Speciality Cutflowers

8/13/2019 Speciality Cutflowers

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A COM M ERCIAL GRO W ERS GUID E

CUT

FLOWERS

Kansas St ate Un iversit y

Agr icu l tu ra l Exper im ent Sta t ion

and Coop erat ive Exten sion Service


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M o re th a n a n y t h in g ,I m ust h ave f low ers,

a lw ays, a lw ays.

Claude Monet

Contents


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In t ro d u ct io n ... .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . .5Choosing a Site

Preparing th e Bed

What To Grow: The Ideal Crop

Definitions

Fresh Cut FlowersAnnuals

Fresh Cut FlowersPeren nials

Fresh Cut FlowersBulbs

Fresh Cut FlowersFlowering Woo dy Stems

Dried MaterialsFlowers an d Miscellaneou s Plant Parts

Planting ....................................................................9When to Plant

Annuals

Biennials

Perennials

How to Plant

Plant Density

Crop Support

How to Grow .......................................................... 11

WateringFertilizer

Weed Control

Disease Contro l

Table 1. Diseases Comm on to Flowering Plant s


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H ar vest ................................................................... 18Table 2. Op timal Developm ent Stage of Cut Flowers

for Direct Sale

Postharvest .............................................................22Pulsing

Marketing and Selling

Table 3. Flowers Particularly Sensitive to Ethylene

Su m m ar y ................................................................ 24Recomm endation s Sum marized

References

Suppliers.................................................................25Cut Flower Seeds

Plugs, Transplan ts, and Bulbs

Preservatives and Dyes

Cleaning Supplies

Synth etic, Organic, and Biological Con trols

Soluble Organic Fertilizers

Containers, Harvest, Holdin g, Packing

Seeding and Planting Equ ipmen t

Tillage and Beddin g Equ ipmentTransplanting Equipm ent

Irrigation Equipm ent

General Materials

Recom m ended Reading ..........................................29

D ir ect o r ies .............................................................. 31

Organizations ......................................................... 32


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I n t roduc t ion

Labor efficiency is a critical

factor in choosing a site. Flower

production requires intensive

management. The site should

have ready access for production

equipment and removal and

handling of the harvested prod-

uct. Stud y the p roposed site for

ease in mo vement o f materialsand plants into it to begin produc-

tion, within t he site while pro-

ducing and harvesting the crop,

and o f the harvested crop to

storage and packing areas. The

idea is to maximize efficiency of

the labor requ ired for all produ c-

tion and marketing functions.

If a pick-your-own marketing

strategy is your choice, a site with

easy access is crit ical. Easy access

from pu blic roads to parking areas

and from parking to th e fields will

enh ance th e consum ers overall

shopping experience.

Prepar in g t he BedPlants should be grown in beds

raised 46 inches to maximize

drainage. Poorly drained soilshould be corrected by placing

drain lines 1012 inches deep

under the beds. Check for the

existence of a hardp an in the soil.

A deep-rooted cover crop such as

alfalfa may h elp to break up the

hardpan. A well-drained soil

environm ent is essential for

maximum root developmen t and

reduces the poten tial for root rot

problems.

Cho osing a SiteMost cut flowers prefer a loca-

tion in full sun througho ut the

entire day. The field an d soil

should b e well drained. Wind

protection is highly desirable for

all plants. Windbreaks serve to

reduce water stress on plants and

help prevent stem breakage and

floral damage. It is imp ortant to

consider any competitive effect

which may occur from the roots

of any plant u sed as a windb reak.

The site should have sufficient

cold air drainage to avoid recur-

ring early or late season frosts.

A source o f irrigation wate r is

essential. If animal foragin g is a

problem, fencing may be required.

M an y a gr icu l tu ra l p rod ucers in Kansas are consider ing a l te rna t ive en terpr ises to increase their incomes. Fie ld product ion of specia l ty f resh or dr ied cut f lowers couldbe a p ro f i tab le a l te rna t ive c rop in Kan sas. Our sta t e has a c l ima te advan tag eousto p rod uc t ion o f m any f low ers, g rasses, and gra in s fo r the f lo ra l an d d ecora t ive cra f t s m arke ts. Perenn ia l f low ers th a t a re h igh in d em and , such a s Lia t r is, a re na t ive to Kansas and f lou r ish in ou r c lim ate and so i ls. N at ion a l , reg iona l , and loca l m arke ts ex ist fo r h igh - qu a l i ty specia l ty cu t f low ers. These m arke ts can b e served w i th Kan sas-grow n prod uc ts.

The ou t door p rodu c t ion o f spec ia l ty cu t f low ers is an o ld segm ent o f th e f lo r icu l tu re indu st ry cur ren t ly in rev iva l across the count ry. The m arke t cond i t ion s, techno logy andvar iet ies a re new. As an em erg ing in du st ry , i t o f fe rs un ique op por tu n i t ies fo r th ose w hoen ter. Th is pub l ica t ion d iscusses ba sic cu t f low er p rodu c t ion fa c to rs. The te rm cu t f low er in t h is pub l ica t ion re fers to a l l f resh and dr ied f low ers, seed heads and sta lks, an d a l l p lan t p ar ts used fo r f lo ra l and decora t ive pu rposes.


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Organic matter should be

incorporated into the beds to

a depth of 1012 inch es. The

addition of organic matter is best

if incorpo rated in th e fall, but can

be don e anytime before planting

if the nitrogen status of the soilis mo nitored. Remem ber that for

beds planted to p erenn ials, it may

no t be possible to work additional

organic matter deep into th e soil

un til the plants are divided or

replaced. For these beds, sufficient

organic matter should be added

initially to provide a soil structure

with op timum aeration an d

drainage.

Always have th e soil tested for

nutrient content before adding

any fertilizer to th e planting bed .Production decision s made

withou t adequate information are

merely guesses and can be costly.

