Consider the following. Root Zone Heating for • Stem length. Florists love long Greenhouse Crops • Ease of cultivation. This may be stems. But there are exceptions, Season Extension Tech- especially important if you are a such as lily-of-the-valley and grape niques for Market Gar- beginner. Sunfl owers and zinnias hyacinth, that are naturally short- deners are examples of easy-to-cultivate stemmed. fl owers. They can be direct seeded, Selling to Restaurants • Local growing conditions. Accept the and they emerge and grow quickly. Woody Ornamentals for fact that some plants are not well Cut Flower Growers • Ease of handling. Sunfl owers can adapted to your climate. Ask local again be used as an example. They Extension agents, garden clubs, and Page 2 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing nurseries which specialty cut fl ow- Vendors—and customers—believe their ers grow well in your area, and start market is one of the most attractive in the with these. Diversify slowly, and nation. It is situated on the square in down- test some new choices each growing town Fayetteville around an old post offi ce season. that has been converted to a restaurant. The • Flowering season. Do you want area is professionally landscaped and is alive year-round or seasonal blooms? with blooming and edible plants. On Satur- day mornings it is the place to be, with live For flowers throughout the grow- music, coffee and pastries, and vendors sell- ing season, identify an early ing fruits, vegetables, plants, crafts, and of bloomer to start blooming in sync pecialty cut course specialty cut fl owers. with opening day of your market, fl ower pro- and dependable flowers to keep Of the more than 50 vendors at a Satur- duction and day market in mid-summer, almost 50 per- S customers coming back to your marketing off ers market stand or farm until you want cent bring cut fl owers for sale. “In the early both small- and to close for the season. days,” say folks who organized the market in 1974, “vendors brought fl owers cut from the large-scale growers • Flowers for building mixed bou- roadsides.” Today the FFM has become well- a way to increase the quets. If you plan to sell mixed bou- known as a source of high-quality, reason- level of sustainability quets and plan to grow zinnias, what ably priced cut fl owers. For some vendors, on their farms. other fl owers or foliage will mix well fresh vegetables or fruit are the main prod- with them? ucts, but many of these have added fl owers • Demand. What are wholesale and as secondary products. For other vendors, retail fl orists asking for? (Within fl owers are the primary focus of the display reason.) and a major source of income in a college • Think especially about the market town with a relatively affl uent population. where you want to sell cut fl owers. What do the customers want? What are their favorite fl owers? Markets Marketing possibilities include farmers’ markets, contract growing and CSA-type subscriptions, cut-your-own, restaurants, supermarkets, retail fl orists, wholesale fl o- rists, special events such as weddings, and the Internet. The following discussion of markets includes fl owers that growers around the country recommend for each, followed by information on related products and added value. Farmers’ Markets Farmers’ markets are considered by many to be entry-level markets, a place for new growers to sharpen their skills and cultivate higher-level markets. Other growers have found farmers’ markets to be a profi table and rewarding way to sell fl owers. Specialty cut fl owers sell well at the Fayette- ville, Arkansas, Farmers’ Market (FFM). Photos by Janet Bachmann www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 3 Field Grown Cut Flowers at Fayetteville Farmers’ Market April May June July August September October

bachelor alliums ageratum ammi majus amarcrinum asters bittersweet buttons

bleeding heart apple alliums bells of Ireland buddleia buddleia drieds cherry bearded iris ammi majus calla lily caryopteris cleome fall leaves crabapple blue salvia Asiatic lily celosia cleome cosmos grasses daff odils calendula baby’s breath cleome cosmos dahlia juniper dames rocket carnation bachelor button conefl ower dahlia drieds sedum forsythia columbine basils cosmos euphorbia goldenrod hesperis coreopsis blackeyed susan crocosmia garlic chives grasses lilac dames rocket butterfl yweed dahlia gladiolus hyacinth bean fl owering delphinium calla lily gladiolus hyacinth bean mums quince redbud Dutch iris cleome hydrangea hydrangea salvia redtwig dog- false indigo conefl ower lavender marigold sedum wood tulips larkspur cosmos liatris mountain mint spider lily willow lupine dahlias lycoris lily obedient plant sunfl ower wisteria nigella gladiolas marigold passionfl wr vine tithonia ox-eye daisy gomphrena passionfl wr vine pepper zinnia Siberian iris lambs ear summer phlox sweet annie spirea larkspur sunfl ower tithonia Sweet William lisianthus tithonia tuberose viburnum marigold tuberose zinnia wheat monarda zinnia Oriental lily penstemon poppies Queen Anne’s lace ratibida rudbeckia salvia hormium snapdragon statice sunfl ower sweet pea Sweet William tritelia yarrow zinnia Note: Many fl owers listed in summer months continue until frost.

Page 4 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing 13 Tips for Selling at a Farmers’ Market

Melanie DeVault, in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, off ers 13 tips for sell- growers we don’t use preservative. Remind them that some ing at a farmers’ market. Melanie and her husband George own fl owers have blooms that can be picked off when spent (like a 19.2-acre certifi ed organic farm, with son Don and daughter Campanula) to make way for others on the stem that will open. Ruth. They have operated a modifi ed CSA and members-only If you use preservative, little packets are available at fl oral supply home market stand, and have sold at farmers’ markets and to houses that you can include with the bouquet, or give customers health food stores and restaurants. Melanie specializes in spe- a card with a homemade alternative: To three cups of water, add cialty cut fl owers. She is a member of the Association of Spe- one tablespoon sugar, one teaspoon vinegar, and one crushed cialty Cut Flower Growers. A former newspaper reporter, she is aspirin tablet. People seem to like the idea. also a freelance garden writer; her column appears monthly in The New Farm. Melanie’s tips for selling at market (gleaned from Wrap your bouquets or purchased fl owers attractively. Use the advice of many experts at a lot of conferences, but mostly, fl oral sleeves (available from your local fl oral supply houses or of course, from Experience, with a capital E). any number of Web sites), a plain paper, such as end runs of news- print, or tissue paper. We use sleeves—I got the new clear sleeves Whether you sell only fl owers, or fl owers and vegetables, with tissue paper inset this year, along with clear—because I feel have a professional looking display. That tells your customers they look more professional. Some friends just use plastic bags you are serious about your product and that they can trust you. If at their markets, and customers don’t seem to mind. you sell only fl owers, this aspect is very important, because you want your customers to know you have products comparable Have something customers can use to take fl owers a dis- to those in fl oral shops. tance. Save milk or orange juice cartons. That way, when some- one says, “I’d love a bouquet, but I have to go to my mother’s an Have clear signs, label prices, and things for people to read hour away,” you can say, “Hey, no problem...” at your stand. Information about your farm, information blurbs about a fl ower or your fl ower of the week, anything that will Be creative with your off erings. Have a variety of sizes of bou- keep them in your space a little longer will give you a better quets, from the $10 bunch to the $3 mini. Build-your-own bou- chance for a sale. quets are popular at some markets. Have several buckets of individual fl owers for customers to choose from to make their Be friendly and talk to your customers, if they are receptive. own bouquets according to your choice off erings of focal and Tell them the name of the fl ower they are admiring, how long fi ller fl owers. Or off er bunches of one kind of fl ower, such as zin- it will last, maybe how hard it is to grow—and that you grow nias or snapdragons. We’ve found anything works, as long as everything you sell. Few people understand about local farms, it’s colorful. Fall colors don’t do well in summer, and dull colors real farmers—and few know that many middlemen masquerade don’t do well, especially on cloudy days. as growers. Educate them. Have a good awning to protect your fl owers from the harsh Have a good volume and plenty of color. It will attract people summer sun. Wilting fl owers won’t sell. One of my friends says like a magnet. white is the best color and blue the worst for an awning. We Sell only quality fl owers. (Post-harvest handling is critical.) haven’t noticed that color has mattered for us. People will come back if the fl owers you sold them have a long Check your fl ower buckets often during the market to make vase life. sure fl ower stems are IN the water. We’ve noticed when peo- Keep fl ower buckets wiped off (clean) and neat. We use white ple pick bouquets up to compare; they often don’t set them plastic paint buckets for our regular bouquets, and taller, thin back in the water. And they break some stems. Sleeving in the plastic fl ower buckets (available from local fl oral supply stores) buckets can help prevent both problems. for taller varieties and those with long stems. Have a few sunflowers that aren’t quite perfect? Tell customers how to maintain their fl owers. We tell them Give them away to kids. It’ll make them happy, and moms to change the water every day or ever other day, since as organic will remember.

