I'm very interested in using some of my land (1/4 acre or so max) for cut flower farming. The research I have done to date indicates that there may be a strong market for high quality cut flowers in my area. We have several farmers markets, 4 star restaurants, boutique stores etc in the area that could be outlets or customers especially for high end flowers like oriental lilies. I've read the few publications there are on getting started in flower farming. However, I would like to hear from anyone out there who is doing this and has experience on a small scale (horticultural and marketing tips in particular.) I'm not going to heat greenhouses or hire help and flowers don't grow in a new england winter!

-- DavidL from Mass. (owlhouse2@cs.com), October 01, 2001

Answers

do a search on s a r e ,[peachnet.?,grants?,rural agri.?] i seem to remember a report, fed. funded no less, on small scale, limited season cut flower production.

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), October 03, 2001.

David - I was at a high end market the other day and talking with the flower department manager about the enormous dahlias they had on display. They were larger than a dinner plate. She told me a lady in our area grows them as a hobby and sells them to Bristol Farms (that's the market). What a hobby! they were selling for $15 per stem.

You may also want to consider other onamental filler like pussywillow or curly willow. Most flower arrangements have those in them.

Good luck, sounds like a good prospect.

-- jennifer (schwabauer@aol.com), October 03, 2001.

Dear David,

I am not a flower grower but I am a florist and the thought I would like to contribut is that one of the bits of knowledge missing from many growers who sell flowers in market type situations is that they don't know how to properly condition their flowers after cutting.

Some flowers do not last well unless properly conditioned sometimes in unexpected way, for instance poppies must have the stem burned or boiled before setting in water. If your flowers don't last neither will your customers. Having said that I will tell you that flowers fill fully fifty percent of the stalls in the height of summer at the famous Seattle Pike's Street Farmers Market. People happily pay fifteen dollars for a bouquet of flowers that include dahlias, lilies, mums, glads, and the like. Every other person you see is carrying some. These growers are serious, and they come back day after day, year after year. Somebody is making some money! Good luck.

Sara

-- Sara Perry (JPerry1218@aol.com), October 04, 2001.