If nitrogen levels are low and large

amounts of organic matter have

been added, an application of

2045 pou nd s of actual nitrogen

per acre prior to plan ting may

be appropriate.

Marketing strategy, plant growth

habit, an d labor efficiency deter-

min e the ideal size of a planting

bed. If a pick-your-own marketstrategy is the ch oice, beds should

be narro wabou t 2 123 feet wide

so con sum ers easily can p ick

their flowers witho ut dam aging

the crop. Bed length sho uld be

abou t 25 feet, with sodded aisles

to provide customers with quick

and clean access to an y produ ct

they d esire. Traditional prod uc-

tion beds are 34 feet wide

depending on th e growth habit

of the crop.

Bed width is set to allow maxi-

mu m light penetration to the

center of the b ed and to facilitate

harvesting. The wider a b ed is, the

better the ratio of production

space to aisle space and the greater

the return per acre. Tall, dense

flower growth h abits reduce the

amount of light reaching lower

leaves in t he center o f the bed.

A worker can efficiently reach

only 2 feet into a bed to m ake a

proper cut and remove the flower

withou t damage to the crop.

Bed length also is set to maxi-

mize the area in produ ction versus

the area in aisles. The limitingfactor to b ed length is labor

efficiency. The m aximum distance

a worker shou ld carry harvested

flowers is abou t 5060 feet.

Planting beds shou ld be 100

120 feet long.

W hat To Gro w :The Id eal Crop

An ideal cut flower crop, either

fresh or dried, would h ave the

following characteristics:

low cost of production materials and labor

high value and unlimiteddemand

high production per square footof bed space

extended produ ction an dmarketing season

long p roductive life ability to sell fresh and to sell

surplus as a dried or preserved

floral produ ct

posth arvest vase life of at least7 days

resistance to diseases and pestsof all types

resistance to heat and droughtstress

long stems (18 inch es) easy harvest and han dling aesthetically pleasing an d/o r

fragrant flowers, foliage, or

stems

No single species or variety

of plant material will meet all

of these criteria. They are pre-sented here to provide a means

of evaluating the relative desir-

ability of produ cing a crop of a

specific plant.

De f i n i t i onsAnnual :A plant that lives,

grows, and dies with a comp leted

life cycle within a single year,

usually blooms continually during

its life cycle.

Biennial:A plant th at no rmally

requires two years to comp lete its

life cycle. It will grow and produce

leaves, but produces flowers and

seed p ods on ly after subsequent ly

un dergoing a cold period, usually

the second year.Perennial: A plant wh ich has

a life span of mo re than two years,

but flowers for only a set period

during the season.

Fresh Cu t Flo w ersAnnua ls

Ageratum hou stonianumFloss

flower; in deman d for blue flower;

a variety to try is Blue Horizon .

Ammi m ajusQu een Annes

lace, snowflake; white lacy head

can be dyed.Antirrhinum majusSnapd ragon ;

tall spike required, varieties to try

are Rocket and the Potom acs.

Callistephus chinensisCh in a

aster; many cutting strains avail-

able, th e Florett Series is an extra-

double, large-flowered type.

Caution : aster yellows, a disease

transmitted by insects, is devastat-

ing and difficult to control.

Celosia cristataCockscomb,

feather o r plum e Celosia; for the

red crested flower try th e Chief

Series. The Sparkler Series is a red

feather-type to try. Wheat celosia

bear slender white plumes during

summer heat and are rose tinted

un der cool n ights of fall.

Centaurea cyanusCorn flower,

bachelors butt ons; frilly button s

of white, pink, and blue.

Centaurea americana

Cornflower; much larger flowers

than C. cyanus, lilac-pink color.

Clarkia amoenaGod etia; t rythe Grace Series; prefers coo l

temperatures.

Consolida regalisLarksp ur;

Giant Imperial Strain is the

standard strain; try Qis Series

and Blue Cloud.

Dianth us barbatusSweet

William; old types are biennials,

new types act like true ann uals;

try the new Pride of Park Avenue

Series.


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Eustom a grandif lorum

Lisianthus, sweet lissies; Yodels

are the standard variety but

also try the Echo Series and

the Heidi Series.

Gypsophila elegansAnnual

babys breath; most commonlygrown are t he large-flowered white

form, but the sm aller-flowered

pink, rose, and pu rple also have a

market. Recomm ended for fresh

use only.

Helianth us debilis cucum erifoliu s

Sun flower; relative ly sm all

flower of yellow to wh ite and

shades of mahogany and rust.

Try Sun brigh t and Full Sun ,

regularly branched plants which

do not produce pollen. In our

trials, pollen prod uction h asproven to b e a quality objection-

able to the con sumer. Pollen shed

from the vase causes a mess.

Iberis am araRocket candytuft ;

fragrant and early bloom er.

Limoniu m sinuatumAnnual

statice; try Excellen t Series,

Qis Series, and t he Turbo Series.

Surplus production may be

marketed in dried form.

Molucella laevisBells of Ireland;

apple green flowers (calces);

surplus production may be usedin dried form.

Nigella damascenaLove-in -a-

mist; delicate flowers for fresh use;

allow surplus produ ction to set

fruit for sale as fresh material,

further surplus fruit may be used

in dried form.

Scabiosa atropurpureaPin-

cushion flower; dense, roun ded,

rich colored, flower heads.

Zinn ia elegansZinn ia; severa l

flower types an d sizes available.

Never water overhead; subject to

leaf diseases. The dah lia-flowered

Giant Mamm oth , the cactus-

flowered Zenith and the State

Fair series are reported to be the

best of the large flowering zinnias.

Try the Pum ila Series, Ruffles and

Cut-and -Com e-Again for smaller

sized flowers.

Fresh Cu t Flo w ersPerennials

Achillea filipendulinaYarro w,

fernleaf yarrow; try Gold Plate

and Coronation Gold. For oth er

colors t ry Jam bo (soft yellow),

Lilac Improved (lilac pink),Lusaka (pure white), Nakuru

(pur ple an d wh ite), Sawa Sawa

(dark pu rple), and Wesersand-

stein (light pink).