Subscriptions and CSA history, philosophy, and details of organiz- ing a CSA. Subscriptions offer upfront payment for scheduled delivery of fl owers. Community Suzy Neesen, owner and grower at The Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a term often Flower Farm in Cedar Falls, Iowa, uses associated with this marketing method. both farmers’ markets and fresh cut bou- Delivery may be time consuming, so be quet subscriptions to sell her fl owers. Nee- sure to account for it and charge accord- son’s attractive tri-fold brochure tells people ingly. See the ATTRA publication Commu- how they can arrange to have a beautiful, nity Supported Agriculture to read about the freshly cut bouquet delivered to their home www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 5 or office each week though the growing • Price fl owers in a way that is eas- season. Or they can order for a one-time ily understood by the consumer; special delivery. She grows more than 100 for example, all the 25-cent fl owers kinds of annuals, perennials, and bulbs to in one section, and all the 50-cent provide variety and color in each bouquet. fl owers in another. uzy Neesen The bouquets are delivered in a vase, which • Pick in advance flowers that are grows more is exchanged each week. The season begins than 100 expensive and/or easily damaged in S about June 1st and runs for 15 weeks. varieties for her the fi eld. Place them in buckets near fresh cut bouquets. She charges $225 plus tax for the season. the checkout stand, so that custom- Here are just a few: Salons, boutiques, professional offi ces, and ers can add a special fl ower to their Achillea restaurants are possible places to market bouquets at the last minute. Anemone subscription bouquets. Asclepias In addition to tulips, peonies, gladiolus, Baptisia Cut-Your-Own sunflowers, and zinnias, you may also Butterfl y Bush want to consider daffodils, Dutch iris, Calla Because they are so attractive, fl owers are ornamental alliums, statice, and goldenrod Campanula certainly a natural for any kind of on-farm as PYO fl owers. Crocosmia market or roadside stand. At a fruit and Daisy vegetable growers’ conference 20 years ago, Ms. Byczynski says you probably will not Delphinium want to offer PYO lilies because customers Karen Pendleton of Lawrence, Kansas, told Didiscus might cut too much foliage, which means how she came to add fi eld-grown cut fl ow- Eucalyptus that your costly lily bulb won’t survive to Feverfew ers to her family’s Pick-Your-Own (PYO) bloom again next year. Freesia operation. At that time, Karen and her hus- Gladiolus band, John, had 12 acres of asparagus in You will need to provide buckets or other Gooseneck production for PYO sales. When people containers with water, scissors for cutting Gypsophila came to the farm for asparagus, they saw the stems, and wrapping materials. As with Helenium any other PYO product, you will need to Heliotrope tulips blooming in her yard, and wanted Ipomopis to buy them as well. The Pendletons have provide supervision, offering instructions Lavender since added peonies to the PYO operation on where and how to pick. You may also Liatris because they also bloom when asparagus is need additional liability insurance. For gen- Lily ready to cut. eral information on PYO marketing, please Lisianthus refer to the ATTRA publication Entertain- Another example comes from a Mas- Lobelia ment Farming and Agri-Tourism. Monarda sachusetts farm Web site, where the Nigella owner describes the fl owers you can pick at Peony the farm: Restaurants Phlox Selling to restaurants requires fl exibil- In addition to our wonderful fruits, we offer Ranunculus cut-your-own and fresh picked fl owers from ity and high-quality products. The time Rudbeckia mid-July through late September. We have 15 needed to make deliveries may be consid- Salvia colors of gladiolus, 10 shades of ‘Blue Point’ erable. (Kantor, 1999) Scabiosa zinnias, 6 varieties of beautiful sunfl owers, Snapdragon and gorgeous dahlias. Bring some color into Supermarkets Statice your home this summer! Sunfl ower Grocery stores can handle large volumes, Thermopsis Lynn Byczynski in her book The Flower but it can be diffi cult to establish accounts. Tuberose Farmer (Byczynski, 1997) offers pointers for (Kantor, 1999) Tulip success with cut-your-own-fl owers. Verbascum Zinnia • Provide weed-free fl ower beds with Retail Florists plenty of room to maneuver between In general, a fl orist will want fl owers that them. Nobody wants to walk through are just beginning to open —unlike most weeds or mud to cut fl owers, and farmers’ market customers, who prefer you’ll increase your liability risk fully open blossoms. Most fl orists know if you don’t maintain wide, clear exactly what they want and may need a paths. fairly large quantity of a certain fl ower. Page 6 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing The following tips for selling to fl orists by Valley, Lisianthus, delivering to their shops are gleaned from Mountain mint, Nige- the ASCFG Forum. lla, Penstemon, Peony, • Introduce yourself with a bucket Redtwig dogwood, Rud- of free samples, a fl yer that lists beckia, Salvia, Snap- the fl owers you grow, your delivery dragon, Spanish blue- schedule, payment terms, and busi- bell, Sunflower, Sweet ness card. (Try putting the busi- pea, Sweet William, ness card on a refrigerator magnet Tulip, Veronica, Yarrow, and Zinnia. to go on the cooler door.) • Deliver in bunches of 10, sleeved or Wholesale fl orists un-sleeved. This makes it easier to The wholesale florists’ pull the fl owers out of buckets with- market is the most ©2005 clipart.com out destroying other blooms. demanding as far as • E-mail or fax a list of what you have grading, uniformity, consistency, and pack- to offer after harvesting, then call aging. Wholesale florists assemble and for orders, or bring the fl orist out make available high-quality flowers for to your van full of fl owers for the retail fl orists. They offer retailers a timely “ahhh” effect and let him or her and dependable supply, one stop shopping, choose on the spot. large or small quantities, product guaran- tee, and credit. To sell to wholesale fl orists, • Deliver on the same day and same Harrison “Red” Kennicott, of Kennicott time every week. Florists need to Brothers in Chicago, in a presentation at the depend on you if they have down- 2002 ASCFG annual convention and trade sized standing orders from wholesal- show, advised growers: ers so that they can buy from you. he whole- • Get acquainted with as many people sale fl orists’ • Use buckets with your name/label T as possible in a wholesale house, to market is the most on them so you can leave them to get to know the wholesaler. pick up the following trip. demanding as far as • Provide information on your grading, uniformity, • Ask for payment on delivery unless product. you have sold to them often enough consistency, and • Avoid being oversensitive to to feel comfortable about setting up packaging. an account. comments. • Offer only the best. Consistency • Have a good understanding about in quality, quantity, and variety supply, pricing, timing, and whether or not the sales are to be on con- is crucial. signment. Expect retail fl orists to get excited about He recommends the Society of Ameri- new or unusual cuts such as branches with can Florists, the national trade association fruit on them or pods of okra on stalks. that represents all participants in the U.S. And although they may be able to get fl ow- fl oral industry, as a source of marketing ers from wholesalers for a little less, they and best practices information. (Kennicott, appreciate the quality and freshness of 2002) Its 15,000 members include retail- locally grown cuts. Good sellers include ers, growers, wholesalers, importers, suppli- the following: ers, manufactures, educators, and students. Ageratum, Agrostemma, Allium, Ammi Its consumer Web site, www.aboutfl owers. majus, Apple mint, Bupleurum, Curly wil- com, promotes the use of fl owers. You can low, Dahlia, Delphinium, Digitalis, Fever- locate wholesale fl orists through the Whole- few, Gomphrena, Grasses, Hosta leaves, sale Florists and Florist Supplier Associa- Hydrangea, Larkspur, Lemon/cinna- tion. See Further Resources for contact mon basil, Lenten rose, Lilies, Lily of the information. www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 7 Weddings some mechanics from her.” Later, Carol also worked for a florist but found she If you sell fl owers at a local farmers’ mar- liked growing fl owers more than just work- ket, sooner or later someone will approach ing with them. She quit her “day job” and you to do their wedding fl owers. Linda began working exclusively with flowers Chapman of Harvest Moon Farm in Spen- in 2001, and since then she has actively cer, Indiana, says wedding work can be sought wedding and event work. Carol profi table, but it is not for everyone who markets through word of mouth, photos on her grows fl owers. Besides needing aesthetic Web page, www.sunborngardens.com, and talents, it takes a certain temperament to at her stand at the farmers’ market on work cooperatively with brides, grooms, Saturdays. In addition to weddings, she and often their parents. It also takes a has done arrangements for a bat mitzvah, lot of time. a bar mitzvah, and a funeral. Before deciding whether you will do a wed- Carol’s list of fl owers that are excellent for ding, talk with the clients. Try to get a weddings includes the following: Bachelor vision of what they want. Can you work with Buttons, Bells of Ireland, Celosia, Dahlias, them to make their vision a reality, or do Godetia, Larkspur, Lisianthus, Rudbeckia, you need to send them to a commercial fl o- Shasta Daisy, Snapdragons, and Tulips. rist or another grower? She offers this advice: Most weddings involve a bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnières, cor- You need to use flowers that can stand the stress of being out of water for hours. sages, fl ower girl fl owers, altar arrange- However, on the upside, they need to last ments, reception hall arrangements, and only through the wedding and reception. It fl owers for the cake. Other options include is very important that all the fl owers used garlands, end-of-pew arrangements, and are conditioned in a cooler with flower dried fl ower wreaths made from the wed- conditioning food for 24 or more hours before working with them. Also you have to work ding fl owers after with the fl owers when they are at their peak. the event. What It doesn’t work to have lilies that are too is their budget? closed for the bouquet. This can mean you Your price should have to cut or otherwise get more fl owers than refl ect not only the you plan on using because some will be too cost of materials far gone and others will be too immature. Figure your shrinkage at 10 to 20 percent or and labor for the even more with fragile fl owers like bachelor finished product buttons or godetia. but also the time spent in consulta- For a wedding, Carol provides bridal and tion. You need to bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnières, cor- Photo by Carol Larsen give your client sages, table arrangements, pew treatments, a price estimate arbor decorations, and large arrangements well in advance of for the church. She takes the price of the the wedding day. Ms. Chapman says pric- fl owers and multiplies by 2 to 2.5 to achieve ing is a regional thing. Prices can generally a price that refl ects the time to meet with be set higher in urban areas than in rural the bride, work with the fl owers, drive to the areas. Her prices refl ect the economics of a wedding and reception sites and set up the university town. (Chapman, 2002) fl owers (including pinning on corsages and boutonnières), and picking up the vases, Carol Larsen of Sunborn Gardens in Wis- etc. after the event. The most frustrating consin says she first got involved with part for her is not getting enough for her wedding flowers when she worked with work. The most rewarding part is design- another woman who loved to grow flow- ing with the fl owers she loves and having ers but also worked as a fl orist. “We did the bride call afterwards to let her know some weddings together, and I learned how much everyone enjoyed the fl owers.

Page 8 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing Yes, a bride can be quite choosy or not. I Internet guess it depends on the individual. Some Posted to ASCFG Forum on how to choose want to know what is going to be in each cor- In the past decade, fl owers suitable for weddings, by Farmhouse sage and bouquet, and others just want to go the Internet has Flowers & Plants (Dave Dowling), on June with a color scheme and, perhaps, a style. become an important 29, 2004: Generally, the brides who contact me (and marketing tool. The I picked lisianthus yesterday and tossed a bad 90 percent of the time it is the bride) at the Internet allows grow- fl ower on the ground. Today the leaves have farmers’ market seem to be the most fl ex- ers to reach custom- wilted, but the fl ower still looks fi ne. You can do ible, maybe because they see my bouquets ers that they could a test on any of the other fl owers you are think- and feel more comfortable or know that is the ing of using. Pick a couple of each variety, cut the style they want. (Larsen, 2004) not have reached in stems to about 2 inches, and leave them lying on other ways without the table. See what still looks good after a cou- Contract Growing considerable expense. ple hours and again at the end of the day. Those More than 6 percent should be OK to use. Also think about crush-abil- If someone asks you to grow fl owers for a of all Internet trans- ity of the fl owers. If Grandma gets hugs all day, wedding or other event, but you are not pre- actions involve fl ower you don’t want her corsage to look like it was stomped on by the grandchildren. pared to do any more than that, you can get sales. (Carter, 2004) someone else to do the arrangements. One fall a young woman who had purchased Simple e-mail messages can be used to fl owers from me for several years came by inform and educate customers, let them the farmers’ market to tell me she was get- know what is available and when, and build ting married the next summer on July 9 relationships. E-mail can also be used to and wanted me to grow the fl owers for her take orders. Third-party Web sites, which offer a template for you to use to list your wedding. She had chosen Stargazer lilies farm and products at no or low cost, are as her main fl ower and set the July wed- another way to inform and educate. ding date because that is when Stargazers bloom locally. The only other fl owers she Building your own Web site is a big step, wanted were additional Oriental lilies and but it may be an excellent way to increase glads in colors to harmonize with Stargaz- your markets. The Thiessen family farm in ers. During the winter, I referred her to sev- Ontario began accepting Internet orders for eral Web sites where she could view lilies fl owers in 1996. The family has 30 acres and glads, asking her to let me know which of apples and offers wagon rides, a corn varieties she liked. I ordered bulbs and maze, and PYO apples. They say, however, planted them on two different dates, hoping the Internet sale of fl owers has generated that enough would bloom at the right time. the most profi t for the farm and kept it in Then I started wondering about how the business. Sales have grown to the point fl owers would be delivered to the chapel 50 that other growers, one in Connecticut and miles away and who would arrange them. three in California, have joined the effort I knew I wouldn’t have the time, skills, or as suppliers, with Thiessen supplying about vases to do this. I asked my friend whether 40 percent. The products can be seen at she had someone to arrange the fl owers. the Web site www.GrowerFlowers.com. She hadn’t thought about that yet, but pro- (Carter, 2004) ceeded to fi nd a fl oral arranger, another young woman I had met at the farmers’ Related Products and market. What a relief. That left me with Added Value nothing to do but to keep hoping the fl owers Depending on your market, you may be would bloom at the right time and deliver able to increase your income with related them to the farmers’ market, where the products. arranger would pick them up. I expressed • Bulbs. Daffodils, tuberoses, and cro- my concern about the lilies being in bloom cosmia are a few that multiply and at the right time to the floral arranger. need to be divided occasionally. If She assured me that she could get them you have earned a reputation among from a wholesaler any time of the year. other gardeners for your beautiful More relief. and unusual fl owers, they will be www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 9 pleased to have an opportunity to and personal choices will result in different purchase starts of the same. schedules. • Potted plants. Consider putting Consider sequential planting and use of some of those bulbs in pots, grow- cultivars that have different lengths of time ing them, and selling them as to maturity to get a continuous supply of blooming plants. your most popular cuts. Gladioli, for exam- • Bedding plants. If you start your ple, are ready to cut about 80 days from own cut flowers from seed, you planting. You can make your fi rst planting might save a few of the same for in mid-spring, and sequential plantings at your customers so they can have intervals of a week or a month, ending at their own cutting garden. It may least 80 days before the fi rst frost in the seem strange, but some of the best fall. Sunflowers, which are usually har- fl ower customers at a farmers’ mar- vested as one cut stem, also need sequential ket also have fl ower gardens. They plantings for a continuous supply. Check the just don’t want to cut from them. information provided by your seed supplier for length of time needed from planting to • Garlic braids, swags, wreaths, dried harvest; the time varies by cultivar. fl owers—and ornamental peppers, grasses, grains, and okra—are nat- Soil-Fertility urals for crafting. For ideas and If at all possible, fi nd a location with well- instructions, look for books in your drained, sandy loam soil, high in organic mat- local public library, or go on-line. ter, and with a neutral pH. If you don’t have • Organically or naturally grown. perfect soil, you can improve it with cover Customers concerned about our crops, compost, and mulching with organic natural environment will appreciate matter. Soil preparation is the most important knowing that you use farming prac- job you will do in the fl ower garden. tices that protect it. Organic certi- fi cation may be a way to add value Alex and Betsy Hitt of Peregrine Farm in to your fl owers. For local markets, North Carolina have spent more than 10 talking with your customers about years developing a system that maintains your production practices may be or improves soil organic matter content by even more valuable. the conscientious use of summer and win- ter cover crops combined with minimal till- Production Basics age. Their planting rotation, which includes vegetables, fl owers, and cover crops, is pre- Plan for Season-Spanning sented in the ATTRA publication Market Blooms Gardening: A Start-Up Guide. The Hitts use several tools and concepts to make the sys- Do you want year-round fl ower production? tem work: Or frost to frost? Or just one big splash? Planning is important regardless of your • Soil testing is done on each rota- choice, and especially critical if you want tional unit every late summer/early year-round blooms. fall. Steve and Susan Bender of Homestead • Organic matter is grown in place Flower Farm near Warrenton, North Car- rather than imported. olina, presented their planting and har- • The 10-year rotation is designed vest chart at the 2002 Southern Sus- both for maximum diversity for tainable Agriculture Working Group disease and insect management, conference and trade show. It is presented and, as much as practical, to on the opposite page as an example. Dif- alternate heavy feeders with light ferences in location and climate, market, feeders, deep-rooted crops with Page 10 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing Homestead Flower Farm Cut Flower Schedules