Artem isia ludovicianaWh ite

sage; grown for th e silver-gray

foliage which is used fresh or in

dried form. Silver King and Silver

Queen are standard cultivars.

Asclepias incarnata&Asclepias

tuberosaButterfly flower; rose-

purple and neon orange respec-tively; easy to grow, shippable,

and long-lasting cut flowers.

Aster novi-belgii&Aster

ericoidesAster ; hyb rids of bo th

species are good cut flowers;

Monte Casino is the standard

variety grown, the Master Series

is among the best of the new

hybrids.

AstilbeAstilb e, false spirea;

requires moist soil in summ er;

color range of white, pink, red,

and lavender.Chrysanthemu m x superbum

Shasta daisy; most popular from

cut tin gs is T.E. Killin an d Alaska

from seed; prolific bloom ers

adaptable to mo st soils; plants are

not long-lived without frequent

division.

Echinops bann aticus, Echin ops

exaltatu s, Echinops ritro, Echinops

sphaerocephalusGlobe th istle ;

rich blue to very light b lue;

excellent p rodu cers for either

fresh or dried markets; long-lived,but should n ot be transplanted.

Eryngium am ethystinum &

Eryngium planum Eryn go ,

sea holly; easiest of the eryngo

to grow; excellent fresh or dried;

small silvery-blue to purple-blue

flowers; try Donau, Blue

Star, Blue Diam on d, Silver

Stone, and Fluella. Larger-

flowered types areE. bourgatt iand

E. x zabelii.Eryngium alpinum

is the m ost difficult to grow, but

is the largest-flowered with several

great blue cones surrounded by

prickly calyx frills.

Gypsophila paniculataPerennial

babys breath; th e standard fillerof th e floral indu stry; used fresh

or dried; suited to dry, light, and

slightly alkalin e soils. Vegetatively

produ ced plants h ave large, fully

dou ble flowers; Perfecta is th e

standard. Can be seed grown, but

will have smaller flowers and on ly

a portion will have double flowers.

LiatrisGayfeathe r, blazin g star;

one of the longest lasting and

finest cut flowers; native to Kansas;

well adapted to our climate and

soils; long-lived plants. Producefor local m arkets only; over-supply

in national m arket.

PaeoniaPeon y; herb aceo us

types are among th e choicest

of fresh an d dried cu t flowers;

extremely lon g-lived; short harvest

season but can be stored cool and

dry for up to 12 weeks. Kansas has

a competitive advantage in the

commercial production of peonies

because of climate. Plants require

35 years from p lantin g to reach

productive potential. Demandcurrently exceeds supply for both

fresh an d dried flowers.

Platycodon grandiflorum Ballo on

flower; large bellflowerlike

bloom s follow balloonlike buds;

adapts to a wide ran ge of soil

types; will tolerate some shade.

Salvia farinaceaBlue salvia,

mealycup sage; strong grower in

extreme h eat; can be u sed as fresh

or d ried m aterial; try Victoria,

Catima, and Blue Bedder. Salvia

is sensitive to meth yl-brom ide

treated soil.

Scabiosa caucasicaPincushion

flower; a tradition al florists cut

flower; easy to grow an d adap table

to mo st soils; try Fam a and

Complem ent, lilac blue o r wh ite

seed strains.

SolidagoGolden rod ; hybrid s

from Holland are better than o ur

nat ive species; easy, trou ble-free,


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and adaptable to m ost soils. Note:

Goldenrod does not cause

hayfever sympto ms.

Fresh Cut Flo w ersBul b sAlliumFlower ing on ion ; all

species are good fresh cut flowers;

easy to grow and adap table to any

well-drain ed soil. The best species

for cutting are: A. af latun ense,

A. caeruleum, A. giganteum, an d

A. spaerocephalum.

GladiolusGlad ioli; staggered

planting for continuous harvest;

plant n ew corms each year; dig

and sell corms each fall. Standard

item for florist and farmers

market sales. Try both standard

and baby glads; the n ew hybrid

Parigo Series is an intermediatetype glad.

Lilium Lily; the Asiatic an d

Aurelian h ybrids alon g with th e

Oriental hybrids L.auratum ,L.

rubellum , and L. speciosum are best

for comm ercial cut flower produc-

tion. Try the white flowered

Orien tal hybrid Casa Blanca.

Fresh Cu t Flo w ersFlow er in g W oo d y Stem s

The stems of Forsythia, Salix,

and Chaenomelescan be cut whendormant, held cool and forced

into bloom as fresh flowers for

late winter and early spring sales.

D r ied M ater ia lsFlo w ers an dM iscellan eou s Plan tParts

The following list of the top

30 flowers for drying is the

result of a membership survey

by th e Association o f SpecialtyCut Flower Growers.

Achillea(yarrows)

Ammobium (herb)

Artemisia(silver king, queen , and

annual Sweet Annie)

Branches of Plants(myrtle, cedar,

willow)

Iberis sempervireas(cand ytuff)

Carthamus tinctorius(safflower)

Celosia cristata(cockscom b)

Consolida regalis(larkspur)

Daucus carota (Queen Annes lace)

Echinops(globe thistle)

Eryngium (seaholly)

Eucalyptus

Chrysanthemum parthenium

(feverfew)Gomphrena golbosa(globe

amaranth)

Grass and Grains (Wheat, black

bearded and Du rum ; rye, oats,

rice, buffalo, quaking, barley,

canary, flax, hares tale, milo,

sorghum,)

Gypsophila perfecta&G. paniculata

(babys breath)

Helichrysum bracteatu m

(strawflower)

Helipterum manglesii (Rhodanthe)

Helipterum manglesii(Acroclinum)Hydrangea

Lavandula(lavender)

Lepidium (peppergrass)

Limoniu m lat ifolia(latifolia)

Limoniu m caspicum (caspia)

Limoniu m sinuatum (annual

sinuata)

Limoniu m suworowii(rattail)

Limoniu m tataricum (German)

Lunaria(mon ey plant)

Nigella (love-in-a-mist,

devil-in-the-bush)

Papaver somniferum (poppy pods)

Rosa (roses)Tanacetum (tansy)

Xeranth emum (comm on

immortelle)

Zea Mays(corn)

When choosing plants to grow,

start with a t est plot. Begin small

and learn how to grow the plant

and det ermin e if it is suitable and

economical to produce under your

specific condition s. You should be

able to produce a high-quality

product before expanding produc-

tion beyond the experimentalstage. Keep a jo urn al. You will find

little or no information available

on m any plant materials you may

wish to grow. Your experience will

be useful for production d ecisions

in subsequent seasons.

Foxtail,

Milo, Wheat


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W hen to Plan tPlanting dates depend on your

target market and on plant

classification whet her it is anannual, biennial, or perennial. In

general, the peak demand for the

retail florist trad e is from fall

through Mothers Day. Field

produ ction of fresh cut flowers for

this market should include plant-

ing for maximum harvest in th e

spring and fall seasons. Farmers

markets typically operate from late

spring unt il frost in t he fall.

Consistent production th roughout

this period is mo st desirable.

Annuals

Ann uals are planted into the

field as soon as the danger of frost

is past. Using transplants will

bring th e crop into flower earlier

and m ay return h igher prices early

on if you are able to h arvest for

the Mothers Day market. Sequen -

tial plantings may be requ ired

to assure a continuous supply

of product throughout th e market

season . Staggered plan tin gstwo

weeks apart in to Julyare com -mon for many annuals. Trans-

plants may b e used initially to

hit th e earliest possible m arket,

with later plantin gs direct seeded.

When choosing cultivars, be

careful to select those suitable for

cut flower produ ction. Many

annuals have been developed for

use as beddin g plants and are not

suited for comm ercial cut flower

production.

Biennials

Biennials should b e planted

in the fall to ensure an adequate

cold treatment before regrowth

starts in the spring. The overwin-

ter cold treatment is required for

mo re un iform flowering. If beds

or plants are not ready for plant-

ing in the fall, some alternatives

exist. Placing th e plants in to cold

storage or spraying them with

5001,000 parts per m illion of

gibberellic acid will substitute for

overwintering the plants in the

bed. Wh ile these alternatives do

promote flowering, production

quan tity and quality are reducedcompared with fall-planted stock.

Biennials tend to bloom in

a cond ensed time period. Stag-

gered plantings typically will not

result in staggered periods of

bloom . Most biennials will bloom

at th e same time u nless subjected

to cold storage or gibberellic acid

treatmen ts. Som e bienn ials are

excellent cut flowers but because

of this concentrated, all-at-once

bloom habit, few are grown as

comm ercial crops.

Perennials

Perenn ials are placed into

categories based on the presence

or absence of storage organs an d

whether they must be dug in the

fall and replanted each spring.

1. cold-hardy plants which have

storage organs and can remain

in th e ground for several

years. If allowed to remain in

place over winter, th ey

typically will bloom at th e

same time. Extended bloom

periods can be achieved by

digging in the fall, placing in

40 oF storage, and planting

every 23 weeks beginning in

mid-spring. Examp les in th is

group are liatris and lilies.

2. nonh ardy plants which h ave

storage organs and must be

dug each year. Continuous

bloom periods are relatively

easy to achieve by staggering

the planting dates from spring

through mid-summer. The

additional labor requiredto dig, store, and replant

increases their cost of prod uc-

tion. The econom ics of

produ cing each species sho uld

be analyzed b efore extensive

production is un dertaken.

Examples in th is group are

anem on es, dahlias, gladiolus,

and ranun culus.

3. cold-hardy plants which h ave

rhizomes or a clum p-formin g

growth habit and may be left

un disturbed for a few toseveral years before being

divided. After th e first year,

plants in th is category tend to

bloom together, typically

within a week or so of the

same time each year. Bloom

periods can b e extended

slightly th rough cultivar

selection. Examples of plants

in this group are peony and

shasta daisy.

Plant ing


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How to PlantIn general, transplants should

be planted shallow, with the roots

placed just below the soil surface.

Plantin g too d eep reduces oxygen

exchange between the newly

developing root system and theatmo sphere, slowing growth. Too

deep planting encourages the

development of root and stem

rots. The soil aroun d th e trans-

plants should be firmed to remove

large pockets of air but n ot so

much so as to pack the soil. All

plants shou ld be watered as soon

after planting as possible. Delay-

ing the app lication of water to the

newly planted crop m ay severely

reduce overall production .

Plant Den sity

A closely spaced crop of annual

flowers will usually produ ce mo re

flowers over the growing season

than a crop at wider spacing. The

essential criteria in cut flower

production is the nu mber of

flowers produced p er square foot

on growth habit of individual

species and th e growing

conditions.

It should be noted that closer

spacings produ ce more flowers per

square foot of bed, but also reduce

air circulation within th e bed.Poor air circulation could in crease

the likelihood of foliar diseases.

If powdery mildew or leaf spot

fungus is a comm on problem on

a species you inten d to prod uce,

then a slightly wider spacing may

be appropriate.

Crop Suppo rt

Som e cut flowers may n eed

support to ensure a high percent-

age of straight stems. A plastic or

nylon material in rolls of either

a 4- or 6-inch m esh is a popular

supportin g material. It is laid ou t

horizontally and suspended above

the b ed by attaching to steel fence

posts placed alon g the ed ges of

the bed. Other methods exist and

any method which p roduces the

desired result with low cost and

min imal labor is acceptable.

of bed space and n ot the number

of flowers per plant. In general,

the closer the spacing of ann uals

the m ore flowers produced. A

4- to 6-inch spacing within the

row and 68 inches between rows

is ideal for most annual flowers.This will vary depend ing on the

growth h abit of each species and

on the specific environment of the

planting site.