1st Seeding or Planting Varieties Transplant Harvest

August Centuarea macrocephala, NE Asters October April Tray Seed Swt Wm biennial, Hesperis, Foxglove October May-June Canterbury Bells, Trachelium, Delphinium October May-June Yellow Yarrow, Baptisia October May-June Oct-Nov Feverfew, Gyp, Stock, Larkspur Dec-Jan April-June

Tray Seed Swt Wm Annual, Godetia, Calendula Dec-Jan April-June Nigella, Ammi majus, Heliopsis Dec-Jan May-June Bupleurum, Bells of Ireland, Snaps Dec-Jan May-June Saponaria, Campanula, Clary Sage Dec-Jan June-July

Colorado Yarrow Dec-Jan June-July lanning is Lisianthus Feb-Mar June-Aug important Oct-Nov Larkspur May-June P regardless of your Direct Seed Tulip, Dutch Iris, Allium April-May choice, and espe- Barley, Tritcale, Rye-Clover* April-May cially critical if you November Crocosmia, Monarda, Mtn Mint June-Aug want year-round Transplants, Silver King Artemesia, Tansy June-Aug blooms. Root Divisions Pysostegia, Red Hot Poker June-Aug

Phlox, Peonies, Lamb’s Ear, Salvia Perennial May-June January Agastache, Buddleia. Monarda lambado April May-July

Tray Seed Rudbeckia, Scabiosa, Annual Salvias, Helenium April June-Aug

Saffl ower March June Statice, Snaps April June-July

Lobelia May Aug-Sept January Direct Seed Sweet Pea, Lupine April-May

February Direct Seed Asiatic Lilies June-July

March Peppers, Eucalyptus May Sept-Oct

Tray Seed Ageratum, Basil July-Oct

Caryopteris, Globes, Sweet Annie Sept-Oct Sunset Flower July-Sept Dill, Asters June-July

April Tray Seed Celosia, Cosmos, Marigolds, Zinnias May July-Oct April Direct Seed Gladiolus, Sunfl owers June-July

May Gladiolus, Sunfl owers July-Aug Direct Seed Dahlias July-Oct June Gladiolus, Sunfl owers, Buckwheat* Aug-Sep

Direct Seed Sorghum Sudangrass* Aug-Oct July Direct Seed Sunfl owers Sep-Oct

*Grown as cover crops for soil improvement. For each bed planted in fl owers, an adjoining bed is planted in a cover crop. This is mowed with a brush hog to provide mulch. www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 11 shallow-rooted ones, and cool-sea- based advice in a 2004 Growing for son with warm-season crops. Market article: Marked improvement of their soils is indi- • Start with good seed. If you cated by higher cation exchange capacity save seed from year to year, do (CEC), more organic residues, more soil small germination tests several biological life, easier to prepare and plant- weeks before you plan to plant. to-seed beds, healthier crops, and higher Then you’ll have time to order new yields. Their purchased inputs are stable or seed if you need it. reduced, and net returns are higher. Man- • Find out about the specifi c germina- agement inputs are higher, but the returns to tion requirements for each of your management are also higher. (Hitt, 2005) seeds. Some need to be exposed to ATTRA publications with information about light to germinate; others need com- managing soil for improved tilth and fertility plete darkness. Many have no light include Overview of Cover Crops and Green or dark requirement and will germi- Manures, Rye as a Cover Crop, Sustainable nate whenever other environmental Soil Management, and Manures for Organic factors are right. Crop Production. • Provide correct germination temper- ature. Seeds respond to temperature Irrigation in order to germinate at the right Some flowers in some locations can be season in their natural environment. grown with the water they receive from rain- Seeds of heat-loving annuals such fall. Examples are daffodils, butterfl y milk- as sunfl owers will naturally remain weed, and poke berries. In most situations, dormant until conditions are right however, an irrigation system is needed to for active summer growth. Seeds of consistently and reliably produce the high- cool season plants, such as larkspur est quality fl owers. Drip and micro-sprin- and bachelor buttons, lie dormant kler systems are best. Overhead sprinkler through the summer and germinate systems increase the chance of disease and with cooler autumn temperatures. can reduce fl ower quality, but they may be less expensive to install. Overhead Some seeds take a long time to germinate. sprinklers can also handle water from The Arnoskys have learned to take advan- tage of different germination requirements streams and ponds without a fine filter- and “prime” seed so that plants come up ing system. Drip and micro-sprinkler more quickly in the fi eld. (Arnosky, 2004) systems deliver water more efficiently, resulting in lower water costs. The Coopera- Larkspur likes dark, cool conditions. If we tive Extension Service and supply compa- plant larkspur in late October, it will come up in about three weeks, longer if the soil is dry. nies can provide help in designing a sys- This is a lot of time, so we started “priming” tem. Accessing Irrigation Information on the our seed in the refrigerator. What we do is Internet, www.microirrigationforum.com/ this: about two weeks before we plant, we new/onthenet/, will also lead you to many put the dry seed in zip lock bags and then sources of information. add a small amount of water. Infl ate the bag a bit, seal it, and shake the seed until it is well coated with water. Add a bit more water Plant Establishment if needed to moisten the seed completely, Some fl owers in some geographic areas can but drain off any extra water you might have in the bottom of the bag. Put the bag in the be easily started by direct seeding. Others fridge, and check it the next day. The seed are more safely started in fl ats to be trans- should have absorbed all the water—it should planted later. Still others are started with fl ow freely and not stick together in clumps. root divisions or bulbs. If it does, open the bag and set it out to dry for an hour or two. If your seed still looks If you are growing from seed, Pamela really dry when you check it, add a tiny bit and Frank Arnosky give experience- more water and check it again in a day. The Page 12 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing key here is that you want the seed to be in” to settle the soil moist enough to respond to the cold treat- around the roots. If ment, but still be dry enough to fl ow through you are using sup- the seeder when it is time to plant. port netting, you can After two weeks, the seed will be ready to lay it over the top of germinate. We sow our larkspur with a walk- the bed before set- behind Earthway planter, using the onion plate. If you want it thicker, use the cucum- ting transplants. The ber plate. We plant four rows in a four-foot six-inch square grid wide bed. Using primed seed, we get germi- of the netting can be nation in about a week. This cuts down on used to space your crop time, and more importantly, gives the plants. larkspur a jump on the weeds. This method works well for late plantings in the spring, If you are planting when soil temperatures are warming up. bulbs, try digging Bottom heat is useful for seed that needs a flat-bottomed heat to germinate. See the ATTRA pub- trench to the desired lication Root Zone Heating for Greenhouse planting depth, Crops for ideas. rather than using a bulb planter to make The Homestead Flower Farm Cut Flower individual holes for Schedule indicates planting methods the each tulip bulb or Benders use for a number of species. Some gladiolus corm. of the fl owers that they transplant are also easily direct seeded. For plants, such as Weed lisianthus, that are diffi cult or especially Management Photo by Janet Bachmann time-consuming to start from seed, some growers will purchase plugs. Companies Weeds compete with that sell seeds, bulbs, plugs, and bare- fl owers for nutrients, Floral netting is stretched across the bed to keep lisianthus stems from falling over. root plants will provide you with informa- water, and light, and tion about the recommended method to can harbor insect use, depth of planting, spacing, and light pests. A heavy stand of weeds in your requirements. Several of the books listed planting can severely reduce cut fl ower in the Further Resources section also quality. Weeding can be one of your most give recommendations. You are still left time consuming operations, especially if to decide whether you will plant in rows you choose not to use chemical herbicides. or beds, by hand or machine. Many grow- If you use support netting, mechanical ers favor the intense production of beds. weeding is impossible once it is in place. This allows water and nutrients to be con- Mulches can help suppress weeds and pro- centrated in the area where the plants vide many other benefi ts as well, including will grow, and not in the walkways. It also cleaner fl owers. Other benefi ts include soil enables the use of support netting, which moisture conservation, soil temperature is manufactured to fi t the normal width of moderation, increased soil organic matter, garden beds. and habitat for natural enemies of insect pests, depending on your choice of mulch- The degree of mechanization you use in ing material. planting will depend to a great extent on the size of your operation. You will most And contrary to what many of us were told likely want to start small, and the same for years, high-carbon materials do not hand tools you would use for vegetable deprive plants of nitrogen when they are gardening will work for planting. If the laid on the surface as mulch unless these soil has been freshly tilled, a hand trowel materials are mixed into the soil. Nor do will work for making holes for transplants oak leaves or pine needles used as mulch or plugs. They should always be “watered make the soil more acidic. (Reich, 2005) www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 13 The Benders of Homestead Flower Farm in will be able to manage them effectively with North Carolina grow sorghum-sudangrass non-toxic methods. in alternating beds with cut fl owers. When Cultural control. Examples include crop they brush hog the grass, they can move the rotation, plant spacing, and adjusting the clippings across the walkway to mulch the timing of planting or harvest. adjacent fl ower bed. Physical and mechanical control. The For general and specifi c information about use of physical barriers such as fl oating row weed management, the ATTRA publica- covers prevents insects from reaching the tions Sustainable Weed Management, Flame crop. Row covers can help prevent early Weeding for Vegetable Crops, and Cover Crops season damage from fl ea beetles or cucum- and Green Manures are useful. Plastic fi lm ber beetles. Other methods include hand and landscape fabric mulches are discussed picking, sticky boards or tapes, and various in Season Extension Techniques for Market trapping techniques. Growers are reporting Gardeners. that high tunnels are decreasing both dis- ease and insect damage to their fl owers and other crops. Biological control. All insect pests have natural enemies, often referred to as benefi cials. They include: Predators. Mainly free-living species that consume a large number of prey during their lifetime. • Lacewing immatures, known as antlions, are among the most preda- cious of all benefi cial insects. They eat aphids, scales, thrips, mealy- bugs, mites, and insect eggs. Fam- ilies Chrysopidae and Hemerobi- idae are highly benefi cial insects in crops and gardens. • Lady beetles and their larvae feed Photo by Janet Bachmann on aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, spider mites, and small egg masses Straw or hay, used to suppress weeds, provides other benefi ts as well. of other insects. • Other beetles: ground beetles, Insect Pests and Disease rove beetles, soldier beetles, fl ower Management beetles. The best way to prevent insect and disease • True bugs: stink bugs, minute pirate problems is to select plants that grow well bugs, big-eyed bugs, damsel bugs, in your location, and grow them well. Your assassin bugs. next step is to recognize problems caused • Predatory fl ies: hover or syrphid by insects and diseases. Some can be toler- fl ies, robber fl ies, aphid midges. ated; others will destroy the value of your • Predatory mites. fl owers. Your local County Extension staff can help identify both insect pests and dis- • Spiders. eases and provide information about their • Praying mantids. biology and behavior. The more we know about their life cycles, the more likely we