Perennials left in place each year

have the po tential to crowd each

other to an extent th at may reduce

overall produ ction in succeeding

years. Plants that may be divided

every 3 years (shasta d aisy) m ay be

planted closer than plant s which

may be divided every 20 years or

more (peony).In general, perenn ials are

planted at abo ut a 1-foot spacing,

within an d between rows. Peonies

are planted 3 feet apart in a single

row or staggered in a do uble row,

with a 3-foot spacing within each

row and 2 feet between rows.

Plant density will vary dependin g

Zinnia


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W ater in gSpecialty cut flowers grown

in th e field, for fresh or d ried

markets, will require more to tal

water than m any oth er field crops.

To maintain floral quality and

peak production, the plants must

be watered frequen tly, som etimes

daily with some soil types. A watersource of sufficient volume and

quality shou ld be readily available

to th e produ ction area. Growers

in Kansas shou ld no t attempt

to prod uce cut flowers withou t

supplemen tal watering. Natural

rainfall is not sufficient nor

reliable. Without supplemental

watering, production may not

be economically realistic.

Overhead watering is not

recommended. It may physically

damage th e flowers, cause spottin g

on the petals, splash soil onto the

foliage, and promote the spread of

disease. Some type of drip irriga-

tion is recomm ended. It has the

advantage of placing the water on

the ground where it is needed and

not on the flowers or foliage.

The b asic principle in designing

an irrigation system for cut flowers

is to place the water u niformly

aroun d each plan t. Spacing of

irrigation lin es depends on soil

type and structure. Coarse, open

soils require closer spacing th an

dense, fine soils. The irrigation

system p lan shou ld be developed

by a competent designer, with the

grower having a thorough under-

standing of the system and itsoperation.

Irrigation shou ld be scheduled

based on th e soil mo isture status

in th e root zon e. Proper irrigation

man agement provides sufficient

but no t excessive water to the

crop. Water stress will reduce

production and quality of a crop.

A consisten tly saturated soil will

reduce growth and prom ote the

development of root rot. The

amoun t and frequency of water

required will vary with th eweather and stage of maturity

of the crop.

Fert i l izerBefore in itiating an y fertilizer

program, always test the soil for

nutrient content. The increased

water requirement of cut flowers

creates an in creased requiremen t

for fertilization. The application

of fertilizer should coincide with

crop n eeds. Higher rat es are

required in the initial phases

of growth while you are building

the size of th e plants. Lower rates

are required as a crop approaches

harvest. For crops with a h arvest

that extends throughout th e

growing season, lighter an d m ore

frequent application of nitrogenmay be n ecessary to reduce the

non produ ctive cycle between

flushes of bloom. Nitrogen defi-

ciency is the most comm on

nutrient problem. Many growers

incorporate 2545 poun ds of

actual nitrogen p er acre before

planting. Minor element deficien-

cies are common in areas of

Kansas with alkaline water or soils.

W eed Con t ro l

Weeds must be cont rolled inthe field production of cut flow-

ers. Competition with weeds

reduces the quantity and quality

of floral production. A bed full of

weeds increases the t ime requ ired

to harvest, raising labor costs. Due

to limited produ ction of many

species of specialty cut flowers,

only a few herbicides are labeled

for use. Contact your coun ty

How toGrow

Specia l ty cut f low ers are a h igh-d o l la r crop. The i r va lue is m easured in d o l la rs per squ arefoo t , no t d o l la r s pe r ac re . W i thho ld ing o r de lay ing ap p l i ca t ion o f a ny inpu t , w h ich redu ces f low er produ ct ion or q ua l i ty, is fa lse econom y.


12/33

14

Extension agent for an u pdate

on herbicides labeled for flower

production.

Weed barriers can be u sed. They

have th e added b enefit of restrict-

ing soil splash on to foliage and

flowers from rain an d irrigation.The most common barriers in use

are plastics and p aper. The major

disadvantage with plastic mu lches

may be in th eir disposal after

removal from th e bed. The barri-

ers restrict water evaporation from

the soil surface, reducing loss and

maintaining a more consistent soil

moisture content.

Straw and woo d chips have been

used as mulches to redu ce weed

competition, improve water

retention, an d reduce temperaturefluctuations within the soil. Being

organic materials, they slowly

decomp ose and increase organic

matter in the soil. They are

applied in a 2- to 4-inch layer and

mu st be reapplied each year.

A hoe an d han d weeding are

the best methods for control.

Availability and cost of labor may

be prohibitive in all but the

smallest prod uction situation s.

Insect Cont ro lGood cu ltural practices are the

best insect control available. A

healthy, actively growing plant

is more resilient to insect attack.

The ideal approach is a preventa-

tive program. Control in sects

early, when they are first detected.

Do n ot wait un til a serious infesta-

tion occurs. Less chemical can be

applied to a smaller area to

control th ese hot spots as they

develop than would be required to

spray the entire crop. Aphids, leaf

ho ppers, spider mites, and thrips

are the most comm on insects

encountered.

Integrated pest management

(IPM) is the p rocess of using all

the different methods of control-

ling insects in an integrated

approach. The m ain goal is to

reach an acceptable level of insect

control with minimal use of

chemical pesticides. Monitorin g

insect species and keeping records

as to insect nu mb ers and location

are integral parts of the program.

Biological controls using para-

sites, predators, and p athogen s

can help keep insect levels inbalance. They are especially useful

when the grower specializes in

on ly a few crops. Biologicals tend

to be specific to an in sect on a

crop. It is easier to manage an

insect on a crop than it is to

man age several insects on a

variety of crops.

All chemicals should be applied

intelligent ly. Always apply at th e

lowest po ssible effective rate.

Learn the life cycles of all insects

associated with th e culture of yourcrops. Know which stage of each

insects life cycle is susceptible

to which chemical spray. Spray

only when control is possible.

D isease Con tr olFoliar fungus diseases are the

most serious disease problem

on cu t flowers. If mildew or ot her

foliar diseases are a recurring

problem , it might be wise to

increase the spacing between

plants slightly to im prove air

circulation around the foliage.

Powdery mildew and black leaf

spot are two of the m ost common

foliar diseases. Botrytis attacks

flowers durin g cool damp weather.Improper watering or frequent

rains may cause som e root rot

problem s. These can be m inim ized

by plantin g on raised beds. Occa-

sionally Fusarium and Verticillium

wilt have becom e prob lems. Aster

Yellows Virus can be d evastatin g

on susceptible crops.

The best approach to disease

control is a preventative program.

Manage the crop. Don t n eglect it.

Practice good sanitation; keep th e

field free of weeds and plantdebris. Adjust planting density for

each species to allow sufficient air

circulation within the bed. Con-

trol leaf ho ppers and th rips to

reduce the po tential for spreading

virus. Rogue out diseased plants

and remove from the production

area. Table 1 describes diseases

common to m any flowering

plants.

Columbine


13/33

15

Tab le 1. Diseases Common to Flowering Plants

Host Disease Sym ptom s

Aster Botrytis stem and petal rot Small brown to black lesions

(Botrytis cinerea) develop on the stems or petals.

During hu mid weather, a dusty gray

growth o f the fungus covers diseasedtissue.

Rust Yellow, orange, or dark red pustules

(Several fungi) form on leaves. Severe in fection may

result in p remature defoliation .

Generally not a serious pro blem.

Powdery mildew White powdery patches develop

(Erysiphesp.) on leaf surface.

Fusarium wilt Young plan ts may develop a root

(Fusarium oxysporum f. callestephi) and topple over. Older plants may

be stunted an d yellow, and

eventu ally wilt and die. A bro wn

discoloration can be found in the

vascular system.

Aster yellows Affected leaves develop yellowing

(Mycoplasmalike organ ism) of veins. Growing poin ts turn ligh t

yellow-green an d give rise to

abnormal growth.

Canna Bud rot In fected leaves develop large

(Xant hom onas cannae) irregular spots as they unfurl from

the bud . The bacteria (which reside

in th e bud ) also attack flower stems

or petals.

Chrysan themum Leaf spots Small circular spots develop on

(Alternariaand Septoriasp.) leaves. Extensive spotting may cause

premature defoliation .

Botrytis bligh t Generally restricted to the

(Botrytis cinerea) greenhouse, th is disease causes

blightin g of flower petals. A du sty,

gray growth covers diseased tissue

during hum id conditions.

Aster yellows See discussion under aster.

(Mycoplasm alike organism)

Virus diseases Several viruses affect chrysan-

them um ; includes mosaics,distortion, rosetting, and yellowing.

Wilt Leaves turn yellow and die from the

(Verticilliumsp. and Fusarium sp.) bottom of plan t toward top. In fected

plants are stunted o r killed.

Cosmos Powdery mildew White powdery growth on surface

(Erysiphesp.) of leaves.


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16


Dahlia Crown gall Large wartlike swelling forms on

(Agrobacterium tu mefaciens) crowns of diseased plan ts.

Wilt Lower leaves on affected plan ts turn

(Fusarium sp. and Verticillium alboatrum ) yellow an d wilt. Sym ptom s progress

toward top of the p lant. Brown or

black streaks may develop in th evascular system. Plants are stun ted

or killed.

Root rot Aboveground symptoms similar

(Various fungi) to wilt; however, roots are discolored

and rotted.

Powdery mildew White powdery growth on the

(Erysiphesp.) surface of leaves.

Delph in ium or Larkspur Stem rot Large, circular patches of plants may

(Delphinium) (Sclerotium sp.) die during warm weather. Affected

plants develop a serious roo t rot

and collapse. Small, tan to brown,roun d fun gal structures called

sclerotia associated with dead plants.

Powdery mildew White powdery growth on surface

(Erysipheand Sphaerothaecasp.) of leaves.

Gladiolus Fusarium crown (corm) rot During the growing season , leaves

(Fusarium oxysporum f. gladioli) on affected plan ts turn yellow

prematurely. During storage, corms

develop a dry rot. Diseased corms

produ ce spindly, weak plants the

following year.

Hollyhock Rust Small yellow spots appear on the

(Alth laea) (Puccinia malvacearm ) upper surface of the leaves. Brick-red

pustules or blisters form on the lower

leaf surface.

Iris Iris leaf spot Circular to oval straw-colored spots

(Didymellina macrospora) develop on leaves; spots surrounded

by a brown to purp le margin.

Bacterial soft rot Leaves of affected plan ts develop

(Erwin ia caratovora) a water-soaked appearance. Rh izomes

develop a foul-smelling soft rot; the

disease often follows injury cau sedby the iris borer.

Scorch Central leaves wither and die back

(Cause unknown) from tips. Affected leaves may turn

reddish-brown. Rhizome rem ains

firm b ut center of roots rot leaving

ou ter layer. Root s collapse and can

easily be pulled from th e rhizome.


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17


Lily Botrytis bligh t Orange to reddish-brown circular

(Lilium ) (Botrytis elipt ica) spots on leaves, stems, buds, and

flowers. Grayish fun gal growth

appears in spots during wet weather.

Marigold Aster yellows Affected leaves first develop

(Tagetes) (Mycoplasm alike organism) yellowing along veins. Growing

points tu rn light yellow-green and

give rise to abn ormal growth.

Botrytis bligh t Browning and decay of flowers.

(Botrytis cinerea) Grayish fungal growth appears on

infected p etals during wet weather.

Fusarium wilt Discoloration and decay of root

(Fusarium sp.) and lower stem. Interior of lower

stem m ay have a pin kish-red

discoloration.

Narcissus Basal rot-bulb rot A dry rot develops in roots, then

(Daffod il) (Narcissus) (Fusarium oxysporum Penicillium spp.) spreads to cen ter of bulb and out.