Page 14 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing Parasitoids: Species whose immature organic production. Those that are con- stage develops on or within a single insect sidered highly toxic (strychnine and nico- host, ultimately killing the host. tine) are excluded. Botanical insecticides • Wasps: aphidiids, braconids, ich- are relatively non-selective and can be neumonids, trichogramma, and “hard” on the natural predators and par- others. asites in the fi eld; therefore, minimal use is advised. Botanicals can also affect • Flies: Tachinids. other non-target organisms. Rotenone, for Disease-causing pathogens: Bacteria, example, is highly toxic to fi sh. Microbial fungi, viruses, nematodes, protozoa, and insecticides include Bacillus thurengiensis, microsporidia. Beauveria bassiana, and Nosema locustae. The use of these organisms to manage pests Add Season-Extending is known as biological control. Knowing your natural enemies is equally important to High Tunnels knowing your insect pests. Again, the more More and more cut fl ower growers are dis- we know about life cycle and habitat needs, covering the advantages of growing under the the more likely we will be able to ensure their protection of unheated high tunnels. These existence. Conservation of existing natural include earlier and later crops, better qual- enemies is probably the most important ity and stem length, and production of crops biological control practice readily available that otherwise could not be grown because of to growers. climate constraints. (Byczynski, 2005) Vicki Stamback says her crops have changed Benefi cial insects need: dramatically over the past several years • Nectar and pollen because of greenhouses. In Oklahoma, where • Alternate prey she lives and grows specialty cut fl owers, she • Water faces huge temperature swings and high winds. Heated greenhouses and unheated • Shelter from wind and rain hoophouses protect her fl owers from Okla- • Overwintering sites homa weather. She has a 30 x 90-foot Agritex Flowering plants for habitat: structure that has withstood 90 mph winds. • Carrot family It has 6-foot wide sliding doors, which allows tractor entry. Inside the house are six raised • Daisy family beds, each 3 feet wide by 30 feet long, and • Mustard family 8 inches deep, framed with 1x 8-inch cedar. • Mint family Tenax support netting is stretched over the top of bare beds, which are then planted. • Grasses The Tenax is raised higher as the crops grow. • Clovers and vetches After research, Vicki settled on 45°F as the • Trees and shrubs appropriate winter temperature for raising lupines, sweetpeas, ranunculus, and stock. Refer to the ATTRA publication Farmscap- (Stamback, 2003) ing to Enhance Biological Control for more information. In Nebraska, Laurie Hodges, PhD, Exten- sion specialist and associate professor in Chemical control. If you are an organic horticulture at the University of Nebraska, grower, most chemical controls are not triple cropped grape hyacinths, sweet peas, allowed. and hyacinth beans in a high tunnel. She Microbials, botanicals, and oils, how- chose these crops because they fi t into a suc- ever, are possibilities. Most botanical cession planting schedule. Grape hyacinths insecticides, including neem, pyrethrins, were planted October 31 and harvested from ryania, and sabadilla, are permitted in March 21 through April 8. Sweet peas were www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 15 planted March 18 and harvested from May ature states that recutting underwater is 11 through June 17. Hyacinth beans were unnecessary.) planted June 26 and harvested from August Bacteria, yeasts, and other microbes are 27 through October 28. The trellis for sweet peas and hyacinth beans was in place before present everywhere: in the soil, on plants, anything was planted. (Byczynski, 2005) and other organic matter. Bacteria grow quickly in any liquid containing sugars For more information about high tunnels, see and other organic matter. When stems are the ATTRA publication Season Extension for cut, they release sugars, amino acids, pro- Market Gardeners. teins, and other materials that are perfect food for bacteria. They start to grow at the Harvest and Postharvest base of cut stems as soon as fl owers are Postharvest success begins with providing put into water. the best growing conditions possible and To prevent the growth of bacteria, com- harvesting at optimum harvest stage. The mercial preservatives contain anti-micro- optimum harvest stage varies with indi- bial compounds, or biocides. Quaternary vidual species and according to your mar- ammonium, hydroxyquinline salts, alu- ket. The longest vase life for some fl owers minum sulfate, and slow-release chlorine ostharvest will be achieved if they are cut with color compounds are commonly used in com- but not yet open. Others are best when cut success begins mercial products. You can make a simple P fully open. Information on the optimum with providing the biocide by adding 1 teaspoon of household harvest stage for more than 100 types bleach (5 percent hypochlorite) to 8 gal- best growing condi- of flowers is available in Specialty Cut lons of water. This is very effective, but tions possible and Flowers: A Commercial Growers Guide from must be replaced every two or three days. harvesting at opti- Kansas State University Extension. See (Reid, 2002) mum harvest stage. Further Resources. After fl owers are cut, quality cannot be Vase Life of Flowers improved, but take steps to maintain qual- ity and extend the vase life by providing A number of products have been developed food, water, and cool temperatures. to help prolong vase life. All contain anti- microbials to suppress bacterial growth. Water Flow in Stems Hydration products make it easier for water Without water, fl owers wilt. When stems to move up the stems. The solution should are cut, two things happen to restrict have a pH of 3.0 to 3.5, as this improves water fl ow: the fl ow. Hydration usually is best if sugar is not in the hydrating solution. • Air gets into the stems and blocks the uptake of water. Holding solutions have sugar to feed the fl owers. Sugar provides the energy needed • Bacteria begin to grow in the vase by some fl owers to continue opening. water and clog the stems. To reduce the amount of air that gets into Pulsing can improve the quality and vase the stems, fl ower stems should be placed life of many cut fl owers using a solution con- in water as you cut them. Later, recut the taining sugar after harvest. The cut fl owers stems underwater, removing about one are allowed to stand in solution for a short inch, to remove air bubbles and bacteria. period, usually less than 24 hours, and When cuts are made underwater, a fi lm of often at low temperature. The most dramatic water prevents air from entering the stems example of the effect of added carbohydrate in the short time it takes to move them to is in spikes of tuberose and gladiolus: fl ow- postharvest solutions. Some suppliers offer ers open further up the spike, are bigger, specially designed tools for this task. See and have a longer vase life after overnight Further Resources. (Some recent liter- treatment with a solution containing 20 Page 16 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing percent sucrose and a biocide to inhibit promotes ripening in fruits, but it causes bacterial growth. (Reid, 2002) sensitive flowers to fail to open or look Removing ethylene using specially for- wilted. Product suppliers listed under mulated products prolongs vase life. Resources can help you choose products Ethylene is a naturally occurring gas that that will best suit your particular needs.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SOLUTION

Gay Smith, a representative for Pokon & wash buckets, use a biodegradable Chrysal who writes a regular column for the detergent and household bleach to ASCFG Cut Flower Quarterly, says choosing maximize your eff orts. Wash both the right solution for your needs has a lot to inside and out to avoid cross-con- do with how you answer the following ques- tamination when stacking. tions. • Do you store cuts in a cooler? • How fast do you move your fl ow- Hydration solutions can be reused ers from the fi eld to the cus- for up to fi ve to seven days depend- tomer? Use chlorine if you move ing on the number of stems that fl owers fast (less than two days) pass through, if the fl owers are held and sell from the same buckets you in the cooler, and if you started harvest in. Use a hydration solu- with a clean bucket. Studies show tion if you keep your fl owers more that removing fi eld heat improves than a day. Hydration solutions are vase longevity. Make sure there is more stable and can be reused to good air fl ow so condensation can defray costs. Recommendation: evaporate within bunches and from Blend your mixture for best results. inside sleeves. Keep your cooler Use chlorine for initial bacteria con- fl oor as dry as possible to avoid trol the fi rst day, then use an alumi- botrytis breeding grounds. num sulfate-based hydration solu- • Do you harvest fl owers at high tion for bacterial control the next temperatures (over 80°F)? If six days. so, you need a hydration solution • Do your customers know what that really boosts fl ow into wilting solution to use once your fl ow- stems that are exuding a host of ers leave your hands? If you sell bacteria-loving enzymes as part of to wholesalers or fl orists, tell them harvest stress. Since many summer to give your fl owers a fresh cut and fl owers produce exudates, staying process them in a low-sugar fl ower on top of the bacteria issue is criti- food. Floralife Professional, Syndi- cal to ensure fl owers perform and cate Sales Aqua-hold, and Chrysal hold in the vase. One idea is to try Professional #2 are examples of blending solutions. Using the dilu- low-sugar processing solutions. tion guidelines listed on the labels, Remind wholesalers to have buck- try adding a slow-release type of ets prepped for your drop-off so chlorine (not Clorox) plus an alumi- fl owers don’t sit out dry too long. If num sulfate-based hydration solu- you sell directly to consumers, tell tion. This blend provides double them to use a fl ower food packet— duty. Chlorine kills bacteria popu- it’s 1,000 times more effi cient than lations that explode immediately water, sugar, and aspirin. after harvest. When the chlorine is fi nished, after 24 to 36 hours, the • Do you work with clean buckets? aluminum-sulfate hydration formu- If your buckets are dirty to start lation takes over. The second solu- with, the biocides in the solution tion continues to control bacteria (both long term and short term) while lowering the pH and boost- are depleted very fast by trying to ing fl ow up the stems. (Smith, 2004) keep bacteria in check. When you www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 17 These fl owers respond well to slow-release up vases with different solutions in each. chlorine (not household bleach) and/or Label and date them. Place at least fi ve an aluminum sulfate-based commercial stems of the same variety and of similar hydration solution: size and bud count in each vase. Treat the fl owers in the same way you currently han- Ageratum, Allium, Calendula, Echinops dle them; that is, leave them in hydration Eremurus, Eryngium, Eupatorium, Frit- solution the length of time that simulates illary, Gerbera, Helipterum, Hydrangea, Hypericum, Lavender, Liatris, Lobelia, your current rotation practices. After that Lupine, Lysimachia, Malva, Marigold, Mati- time passes, transfer the stems into the caria, Molucella, Monarda, Nandina, Nico- same type of solution used by your custom- tiana, Nigella, Oregano, Penstemon, Phlox, ers. (Wholesalers and retailers usually use Photinia, Poppy, Ranunculus, Salvia, Sapo- low-sugar processing solutions; those buy- naria, Trachelium, Verbascum, Xeranthe- ing for home use may use full-load fl ower mum and Zinnia. For best results, blend food solutions made with packets and your solution. water, or just plain water.) Make sure to use the same solution for all the vases in this These fl owers respond best to a quaternary second stage. ammonium-based hydration solution (rather y far the most than chlorine or aluminum sulfate-based By far the most important tool available to increase the life of stored fl owers is tem- important solution): B perature control. For most fl owers, 32°F tool available to Aster (and all crops that look similar to and 90 percent relative humidity is ideal. increase the life of asters), Bupleurum, Dahlia, Gentian, Many fl ower types deteriorate two to three stored fl owers Limonium species and Sunfl ower (cut with times faster at 50°F than at 32°F. A bat- is temperature color). tery-powered digital hygrothermometer is control. Usually hydration happens best when the a handy tool for measuring both temper- solution has no sugar, but some fl owers ature and humidity. It also records mini- respond well in low-sugar solutions. The mum and maximum temperatures. See sugar provides the energy needed for fl o- Further Resources. rets to continue opening. These solutions The following practices hold true for most acidify the water, keep it pollution free, cut fl owers. and provide a minimum amount of sugar. Remember to measure when you mix, or • Use sharp and clean cutting tools. you will be wasting both time and money. Disinfect cutting tools at least twice per day. Some flowers need a low-sugar pretreat- ment: • Remove excess foliage: foliage exposed to the air increases water Calla, Lisianthus, Lilac, Mimosa, Stock, Sun- loss; submerged foliage increases fl ower (very tightly cut), and Viburnum. microbial growth and clogged Some fl owers need high sugar in postharvest stems. solutions: • Cut into clean buckets that have been washed inside—and out if they Protea—prevents foliage blackening, will be stacked—with detergent and Tuberose—place into slow-release chlo- two to four tablespoons of household rine or aluminum sulfate hydration solu- bleach per gallon of water. (To save tion overnight, then transfer into high-sugar fl ower food to get blooms to open. labor, consider installing a bucket washer. See Further Resources.) Run your own postharvest treatment tests: • Place stems in water as you cut to You can test several solutions to see which reduce the amount of air that gets give the best response for your water, har- into the stems. Recut stems under- vest temperatures, and varietal choices. Set water, removing about one inch, Page 18 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing to remove air bubbles and bac- going to transport the produce off teria. Some suppliers offer spe- the farm. cially designed tools for this task. • Space. How much space you need See Further Resources. (Some depends on what you grow and recent literature states that recut- what other storage buildings are ting underwater is unnecessary.) available to you. At a minimum, • Harvest during the coolest part of you need sinks for washing buck- the day, early morning or late eve- ets and vases, tables for sorting ning, and keep buckets of fl owers and arranging, and a cooler. You out of the sun. will want a place to store buckets, vases, and other supplies. Work sta- • Use warm, 100 to 110°F water in tions should be close enough that the buckets. It is taken up more steps aren’t wasted going back and quickly than cool water. forth, but they should allow plenty • Let fl owers stand at room tempera- of room for two or more people to ture in a hydrating solution for one work together. to two hours. • Light. Good lighting is important • Store in a cooler. Low temperatures because it allows you to spot defects prolong quality and vase life. The in your flowers. From a mental best temperature for keeping most health perspective, try to get as cut fl owers is 32 to 38°F with 80 much daylight as possible into your to 90 percent humidity. (Tropical packing shed. cuts are injured at such low tem- • Surfaces. The best fl ooring is con- peratures and should be kept at crete because it allows you to use 55°F or room temperature. Zin- wheeled carts, hand trucks, or even nias also need to be kept at higher a pallet jack to move boxes or buck- temperatures; 40 to 45°F is recom- ets. Concrete should be poured so mended.) that it slopes toward a 6-inch drain for easy washing of the fl oor. Walls Packing Shed and Cold Storage can be washable, too, if painted A packing shed is an essential part of any with epoxy paint. fl ower farm. A well-designed packing shed • Cleanliness. Sanitation is espe- will save time and help you maintain high cially important in produce pack- quality. Depending on the size of the farm, ing sheds, to prevent food-borne ill- it may be as rudimentary as a laundry tub ness. In fl ower packing sheds, you or table under a canopy, or as sophisticated can protect packaging from mice as a separate building with automated and other pests by keeping supplies equipment and a loading dock. Growing for in sealed storage containers. Market publisher Lynn Byczynski surveyed • Water. Plan for drainage that will other growers to learn what they liked or handle a large amount of water. didn’t like about their packing sheds. Fea- The water you use in the packing tures growers consider important in creat- shed will be too much for your sep- ing the ideal packing shed are listed in her tic system. Consider running it off article Plan the perfect packing shed. (Byc- to a garden area where it can be zynski, 2002) used to water plants. • Location. The packing shed should • Ergonomics. Workstation heights be close to the fi elds so harvested should suit the workers. According produce can be moved quickly to to the Healthy Farmers, Healthy the postharvest area. It should also Profi ts Project at the University of be accessible by whatever vehicle is Wisconsin, the most effi cient work www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 19 table height is halfway between lar crop and are easy to list. They the wrist and the elbow, measured include things such as seeds, bulbs, when the arm is held down at the plants, fertilizer, fl ats, soil mix, and worker’s side. For heavier items, it packaging that are needed for a is slightly lower. A loading dock specifi c crop. that matches the height of the truck • Unallocated, or fi xed, costs are all will minimize back strain when the other costs, such as utilities, loading. insurance, taxes, machinery, tools • Work flow. The most efficient and machinery, transportation, offi ce layout avoids extra steps and expense, and labor, if it isn’t in the crossed paths. It also moves produce other category. in the direction of the worker’s Maryland grower Dave Dowling also advises leading hand (left to right for right- growers to set a sale price that covers the cost handed people). of production and marketing and provides The University of Wisconsin Healthy Farm- a profi t. He says some fl owers, such as lil- ers, Healthy Profi ts Project developed a ies and peonies, can command a higher price series of tip sheets on labor effi ciency for because of perceived value, while some, such fresh-market vegetable growers. One of as marigolds and ageratum, are sold at a these covers packing shed layout. It poses smaller margin. Price your fl owers fairly in a number of questions to help growers cre- regard to what other producers are charging. ate their own designs. The same questions Don’t under-price the competition. You’ll just are appropriate for cut fl ower growers. See be hurting everyone. (Dowling, 2002) Appendix I. The only way to know your cost of produc- Another bulletin that can help you design tion, including labor, is to keep records. Vicki a packing shed is Commercial Specialty Stamback of Bear Creek Farms in Oklahoma Cut Flower Production Harvest Systems, is a dedicated record keeper. Her system from Kansas State University Extension for setting prices is outlined in Pricing Service. It illustrates the fl ow of tasks from Specialty Cuts, ASCFG Bulletin No. 2. (Dole harvest to market and special equipment and Stamback, 1998) It relies on knowing, such as bucket washers and bucket dry- among other things, the number of useable ing racks that can save time and effort. stems per plant. If you do not yet have this See Further Resources. data from your own garden, the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG) has reports that you can use to estimate yields Pricing and Record Keeping from various fl owers. Texas growers Pamela and Frank Arnosky say there are a couple of ways to approach The ASCFG sponsors a new cut fl ower vari- ety trial each year that provides informa- setting your prices. The fi rst is based on your tion on approximate yield (useable stems/ cost of production, and the profi t margin you plant) for a large number of specialty cuts. need to make over that, and the second is This includes annuals, perennials, and based on the price the market will bear or woody plants. The information is reported what the established selling price of an item in the winter issue of The Cut Flower Quar- is. In reality, what you end up with is a com- terly. (See Resources.) The data collection bination of the two. Regardless of the market sheet used by volunteers around the coun- price, you must know your cost of production. try is straightforward and might be used or (Arnosky, 1999) adapted as part of your own record keeping Arnoskys divide costs into two categories: system. allocated and unallocated. What will the market bear? The USDA Mar- • Allocated, or variable, costs are ket News Service posts wholesale flower those attributable to one particu- prices at various terminals around the coun- Page 20 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing try at the Web site http://marketnews.usda. limited time and energy, or limited cooler gov/portal/fv. Go to Browse by Commodity, space. Ornamental Crops. Remember, these are Opportunities should be written down as wholesale prices. If you sell to a fl orist, you well. These may be new chances for suc- have to decide whether this price will work cess. They might be access to information for you, or whether you are willing to sell about new crops or products, friends who for slightly less to entice them to buy from are interested in growing or marketing, or you, or whether you can sell for slightly more increased customer interest in locally grown because your product is fresher. If you sell products. at a farmers’ market, your price should defi - Finally, examine Threats and, of course, nitely be higher than wholesale. Check prices write them down. These may be things at grocery stores and retail fl orists. Find out like a new insect pest, too many other what other growers at your market are charg- vendors raising the same crop, or urban ing. (DeVault, 2004) encroachment. And then remember, regardless of the Once you have the SWOT analysis, you market price, you must know your cost of need to plan for dealing with the items production and cover it in the long term, other- “People should do listed. Each of these plans needs to be dis- wise you won’t be able to stay in business. as much research as cussed so that you get ideas from everyone possible before put- involved. When all players have helped to ting one plant in the Business Planning create a written plan, you can do a better ground. If I had a Every business should have a plan—and the job. By hearing from everyone on the team, nickel for every time plan should be written. The ATTRA publi- you get a lot of good ideas. You will all have someone called me cation Agricultural Business Planning Tem- a better idea of where the operation is going. with a ‘I have an acre of ______plates and Resources discusses a number of You will all feel better about your individ- that need to be cut: organizations and publications that you can ual responsibilities for the operation’s suc- how do I cut them use to create a business plan, whether you cess. To aid in this discussion, you might and where should I are starting a new business or improving an ask these questions: sell them and existing one. What do we have that we want to keep? (inevitably) how much should I Planning needs to be a team effort. All What do we have that we don’t want charge for them?’ those involved in the major operations of to keep? message, I’d be a the business should be considered part millionaire. A least of the team and be involved in helping set What do we lack that we want? a thousandaire.” the plan. The plan must be written. And What do we lack that we don’t want? —Judy Laushman, the fi rst step is to have a mission statement. When you have answers to these questions, September 15, 2005. A mission statement describes the busi- you have a foundation for setting goals ness: What do we do? It also sets out and objectives of a work plan. Be realis- the purpose and values that underlie tic: don’t set yourself up with tasks that you the business. can’t possibly accomplish in the time you’ve allowed. Planning with SWOT After a mission statement is agreed upon, Summary planning can begin. SWOT is a planning tool that provides a way to look at Strengths, Growing and marketing specialty cut Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. fl owers can be a profi table and rewarding business. Learn all you can before start- First, write down the Strengths of the busi- ing, start small, and continue to learn and ness. These could be things such as an estab- grow. This publication has only touched on lished market, cut fl ower production experi- what you need to know to get started. The ence, or exceptional communication skills. materials and organizations listed under Next, write down Weaknesses. These may References and Further Resources pro- be things such as lack of mechanical skills, vide much more information. www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 21 References Larsen, Carol. 2004. Personal communication. Arnosky, Pamela, and Frank Aronsky. 2004. Tricks of Reich, Lee. 2005. Debunking soil myths to save you the trade for starting fl ower seed. Growing for Market. work. Fine Gardening. July–August. p. 82–83. March. p. 19–21. Reid, Michael S. 2002. Postharvest Handling Sys- Arnosky, Pamela, and Frank Arnosky. 1999. Know tems: Ornamental Crops. In: Postharvest Technology your costs before you set your prices. Growing for of Horticultural Crops, Third Edition. University of Market. January. p. 15–17. California Publication 3311. p. 315–325. Byczynski, Lynn. 2005. In the hoophouse, cut fl owers Smith, Gay. 2004. Postharvest update. The Cut Flower can be triple cropped for maximum revenue. Growing Quarterly. Summer. p. 13–14. for Market. April. p. 16–17. Stamback, Vicki. 2003. Personal communication. Byczynski, Lynn. 2002. Plan the perfect packing shed. Growing for Market. December. p. 1, 4–6. Byczynski, Lynn. 1997. The Flower Farmer: An Further Resources Organic Grower’s Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers. Chelsea Green Publishing Company, White ATTRA Publications River Junction, VT. 224 p. Agricultural Business Planning Templates and Carter, Jeffrey. 2004. Internet fl ower sales give Resources Ontario farm lease on life. Fruit Growers News. May. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) p. 21—22. Direct Marketing Chapman, Linda. 2002. Wedding fl owers: Profi table Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism headaches. Growing for Market. January. p. 17–21. Farmers’ Markets DeVault, Melanie. 2004. A fl owering of questions: Pricing fl owers. The New Farm. June. Farmscaping to Enhance Biological Control www.newfarm.org/coumns/cut_fl owers/2004/ Flame Weeding for Vegetable Crops 0604/questions.shtml Market Gardening: A Start-Up Guide Dole, John, and Lane Greer. 2004. Status of the spe- Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manures cialty cut fl ower industry and new crop development. Principles of Sustainable Weed Management OFA Bulletin. July–August. p. 11, 17–21. Root Zone Heating for Greenhouse Crops Dole, John, and Vicki Stambeck. 1998. Pricing Spe- Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners cialty Cuts. ASCFG Bulletin No. 2. 7 p. Woody Ornamentals for Cut Flower Growers Dowling, Dave. 2002. Back to basics: Making money growing cut fl owers. The Cut Flower Quarterly. April. Organizations p. 8–9. Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers Hitt, Alex. 2005. Back to basics: Improving soil qual- MPO Box 268 ity naturally. The Cut Flower Quarterly. Winter. p. Oberlin, OH 44074 43–44. 440-774-2887 Kantor, Sylvia. 1999. Marketing Specialty Cut Flow- [email protected] ers. Washington State University King County. Fact www.ascfg.org Sheet # 520. The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG) htp//:www.metrokc.gov/dchs/csd/wsu-ce/agriculture/ was formed in 1988 to unite and inform growers in the pro- PDFs/fl ower.pdf duction and marketing of fi eld and specialty fl oral crops. Kennicott, Harrison. 2002. Presentation. Association The organization hosts an annual national conference and of Specialty Cut Flower Growers conference and trade show. Madison, Wisconsin.