Bulbs turn dark brown an d pink

(Fusarium ) or bluish-green

(Penicillium ); fun gal growth may

form between scales.

Pansy Anthracnose First symptoms are small spots

(Viola, Violet) (Viola) (Colletotrichum violae-tricoloris) on leaves with a dark margin .

Spots enlarge and dark concentric

rings develop within th em. Spots

on petals have a dark center and

light brown border. Stem lesions are

elongated, brown, and water soaked.

Botrytis bligh t Soft, slimy decay of leaves and

(Bot ryt is cin erea) flowers. Gray fungal growth develops

on infected plant parts during wet

weather.

Rust Yellowish-orange spots on upper leaf

(Puccinia violae) surface; spots are pale green on

underside of leaf. Petioles and stems

may also be infected. Brown and

black pustules develop later in

growing season.

Peony Botrytis bligh t Sudden wilting of shoots. Brown

(Paeon ia) (Botrytis cinerea) or black rot can be seen at the base

of stems, below ground. Grayish

fungal growth visible on stems just

above soil line. Infected flowers turn

brown, an d large, irregular brown

areas develop on leaves. Fun gal

growth m ay also develop on infected

plant parts.


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Peony continued Phytoph thora bligh t In fected stems, leaves, blossoms,

(Phytophthora cactorum ) and buds are brown and leathery.

Black cankers form on stems and

cause them to fall over.

Red spot, measles Small, dark red circular spots

(Cladosporium paeoniae) on leaves. Spots coalesce to formblotches that are dark purple

on lower surface.

Iron ch lorosis In terveinal yellowing of leaves.

Scorching of leaf margins may occur

in severe cases.

Phlox Leaf spot Most spots appear as small, dark

(Several fungi) circular lesions on lower leaves.

Some spots may have light centers.

Spotting may cause drying and

premature death of leaves.

Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.(Erysiphe cichoracearum

and Sphaerotheca humili)

Salvia Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.

(Erysiphesp.)

Snapdragon Anthracnose Sunken spots on older stems and

(Ant irrhinum ) (Colletotrichu m ant irrhini) leaves are pale yellow to gray with

a brown border. Small black fruiting

bodies of the fungus are visible

within th e spots.

Powder mildew White powdery growth on leaves.

(Oidium sp.)

Rust Powdery orange pustules on leaves

(Puccinia antirrhini) and stems. Later in the season

pustules turn black. Plants wilt

and die quickly.

Stocks Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.

(Mat th iola)

Sweet Pea Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.

(Lath yrus) (Microsphaeriasp.)


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Tulip Botrytis bligh t (Fire) First symptoms are small brown

(Tulipa) (Botrytis t ul ipae) spots on foliage and flowers. Spots

enlarge and form blighted areas with

a grayish center and dark margin.

During wet weather, gray fungal

growth m ay be seen in blighted

areas. Stems m ay rot an d small bu lbs

may be infected. Bulb lesions are

yellow to brown an d m ay contain

small black fruiting bo dies of the

fungus.

Yucca Leaf spot Irregular brown spots on leaves.

(Kellermania anom ala)

Zinn ia Leaf spot-bligh t Small reddish-brown leaf spots with

(Alternaria zinniae) gray cen ters. Dark brown cankers

may develop on stems and flowersmay be spotted or blighted.

Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.

(Erysiphe sp.)

Lily


18/33

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Many autho rs have stated that

flowers sho uld be h arvested at th e

peak of perfection. Althou gh th is

advice seems straight forward,

it is amb iguous considering the

differences in flowers and con-

cepts of peak of perfection. For

the con sumer, the peak of perfec-

tion is when the flower is showing

its best color and form, and lasts

the longest. For th e grower, the

wholesale broker and the florist,

it is the stage when th e flower will

hold up in the m arketing chain

the longest and meet the expecta-

tions of the consumer.

Table 2 lists the optimal stageof developm ent for h arvesting a

wide range of specialty cut flowers

for the direct market. Flowers for

wholesale markets sho uld b e less

developed to allow for han dling

and shipping time.

For the longest vase life, flowers

should be harvested in th e morn -

ing before the h eat of the day. The

flowers are cooler and h ave more

water in them. Less energy will

be required to coo l the flowers and

wilting will be less of a problem.Flowers shou ld be rem oved from

the field as soon as possible and

placed in a cooler at 40 oF or a co ol

place that is less than 60 oF un til

they can b e sorted, graded, pack-

aged, and shipped to market.

Special attention should be

placed on harvest equipment.

Knives or shears should be sharp

so all stems can be cut cleanly.

Dull cutting instrumen ts can

crush stems, restricting the flow

of water into th e stems and

shortenin g the vase life of th e

flowers. Knives, shears, and

harvest con tainers sho uld be

routin ely disinfected before each

use. A mild chlorine bleach

solution (1:10) is adequate. Har-

vested flowers should be placed in

tepid water (110oF) with a floral

preservative added. Wh en u sing a

preservative, put flowers in plastic

containers. Preservative chemicals

may react with a m etal con tainer.

Floral preservatives have many

componen ts that lengthen the

vase life of flowers. First, theyacidify the wat er. Flowers keep

longer in acid water (pH 3.5).

Water tests sho uld be con ducted

to determine the pH of your water.

Most water in Kansas is hard or

alkaline (pH > 7.0), especially city

water. If your water is very hard,

it may requ ire additional acid.

Chemically softened water

should not be used in any stage of

cut flower production or handling.

The high level of sodium in

chemically softened water canbe t oxic to flowers. If large-scale

produ ction is being considered,

installation of a water deionizer is

recommended to ensure a reliable

source of h igh-quality water.

Floral preservatives con tain

chemicals that stop or slow the

growth of m icroorganisms. A

low pH also retards m icroorganism

growth. Microorganisms can plu g

the water-conducting channels

xylemof th e flower an d cau se

decay.