Page 22 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing trade show, regional meetings, tours, and seminars. The foreign production, a brief overview of trends, and general ASCFG Membership Directory and Buyers Guide lists all comments and techniques for the postharvest care of fl owers, members and provides thumbnail descriptions of growers, including drying and preserving. The main body of the book buyers, and suppliers. The ASCFG also publishes a quarterly gives extensive coverage of annual, perennial, bulbous, and magazine and maintains an active Web site and forum. woody species for commercial cut fl ower production, includ- Society of American Florists ing propagation and growing-on methods, environmental 1601 Duke Street factors, yield in the fi eld, greenhouse forcing, stage of har- vest, postharvest handling, and pests and diseases. Avail- Alexandria, VA 22314 able for $40 ($35 for members) plus s/h from ASCFG. 703-836-8700 Armitage, Allan. 1997. Herbaceous Perennial Plants, 800-336-4743 2nd edition. Varsity Press, www.safnow.org Athens, GA. 141 p. Wholesale Florists and Florist Supplier Association Excellent book for general knowledge of perennials. Available for $69.95 from Ball Publishing. 147 Old Solomons Island Road, Suite 302 Ball Publishing Annapolis, MD 21401 410-573-0400 P.O. Box 9 888-289-3372 Batavia, IL 60510 [email protected] 888-888-0013 www.wffsa.org/ www.growertalks.com Armitage, Allan. 2000. Amitage’s Garden Perennials. American Institute of Floral Designers Timber Press, Portland, OR. 324 p. 720 Light Street Dr. Armitage includes 1,400 photographs and extensive Baltimore, MD 21230 information on perennial plants in 136 genera. More than 410-752-3318 a dozen lists conclude the book, organizing plants by par- 410-752-8295 FAX ticular situations or use, such as plants for wet places, for drought tolerance, and for fragrance or color. $49.95 plus [email protected] s/h from Ball Publishing. The American Institute of Floral Designers was established in 1965 to recognize and promote the art of fl oral design as Armitage, Allan. 2001. Armitage’s Manual of Annu- a professional career. Today, it is the leading nonprofi t orga- als, Biennials and Half-hardy Perennials, Timber nization committed to establishing and maintaining higher Press. Portland, OR. 539 p. standards in professional fl oral design. This practical reference is similar in format to Armitage’s American Floral Endowment book on perennial plants. It lists 245 genera from Abel- moschus to Zinnia. Basic descriptive and cultural informa- P.O. Box 945 tion is given for each genus, along with lists of key species Edwardsville, IL 62025 and cultivars and their descriptions. 618-692-0045 Arnosky, Frank, and Pamela Arnosky. 1999. We’re [email protected] Gonna Be Rich! GFM Books, Lawrence, KS. 168 p. www.endowment.org Four years’ worth of monthly columns from Growing for AFE is a not-for-profi t organization that funds fl oriculture Market. This book focuses on the Arnoskys’ vast experience research and education programs in the U.S. in raising cut fl owers. Available for $24.95 from: GFM Books Publications (cut fl ower P.O. Box 3747 production and marketing) Lawrence, KS 66046 Armitage, Allan, and Judy Laushman. 2003. Spe- 800-307-8949 cialty Cut Flowers, 2nd Edition. Timber Press, Port- www.growingformarket.com land, OR. 636 p. Bahr, Fritz. 1922. Commercial Floriculture: A Prac- This greatly revised and expanded edition of Specialty Cut tical Manual for the Retail Grower. A.T. de la Mare Flowers offers a unique perspective on cut fl ower production. Introductory chapters offer a discussion of domestic and Company, New York. 646 p. www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 23 First printed in 1922, this book was reprinted every few The booklet contains articles about both vegetable and cut years until 1941. It presents a vast accumulation of knowl- fl ower production, with information from both offi cial uni- edge gained by Fritz Bahr, an Illinois fl orist, who shares his versity research and anecdotal on-farm trials. It provides experiences on many topics, ranging from marketing and practical details on where to buy structures, how to deter- other aspects of business to cultural information for hun- mine which structure is best for you, and tips for erecting it. dreds of species. Other topics of interest include pointers for Available for $15 plus s/h from GFM. the beginner, things to be done month-by-month, greenhouse growing, sideline possibilities for retail growers, and impor- Darke, Rick. 1999. The Color Encyclopedia of Orna- tant fl ower days of the year. The book is out of print, but it mental Grasses, Sedges, Rushes, Restios, Cat-tails, can be obtained through a good used bookseller. and Selected Bamboos. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 325 p. Barash, Cathy Wilkinson. 1995. Edible Flowers: From Garden to Palate. Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, CO. Extensively illustrated with color photographs, this refer- 250 p. ence on ornamental grasses focuses on their use in land- scapes, but can also be useful to those who want to grow This colorfully illustrated combination cookbook and gar- grasses as cut fl owers. Available from Ball Publishing for dening guide showcasing 280 recipes using fl owers from $49.95 plus s/h. herbs, vegetables, and ornamentals provides inspiration for branching beyond fl owers displayed in vases to displays on Davies, Dilys. 1992. Alliums: The Ornamental plates. Onions. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 168 p. Beytes, Chris (ed.). 2003. Ball Red Book Set. 17th edi- Alliums come in a wide range of colors; many are gaining tion. Ball Publishing, Batavia, IL. 260 p. recognition as garden and cut fl owers. This is a practical reference to more than 150 species. For more than 70 years, the Ball Red Book has been help- ing growers produce better crops. The new 17th edition has Dole, John, and Harold Wilkins. 2005. Floriculture: been split into two volumes. Volume 1, Greenhouses and Principles and Species, Second Edition. Prentice Hall, Equipment, covers greenhouse structures, glazing, benches, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 1023 p. curtains, irrigation, climate control, mechanization, trans- This book is an excellent resource for greenhouse growers. port, pest control equipment, the headhouse, business man- It is divided into three parts: the fi rst deals with the basics agement, and the retail greenhouse. Volume 2, Crop Pro- of production, including propagation, temperature, light, duction, is a complete guide to growing a range of crops, water, nutrition, media, plant growth regulation, pest man- including annuals, perennials, herbs, tropicals, potted agement, postharvest, greenhouse construction and opera- plants, and vegetable plugs. The set is available for $118 tions, and marketing and business management. The sec- from Ball Publishing. ond and third parts, which occupy two-thirds of the book, Busco, Janice, Nancy R. Morin, and Gene Balzer. deal with specifi c crop species of fl oricultural crops (potted 2003. Native Plants for High-Elevation Western Gar- plants, cut fl owers, bedding plants, etc.). Available for $105 ($95 for members) from ASCFG. dens. Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, CO. 356 p. De Hertogh, August. 1995. Holland Bulb Forcer’s For gardeners in the American West at altitudes of 4,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level and higher. Offers basic infor- Guide, 5th edition. International Flower Bulb Centre, mation, advice for growing and nurturing, and full-color Hillegram, The Netherlands. 587 p. photographs of 150 plants selected especially for their low- This guide includes production schedules, troubleshooting, maintenance requirements and popularity. and cultivar lists for major and minor bulb crops and other Byczynski, Lynn. 1997. The Flower Farmer: An crops grown from tuberous roots. Recommendations for forc- ing fi eld cut fl owers are also included. $64.95 plus s/h Organic Grower’s Guide to Raising and Selling Cut from Ball Publishing. Flowers. Chelsea Green Publishing Company, White River Junction, VT. 224 p. Gill, Stanton (ed.). Cut Flower Management Short Course. University of Maryland Cooperative If you’re just beginning with fl owers, this is the fi rst book you should read. It’s a comprehensive guide to starting a small Extension. commercial fl ower business. It includes variety recommen- Every two years, the University of Maryland Cooperative dations, site considerations, harvesting, post-harvest han- Extension Service offers a multi-day workshop on cut fl ow- dling, pricing and yield, marketing, and arranging fl owers. ers. The course is held in even-numbered years, usually The appendix covers 100 species. Available for $24.95 plus in early March. Growers and Extension specialists pres- s/h from GFM. ent valuable information at each course, detailing topics important to cut fl ower growers, such as pest management, Byczynski, Lynn. 2003. The Hoophouse Handbook. irrigation, marketing, soil management, and production of Fairplain Publications, Inc., Lawrence KS. 58 p. specifi c crops. Information from each course is available

Page 24 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing in a spiral-bound notebook. Copies of the most current pro- vest, and postharvest are covered. Cultural information gram manual are available while supplies last for around for the best-selling fl owers based on the author’s experi- $25 each. For a copy of the book or information on the cut ence in the Sacramento Valley of California includes yields fl ower program, contact University of Maryland Coopera- in terms of stems per hundred feet of row. Available from tive Extension, 11975 Homewood Road, Ellicott City, MD www.addall.com/ for $19.95 plus s/h. 21042, 301-596-9413, or www.agnr.umd.edu/ipmnet. McIntire, Suzanne. 2002. An American Cutting Gar- Hassell, Wendell G. 1999. Guide to Grasses. First edi- den: A Primer for Growing Cut Flowers Where Sum- tion. Pawnee Buttes Seed, Greeley, CO. 107 p. mers Are Hot and Winters Are Cold. University Press Line drawings and information on origin, description, habi- of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. 284 p. tat, culture, use, and varieties for grasses, forbs, shrubs, The author provides practical information on herbaceous legumes, wetland and riparian species for the central Great perennials, biennials, annuals, and bulbs for an easy gar- Plains and the Rocky Mountain region. den, a small garden, a shady garden, and a fall garden. Johnson, Eric A., and Scott Millard. 1993. The Low- She includes interesting notes on growing, cutting, and Water Flower Gardener. (The Natural Garden Series) expected vase-life of two hundred choice plants. Plants for the Arid West. Ironwood Press, Tucson, AZ. McGary, Jane (ed.). 2001. Bulbs of North America. 144 p. North American Rock Garden Society and Timber Selection and cultural information for fl ower garden- Press, Portland, OR. 251 p. ers, including unthirsty fl owering perennials, grasses, and First book devoted entirely to bulbous plants that are mono- shrubs. Regionalized for Arizona, California, Colorado, cots native to this continent, and the fi rst detailed presenta- Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah. tion of these plants primarily by American authors. Knopf, Jim. 1991. The Xeriscape Flower Gardener: Nau, Jim. 1999. Ball Culture Guide: The Encyclope- A Waterwise Guide for the Rocky Mountain Region. dia of Seed Germination. 3rd edition. Ball Publishing, Johnson Publishing, Boulder, CO. 182 p. Batavia, IL. 248 p. Waterwise plant lists and profi les. An excellent reference for a sustainable intermountain West, and the gardeners, land- Provides in-depth germination and scheduling information scapers, and commercial fl ower growers who live in eastern for more than 300 of the most popular seed-grown crops. Washington and Oregon, northern Nevada, Utah, north- Covers bedding plants, potted fl owering and foliage plants, ern New Mexico and Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, herbs, cut fl owers, perennials, and ornamental grasses. Wyoming, and western parts of North and South Dakota, Written in an easy-to-read chart style. The soft-cover version Nebraska and Kansas. is available for $49.95 from Ball. Lamont, William J. Jr. (ed.). 2004. Production of Veg- Nau, Jim. 1996. Ball Perennial Manual: Propagation etables, Strawberries, and Cut Flowers Using Plasti- and Production. Ball Publishing, Batavia, IL. 512 p. culture. NRAES-133. 156 p The book begins with information on propagation by divi- Covers plastic mulch, drip irrigation, fertigation, season sion; stem, leaf, and root cuttings; and seed germination. It extension, windbreaks, crop establishment, weed manage- continues with cultural information, uses, bloom time, and ment, soil sanitation, and managing used plastics. Straw- varieties for 149 genera and 300 species of herbaceous peren- berry and cut fl ower production systems are described in nials. Many, but not all, of these are excellent cut fl owers. depth. For new/experienced growers, educators, serious gar- Available from Ball Publishing for $64.95 plus s/h. deners. Available for $24.00 per copy (plus shipping and Ogden, Shepherd. 1995. Step by Step Organic Flower handling) from NRAES, Cooperative Extension, P.O. Box 4557, Ithaca, NY 14852-4557. Shipping and handling for Gardening. HarperCollins, New York, NY. 302 p. one copy is $6.00 within the continental United States. For The strengths of this book include well-written information more information or a free book catalog, contact NRAES by on organic production in general and the extensive crop-by- phone at 607-255-7654, or by e-mail at [email protected]. crop listing of cut fl owers and how to raise them. Available Web site: www.nraes.edu. for $25 from: Madison, Mike. 1998. Growing Flowers for Market: A The Cook’s Garden Practical Manual for Small-Scale Field Production and P.O. Box 535 Marketing of Fresh Flowers. Yolo Press, Davis, CA. Londonderry, VT 05148 270 p. 800-457-9703 The author provides practical information for growing fl ow- ers in the open fi eld on one to two acres for local markets. Proctor, Rob. 1997. Naturalizing Bulbs. Henry Holt, Planning, tools, soil management, pest management, har- New York, NY. 241 p. www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 25 An informative garden book on growing bulbs naturally, A comprehensive manual that includes production basics, a with practical suggestions and dazzling photography that list of potential fl owers for the Southeast, woody cut stems, can deepen any reader’s understanding and appreciation of fl ower drying, postharvest handling, pest management, bulbs, both monocots and dicots. marketing, pricing, and sources for additional information. Springer, Lauren. 2000. The Undaunted Garden: North Carolina Commercial Flower Growers’ Planting for Weather-Resilient Beauty. Fulcrum Pub- Association lishing, Golden, CO. 264 p. 3906 Wake Forest Road, Suite 102 A wealth of references to unusual plant varieties not found Raleigh, NC 27609 in other gardening books, with tips for western gardeners 919-334-0093 growing plants in dry shade or where hail conditions pre- www.nccfga.org vail. Stevens, Alan. 1998. Field Grown Cut Flowers: A Publications (dried fl owers) Practical Guide and Sourcebook. Commercial Field Koch, Mark. No date. Preserving Flowers and Foli- Grown, Fresh and Dried Flower Production. Avatar’s age with Glycols & Dyes: A Manual for the Commer- World, Edgerton, WI. 392 p. cial Producer. 200+ pages. Both beginning and advanced growers will fi nd this vol- A comprehensive manual for systemic and immersion ume an indispensable guide to producing fresh and dried methods of preserving plants and foliages using glycols, cut fl owers outdoors. It also includes details on production dyes, bacteriostats, and surfactants, this is intended for systems and the labor requirements needed to get the job the experienced commercial producer of glycol-preserved done. Information on how to grow eight of the most popular plant materials. Available in a three-ring binder for $85 outdoor-produced cut fl owers is also featured. Available for ($77 for members) from the ASCFG. $24.95 plus s/h from Ball Publishing. Rogers, Barbara R. 1988. The Encyclopedia of Ever- Stewart, Martha. 1987. Weddings. Clarkson Potter, lastings: The Complete Guide to Growing, Preserv- New York, NY. 386 p. ing, and Arranging Dried Flowers. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, New York, NY. 191 p. Sturdivant, Lee. 1992. Flowers for Sale. San Juan Very inclusive catalog of fl owers that can be dried. The Naturals, Friday Harbor, WA. 197 p. book also provides information on how best to arrange or display each dried crop. Although out-of-print, the book Written for the novice, small-scale grower, with fairly gen- may be obtained through inter-library loan. eral content. However, the author has included comprehen- sive lists of potential cut fl ower plants. She gives readers an Thorpe, Patricia. 1986. Everlastings: The Complete idea of many marketing options through interviews with Book of Dried Flowers. Houghton Miffl in, Boston, several types of growers. MA. 144 p. Available for $17.50 postage paid from: This paperback book contains good information on the dif- San Juan Naturals ferent methods of drying (air, sand, glycerine, etc.). It also provides instructions on when to harvest specifi c fl owers P.O. Box 642A for drying and which drying method is best for that crop. Friday Harbor, WA 98250 Available for $12.95 from: 360-378-2648 Houghton Miffl in 800-770-9070 181 Ballardvale St. www.bootstraps.com Wilmington, MA 01857 800-225-3362 Tannehill, Cecilia, and James E. Klett. 2002. Best www.hmco.com/trade/ Perennials for the Rocky Mountains and High Plains. Colorado State University. 128 p. Publications (postharvest A comprehensive guide to the best-performing perennials based on results from Colorado State University’s W.D. Hol- handling) ley Plant Environmental Research Center (PERC). Anon. 2001. Introducing the Procona System. The Whipker, Brian E., and John M. Dole. 2003. South- Cut Flower Quarterly. July. p. 24. east Outdoor Cut Flower Manual, 2nd Edition. North Anon. 2001. Pagter Innovations, Inc. The Cut Carolina State University. 58 p. Flower Quarterly. July. p. 25 Page 26 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing Arnosky, Pamela, and Frank Arnosky. 2005. Your Brandylane Publishers, Inc. most crucial task: Post-harvest handling. Growing 1711 East Main St., Suite 9 for Market. March. p. 17–21. White Stone, VA 23223 800-553-6922 Blessington, Thomas M. No date. Post Harvest Handling of Cut Flowers. University of Maryland www.brandylanepublishers.com Cooperative Extension. 5 p. McGregor, Brian. 1999. Cut Flowers and Florist www.agnr.umd.edu/users/ipmnet/cutpost.htm Greens. Tropical Products Transport Handbook. USDA. 8 p. Byczynski, Lynn. 2005. Floral preservatives vs. www.ams.usda.gov/tmd/Tropical/cutfl owers.htm water: Research shows which is best. Growing for Market. August. p. 13–15. Nell, Terril A., and Michael S. Reid. 2002. Back to basics: Checklists for proper handling of cut fl owers. Daly, Jim. 2003. Improving specialty cut The Cut Flower Quarterly. Summer. p. 8–9. vaselife. Greenhouse Management & Production. May. p. 60–61. Nell, Terril, and Michael Reid. 2000. Flower & Plant Care: The 21st Century Approach. Society of American Fanelli, Frankie, Beth Harden, John Dole, Bill Florists. 212 p. Fonteno, and Sylvia Blankenship. 2004. 2003 www.safnow.org Postharvest trials: What works and what doesn’t. The Cut Flower Quarterly. Winter. p. 30–32. Newman, Julie, Mike McKiernan, Michael Reid, and Jim Thompson. 2001. Precooling cut fl owers in “Pro- Fang Yi, Ming, and Michael Reid. 2001. Storing conas” and hampers. The Cut Flower Quarterly. July. specialty cut fl owers—temperature is the key. The p. 29. Cut Flower Quarterly. p. 32. Nowak, Joanna and Ryszard M. Rudnicki. 1990. Post- Ferrante, Antonio, Don Hunter, and Michael Reid. harvest Handling and Storage of Cut Flowers, Florist 2001. For longer postharvest life, choose the best Greens, and Potted Plants. Timber Press, Portland, varieties. The Cut Flower Quarterly. July. p. 31. OR. 210 p. Gast, Karen L. B., Rolando Flores, Alan Stevens, Discusses various postharvest handling techniques for cut fl owers, including information on how growing conditions and Sheri Smithy. 1994. Cold Storage for Specialty affect cut fl owers and how to store and transport them. Cut Flowers and Plant Material. Kansas State Uni- Although out-of-print, the book may be obtained through versity. 12 p. inter-library loan.

Harten, Chrissie. 2003. Conditioning. Reid, Michael S., and Linda L. Dodge. 1997. Flower The Gardener. 5 p. handlers: Sanitation is crucial. Perishables Handling www.thegardener.btinternet.com.uk/conditioning.html Quarterly. November. p. 6–7.

Hoogasian, Cindy. 2005. Back to basics. Floral Reid, Michael S. 1997. Considerations for effective Management. May. p. 35–40. handling of ornamentals. Perishables Handling Quar- www.safnow.org/publications/fl oral_manage/ terly. November. p. 2–4. ITGdocuments/FF_688.pdf Reid, Michael S., Steve Tjosvold, and Jim Thompson. Oliver, Libbey. 2000. Flowers are (Almost) Forever: 2000. Transport temperatures for Californian cut fl ow- The Care and Handling of Cut Flowers. Brandylane ers—We’re making progress! Perishables Handling Publishers, Inc., White Stone, VA. 112 p. Quarterly. February. p. 17–19. Flower expert Libbey Oliver gives excellent general advice on cleaning buckets, cutting, using fl oral preservatives, Smith, Gay. 2004. Postharvest update. The Cut Flower and cooling and holding fl owers. She also shares many Quarterly. Summer. p. 13–14. fl orist design tips, provides an extensive reference chart for garden and fl orist fl owers, and lists useful sources for Smith, Gay. 2003. Postharvest. The Cut Flower Quar- products and information. $17.50 postpaid from: terly. Spring. p. 15, 19. www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 27 Smith, Gay. 2003. Postharvest: Summer fl owers, so Powell, Charles C., and Richard K. Lindquist. 1997. cool, but so sensitive. The Cut Flower Quarterly. Sum- Ball Pest and Disease Manual. 2nd edition. Ball Pub- mer. p. 15–17, 24. lishing, Batavia, IL. 448 p. Stevens, Alan B. 1995. Commercial Specialty Cut Includes chapters on most ornamental diseases, including Flower Harvest Systems. Kansas State University. 20 p. powdery mildew, rusts, botrytis, fungal leafspots, bacterial and wilt diseases, root rots, and viruses. Contains updated Weddington, Megan. 2003. Research update: Packag- pesticide, cultural, and environmental control informa- ing for long-term shipment of cut fl owers; Vase life of tion for the major insect and mite pests. Presents a holistic Eucalyptus parvifolia; Postharvest handling of tropical approach to managing plant health. Chapters are organized in an easy-to-reference format for quick diagnosis and results. cuts. The Cut Flower Quarterly. Summer. p. 18–20. Available for $65 from Ball Publishing (see p. 23).

Publications (pest management) Periodicals Chase, A.R., Margery Daughtrey, and Gary W. Sim- The Cut Flower Quarterly, published by the Associa- one. 1995. Diseases of Annuals and Perennials. Ball tion of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), is the Publishing, Batavia, IL. 208 p. only regular publication dedicated to information about Contains many full-color photographs of diseased plants. the production, postharvest care, and marketing of cut Addresses diseases by plant, including yarrow, snapdragon, fl owers. It provides the latest information on new cul- aster, celosia, cosmos, delphinium, gladiolus, iris, liatris, tivars, harvest and postharvest techniques, marketing, lily, peony, phlox, zinnia, and many others. Available for $60 from Ball Publishing (see p. 23). regional, national, and international workshops and conferences; and sources for plants, seeds, and sup- Cranshaw, Whitney. 1998. Pests of the West: Preven- plies. Contact the ASCFG, listed under Organizations. tion and Control for Today’s Garden and Small Farm. Revised edition. Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, CO. Growing for Market, a newsletter for market gardeners, 248 p. contains a monthly column on fi eld-grown cut fl ower Contains environmentally safe techniques such as increas- production and marketing. This newsletter is geared for ing natural enemies and using biological, cultural, and small-scale operations and also focuses on sustainable mechanical control methods for combating major insect production techniques. GFM is available for $30 per pests, plant diseases, and weeds west of the Mississippi. The year from: book is directed at gardeners in the High Plains, Rocky Growing for Market Mountains, and intermountain regions of the western United States. Although it does not cover a few pests that P.O. Box 3747 plague gardens in California, such as the brown garden Lawrence, KS 66046 snail, soft scales, and peach leaf curl (or certain pests such 800-307-8949 as Japanese beetles common to the East Coast), much of the information is relevant for gardeners across the country. [email protected] www.growingformarket.com Flint, Mary Louise. 1990. Pests of the Garden and Small Farm. Publication 3332. University of Califor- HortIdeas is a monthly newsletter that reports on the nia, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, latest research, methods, tools, plants, and books for Oakland, CA. 276 p. vegetable, fruit, and fl ower gardeners. The information Contains really good, clear, color photographs of insect is abstracted from hundreds of popular and technical pests and diseases. The information on pest management sources worldwide. Available for $25 per year (periodi- techniques is concise and well written. Some information cals mail) or $15 per year for an on-line version from: on weed management is presented. There are also excel- HortIdeas lent troubleshooting charts for the major vegetable and fruit crops, somewhat slanted toward California growers. Avail- 750 Black Lick Rd. able for $30 from: Gravel Switch, KY 40328 ANR Publications [email protected] University of California www.users.mis.net/~gwill/hi-index.htm 6701 San Pablo Ave. Greenhouse Management and Production is published Oakland, CA 94608-1239 monthly and is free to qualifi ed commercial growers 510-642-2431(Make checks payable to UC in the U.S. It is a good source of information on green- Regents) house grown cut fl owers, bedding plants, and blooming Page 28 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing potted plants, including greenhouse design, equipment American Nurseryman and supply companies, seed companies, and marketing www.amerinursery.com strategies. Horticulture GMPro www.hortmag.com P.O. Box 1868 Fort Worth, TX 76101 The American Gardener 800-434-6776 www.ahs.org/publications/ www.greenbeam.com Brooklyn Botanic Garden Plants & Garden News Greenhouse Grower is published monthly, including two www.bbg.org/mem/publications.html bonus issues in mid-June and mid-September. Subscrip- tion rate is $36 per year. The mid-June bonus issue Florists’ Review contains a comprehensive listing of sources for green- Florists’ Review Enterprises house equipment, supplies, consultants, seeds, and P.O. Box 4368 more. Topeka, KS 66604 Meister Publishing Company 37733 Euclid Ave. 785-266-0888 Willoughby, OH 44094-5992 800-367-4708 440-942-2000 www.fl oristsreview.com [email protected] Monthly magazine with easy-to-emulate designs, including www.greenhousegrower.com clear photos showing the works step-by-step. Books available from the same company include Weddings, Weddings 2, GPN 101 Wedding Bouquets, and 101 Ranos de Novia. Product News www.gpnmag.com Web Sites Green Profi t American Floral Endowment P.O. Box 16057 www.fl ora-links.org/fresh_cut_ fl owers.html N. Hollywood, CA 91615-9594 Links to many sites. www.greenprofi t.com Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, Inc. Grower Talks www.ascfg.org P.O. Box 9 Batavia, IL 60510 Flower Council of Holland. 630-208-9080 www.fl owercouncil.org/us/PromotionalMaterial/ [email protected] Trade organization with promotional materials and tips www.growertalks.com for fl orists. NM PRO Hort Business Info Network Nursery Management & Production www.vtextension.vtk.edu/hbin/index.htm P.O. Box 1868 Laurie Hodges’ Home Page. Fort Worth, TX 76101-9781 http://hort.unl.edu/hodges/ 817-882-4120 800-443-5612 Missouri Department of Agriculture www.greenbeam.com www.mda.mo.gov/AgBusineness/resources/cutfl owers.htm Ag Business Development Resources— Northern Gardener Cut Flowers www.northerngardener.org North Carolina State University OFA Bulletin www.cutfl owerinfo.com 2130 Stella Court Columbus, Ohio 43215 North Dakota State University 614-487-1117 www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/alt.ag/fl owers.htm [email protected] Oklahoma State University www.ofa.org www.osuextra.com www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 29 F-6426 The Care and Handling of Cut Texas Department of Agriculture’s Cut Flower Flowers Resource Guide F-6425 Annual Flowers for Specifi c Uses in www.agr.state.tx.us/marketing/cutfl ower/ Oklahoma The New Farm e-magazine F-6410 Perennial Flowers for Specifi c Uses in www.newfarm.org/columns/cut_fl owers/ Oklahoma Pennsylvania cut fl ower grower Melanie DeVault’s current and archived columns provide experience-based Pennsylvania State University Center for Plasticulture information. http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/compfl wrs.htm Chain of Life Network University of Connecticut www.chainofl ifenetwork.org www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/ipmghse.htm The site is a comprehensive assembly of information that Integrated Pest Management for Cut Flower can be used by growers, wholesalers, fl orists, supermarkets, Growers brokers, breeders, educators, bouquet manufacturers, asso- ciations, and fl oral supply companies to improve the per- University of Florida formance of cut fl owers and greens, cuttings, plugs, and foliage, fl owering, and bedding plants. Illustrations and http://edis.ifas.ufl .edu/ detailed information on postharvest care for nearly 450 fl o- University of Maryland ral crops are included, as are links to sites with postharvest and/or marketing information. www.agnr.umd.edu/ipmnet/facts.htm FS686 Producing Annual Sunfl owers as Seeds, Plants, Bulbs Cut Flowers Agua Fria Nursery FS687 Production of Asiatic and Oriental 1409 Agua Fria Lilies as Cut Flowers Santa Fe, NM 87501-3507 505-983-4831 FS684 Production of Celosia as Cut Flowers Plants. Wide selection. Retail. Uncommon penstemons. FS685 Production of Yarrow as Cut Flowers Bluebird Nursery, Inc FS731 Production of Purple Conefl ower as a Cut Flower P.O. Box 460 Clarkson, NE 68629 FS 753 Producing Anemone as a Cut Flower 800-356-9164 FS713 Producing Larkspur as Cut Flowers www.bluebirdnursery.com FS-770 Production of Lisianthus as a Liners and containers, unusual and hard to fi nd items. Cut Flower Cramers’ Posie Patch University of Massachusetts Floriculture Fact Sheets 116 Trail Rd. North www.umass.edu/umext/fl oriculture/fact_sheets/specifi c_ Elizabethtown, PA 17022 crops/cutweed.html 877-CRAMERS Field Grown Annuals for Cut Flowers www.cramersposiepatch.com Weed Management for Outdoor Cut Flowers Creek Hill Nursery Sugar and Acidity in Preservative Solutions for 17 W. Main Field-grown Cut Flowers Leola, PA 17540 888-565-0050 Postharvest Handling of Six More Field-grown Liners, grasses, hydrangeas, woodies, select perennials. Cut Flowers—Astilbe, Gladiolus, Helianthus, Liatris, Lilium, Zinnia De Vroomen Holland Using Coralbells as Cut Flowers P.O. Box 189 Russell, IL 60075 Postharvest Handling Tips for Cut Flowers of 847-395-9911 Some Spring Flowering Bulbs [email protected] Insect Problems in Commercial Production of www.devroomen.com Outdoor Cut Flowers Bulbs and perennials (liners and bare-root). Page 30 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing Donahues Go Native P.O. Box 366 P.O. Box 3631 420 SW 10th St. Las Cruces, NM 88003 Faribault, MN 55021 800-880-4698 507-334-8404 http://gonative.com/ www.donahuesclematis.com Natives, perennials, ground covers, herbs. Clematis specialists. Gloeckner Ednie Flower Bulb, Inc. 600 Mamaroneck Ave. 37 Fredon-Marksboro Rd. Harrison, NY 10528-1631 Fredon, NJ 07860 800-345-3787 973-940-2700 Seeds, plugs, liners, bulbs, supplies. Bareroot, bulbs, lilies. Emerald Coast Growers Gro’N Sell P.O. Box 10886 320 Lower State Rd. Pensacola, FL 32524 Chalfont, PA 18914 877-804-7277 215-822-1276 Liners, grasses, hostas, daylilies, select perennials. www.gro-n-sell.com Plugs and liners. Ernst Benary of America, Inc. Rudolf Sterkel Harris Seeds 1444 Larson Street 355 Paul Road Sycamore, IL 60178 P.O. Box 24966 815-895-6705 Rochester, NY 14624-0966 [email protected] 800-544-7938 Seeds. www.harrisseeds.com Flagstaff Native Plant and Seed Headstart Nursery 409 West Pine Avenue Flagstaff, AZ 86001 4860 Monterey Rd. 928-773-9406 Gilroy, CA 95020 928-214-7351 408-842-3030 www.nativeplantandseed.com Plugs. Native plants and seed for northern Arizona. Source-iden- Heronswood Nursery tifi ed plants and seed. Xeric non-native plants suitable for northern Arizona. 7530 N.E. 288th St. Kingston, WA 98346 Forestfarm 360-297-4172 990 Tetherow Rd. www.heronswood.com Williams, OR 97544 541-846-7269 High Altitude Gardens www.forestfarm.com 4150 B Black Oak Drive GeoSeed Hailey, ID 83333 121 Gary Rd. 208-788-4363 Hodges, SC 29653 [email protected] 888-645-2323 Seeds for high elevations and cold climates. Native grasses, wildfl ower seed, and mixes. Germania Seed Company P.O. Box 31787 High Country Gardens 5878 N. Northwest Hwy. 2902 Rufi na St. Chicago, IL 60631-0787 Santa Fe, NM 87507-2929 800-380-4721 505-438-3031 [email protected] 800-925-9387 www.germaniaseed.com [email protected] Perennials (plugs), bulbs, seed. www.highcountrygardens.com www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 31 Extensive selection of perennials, shrubs, and bulbs for the 800-852-5322 western garden and a ½ acre display garden, greenhouse, www.meadowlakenursery.com and retail store in Santa Fe. Bareroot, liners, cuttings for woodies. Ivy Garth Missouri Wildfl ower Nursery 8140 Mayfi eld Rd. 9814 Pleasant Hill Rd Chesterland, OH 44026 Jefferson City, MO 65109 800-351-4025 573-496-3003 Annuals, perennials, vegetables. www.mowildfl owers.net Jelitto Perennial Seeds Bareroot and container, native perennial fl owers, shrubs, 125 Chenoweth Lane trees, vines. Louisville, KY 40207 North Creek Nurseries 502-895-0807 388 North Creek Rd. www.jelitto.com Landenberg, PA 19350 Perennials. 877-326-7584 Johnny’s Selected Seeds www.northcreeknurseries.com 184 Foss Hill Rd. Liners, perennials, grasses, woodies, ferns, natives for cut fl owers. Albion, ME 04910 207-437-4395 Park Seed www.johnnyseeds.com 2 Parkton Ave. Vegetables, herbs, fl owers. Greenwood, SC 29647-0002 800-845-3366 Johnston Seed Co. www.parkwholesale.com P.O. Box 1392 Vegetables, fl owers, plants, plugs. Enid, OK 73702 800-375-4613 Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. 580- 249-5324 P.O. Box 100 [email protected] 605 25th Street www.johnstonseed.com Greeley, CO 80632 Seed. Retail, wholesale, mail order. 800-782-5947 970-356-7002 Lawyer Nursery [email protected] 950 Highway 200 West www.pawneebuttesseed.com/ Plains, MT 59859 Provides native and introduced grass, forb, and shrub seed, 800-551-9875 with an emphasis on educating customers on proper man- [email protected] agement techniques to ensure grass stand longevity and [email protected] conservation of our natural resources. www.lawyernursery.com Plants of the Southwest Seeds, bareroot, liners for woodies. 3095 Agua Fria Rd. Little Valley Wholesale Nursery Santa Fe, NM 87501 13022 E. 136th Avenue 505-438-8888 Brighton, CO 80601 [email protected] 800-221-3241 OR 303-659-6886 FAX [email protected] 6680 4th St. NW www.lvwn.com Albuquerque, NM 87107 Wholesale source for plants, plugs, liners, bulbs of perenni- 505-344-8830 als and shrubs. Knowledgeable staff and extensive selec- [email protected] tion. 800-788-SEED Orders Meadow Lake Nursery www.plantsofthesouthwest.com P.O. Box 1302 Plants and seed. Wholesale and retail. Retail stores in McMinnville, OR 97128 Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Page 32 ATTRA Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing Prairie Moon Nursery 816-846-4729 Rt. 3, Box 163 www.SpringMeadowNursery.com Winona, MN 55987-9515 Wholesale; supplies liners to other nurseries around the 507-454-5238 country. Exceptional hydrangeas. 866-417-8156 www.prairiemoonnursery.com Spring Valley Greenhouse, Inc. Native seeds and bareroot plants. 3242 Daansen Rd. P.O. Box 552 Prairie Nursery Walworth, NY 14568 P.O. Box 306 315-597-9816 Westfi eld, WI 53964 www.springvalleygreenhouse.com 800-476-9453 Clematis and bittersweet. www.prairienursery.com Native seeds and bareroot plants. Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildfl owers and Native Plants, Inc. Prairie Ridge Nursery 10459 Tuxford St. 9738 Overland Rd. Sun Valley, CA 91352 Mt. Horeb, WI 53572-2832 818-768-1802 608-437-5245 [email protected] www.theodorepayne.org www.prairieridgenursery.com Mail order California native seed. Native plants available Native seeds and bareroot plants. in nursery.

Raker’s Walters Gardens 10371 Rainey Rd. P.O. Box 137 Litchfi eld, MI 49252 Zeeland, MI 49464-0137 Plugs; must order through a broker like Germania. www.waltersgardens.com Bareroot and container. Sawyer Nursery 5401 Port Sheldon Rd. Yoder Brothers Hudsonville, MI 49426 Greenleaf Perennials 616-669-9094 2369 Old Philadelphia Road Bareroot and liners, incredible phlox selection. Lancaster, PA 17602 717-299-0300 Shady Oaks Nursery 800-233-0285 P.O. Box 708, Dept. MH [email protected] 1101 State St. www.green-leaf-ent.com Waseca, MN 56093-0708 Plugs, liners, unrooted cuttings.

Sherman Nursery Company ZCallas Oregon Coastal Flowers P.O. Box 579 9455 Kilchis River Road 1300 Grove Street Tillamook, OR 97141 Charles City, IA 50616-0579 503-815-3762 800-361-7759 sales@fl owersbulbs.com www.shermannursery.com www.fl owersbulbs.com Woodies, peonies. Calla lily bulbs, Sandersonia tubers.

Spring Meadow Nursery 12601 120th Ave. Grand Haven, MI 49417 www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 33 Supplies and Equipment Hummert International 4500 Earth City Expressway Barr, Inc. Earth City, MO 63045 1423 Plainview Drive 800-325-3055 Oshkosh, WI 54904 www.hummert.com 920-231-1711 [email protected] Syndicate Sales, Inc. www.barrinc.com P.O. Box 756 Used coolers. Kokomo, IN 46903-0756 Beautiful Land Products 756-457-7277 360 Cookson Dr. www.syndicatesales.com P.O. Box 179 Hydration and holding solutions, fl ower food, proportioners, West Branch, IA 52358 vases, and other fl orist supplies. 800-227-2718 Growing media, fertilizers, irrigation, mulches, row covers. Temkin 302 West 900 North Carlin Horticultural Suppliers Springville, UT 84663 8964 N. 51st Street 800-235-5263 Milwaukee, WI 53223 www.temkininternational.com www.carlinsales.com Floral sleeves and wraps. Greenhouse grower supplies and equipment. DeltaTRAK, Inc. Vita Products, Inc. P.O. Box 398 P.O. Box 565 Pleasanton, CA 94566 Chandler, AZ 85244 925-249-2250 800-874-1452 800-962-6776 [email protected] [email protected] www.vitaproducts.com Hygrothermometer source. USDA National Organic Program compliant. Vita One- Step is a combined hydration and nutrient solution. Floral Merchandising Systems 1325 East 79th Street www.pokonchrysalusa.com Minneapolis, MN 55425 Products include OVB, a hydrating solution. Cut fl owers 800-599-9434 directly into this and leave ½ day or overnight. Professional customerservice@fl oralmerchandising.com #2 is a holding solution. Flowers can be kept in it for up to www.fl oralmerchandising.com 6 days. Postharvest supplies and equipment including display vases and racks, bouquet sleeves, bucket scrubbers, stem cutters, and hygrothermometers. Floralife, Inc. 751 Thunderbolt Drive Walterboro, SC 29488 800-323-3689 info@fl oralife.com www.fl oralife.com Hydrating products include Hydrafl or and QuickDip. Hold- ing solutions include Floralife Original Fresh Flower Food, Floralife Professional, and Floralife Clear Professional. EthylBloc is an ethylene-action inhibitor.

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www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 35 Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing By Janet Bachmann NCAT Agriculture Specialist ©NCAT 2006 Paul Driscoll, Editor Amy Smith, Production This publication is available on the Web at: www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/cutfl ower.html or www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/cutfl ower.pdf IP025 Slot 72 Version 022106

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