Floral pr eservatives also pro vide

food in th e form of simple sugars,

like sucrose. Providing the flower

with food lengthen s vase life and

brightens th e flower color.

Floral preservatives can be made

from scratch, but b eginn ers

should use comm ercially prepared

products until they become

familiar with t heir crops handling

requiremen ts and water quality.

Chives

Harvest


19/33

21

Tab le 2. Optimal Development Stage of Cut Flowers for Direct Sale

Com m on n am e Species Stage of developm en t

Acacia Acacia spp. 12florets open

Yarrow Achillea filipendu lina fully open flowers

True Monkshood, Officinal Aconite Aconitum napellus 12florets open

African Lily Agapanth us um bellatus 14florets open

Allium , Ornam ental On ion Allium spp. 1314 florets open

Peruvian Lily Alstroemeria hybrids 45 florets open

Hollyhock Alth ea rosea 13florets open

Joseph s Coat, Amarant h Amaranth us 12florets open

Foun tain Plant, Tampala

Poppy Amem one Anem one coronaria buds beginn ing to open

Anthurium Ant hu rium spp. spadix almost fully developed

Snapdragon Ant irrhinum m ajus 13florets open

Columbine Aquilegiah ybrids 12florets open

Astilbe Astilbe hybrids 12florets open

English Daisy, True Daisy Bellis perenn is fully open flowers

Bouvardia Bouvardia hybrids flowers beginn ing to open

Calendula, Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis fully open flowers

China Aster, Annual Aster Callistephus chinensis fully open flowers

Camellia Camellia japonica fully open flowers

Canterb ery Bells Campanulaspp. 12florets open

Cattleya Orchid Cattleyaspp. 34 days after open ing

Cockscomb Celosia argentea 12florets open

Bachelors Butt on , Corn flower Centaurea spp. flowers beginn ing to open

Wallflower Cheiranthus cheirii 12florets open

Mums Chrysanthemum spp. fully open flowers

Hardy chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum morifoliumStandard cultivars outer petals fully elongated

Spray cu ltivars

Singles open but before an thesis

Anemones open but before disk flowers start

to elongate

Pompons & decorative cen ter of older flower fully open

Clarkia Clarkia elegans 12florets open

Kaffir, Lily, Clivia Clivia miniata 14florets open

Larkspur, Annual Delphinium Consolida am baigua 25 florets op en

Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis 12florets open

Coreop sis, Tickseed, Lance Coreo psis Coreopsis grandiflora fully open flowers

Spira l flag Costus spp. almost fully open flowers

Montebretia Crocosmia crocosmiflora 12florets open

Cyclamen Cyclam en persicum fully open flowers

Cymbidium Orchid Cymbidium spp. 34 days after open ing

Dahlia Dahia variabilis fully open flowers

Delphinium Delphinium spp . 12florets open

Dendrobium Orchid Dendrobium spp . almost fully open flowers

Sweet William Dian th us barbat us 12florets open

Carnation Dian th us caryophyllu s

Standard cultivars half-open flowers

Spray cultivars 2 fully open flowers


20/33

22


Common Foxglove, Finger Flower, Digitalis purpurea 12florets open

Purp le Foxglove, Fairy Glove

Leopard s ban e Doronicum causasicum almost open flowers

Globe Thistle Echinops ritro half-open flowers

Desert-candle, Kings Spear Eremurus robustus 12florets open

Heather Ericaspp. 12florets open

Flea Bane Erigeron hybrids fully open flowers

Sea Holly Eryngium spp . fully open flowers

Amazon Lily, Star of Bethlehem Eucharis grandiflora almost open flowers

Poinsettia Euphorbia pu lcherrima fully extended bracts

Lisianthus Eustom a ressellian um 56 open flowers

Freesia Freesia hybrids first bud beginn ing to open

Crown Imperial Fritillaria imperialis half-open flowers

Perenn ial Gaillardia, Blanket Flower Gaillardia x grand iflora fully open flowers

Ann ual Gaillardia, Blanket Flower, Gaillardia pulchella fully open flowers

Indian Blanket

Gardenia Gardenia jasminoides almost fully open flowers

Transvaal Daisy, Gerbera, Gerbera jamesonii outer row of flowers showing pollen

Baraberto n Daisy, Veldt Daisy

Glads Gladiolus cultivars 15 buds showing color

Climbin g Lily Gloriosa superba almost fully open flowers

Perennial & Annual Babys Breath Gypsophila spp. flowers open bu t not overly matu re

Common Sunflower Helinath us annu us fully open flowers

Sun flower Heliopsis, Hardy Zinn ia, Heliopsis heliant hoides fully open flowers

Oran ge Sun flower, False Sun flower

Christm as Rose, Wint er Rose, Helleborus niger half-open flowers

Black Hellebore

Daylily Hemerocallis spp. half-open flowers

Amaryllis Hippeastrum hybrids colored buds

Bearded Iris Iris german ica colored buds

Dutch Iris Iris hollandica colored buds

Corn Lily, African Corn Lily Ixiaspp. colored buds

Kalanchoe Kalanchoe hybrids 12florets open

Torch-Lily, Common Poker Plant, Kniphofia u varia almost all florets showing color

Flam e Flower

Sweet Pea Lath yrus odoratus 12florets open

Edelweiss Leontopodium alpin um fully open flowers

Tall Gayfeather, Blazing Star, Liatris spicata 12florets open

Button Snakeroot

Tiger, Asiatic, Oriental lilies Lilium sp p. colored buds

Statice, Sea-Laven dar Limoniu m spp. almost fully open flowers

Lupine Lupin us mutabilis 12florets open

Common Stock Mat th iola incan a 12florets open

Bee-Balm, Fragrant Balm, Oswego Tea Monarda didyma almost open flowers

Common Grape Hyacinth Muscari botryoides 12florets open

Garden Forget-me-Not, Myosotis sylvatica 12florets open

Woo dlan d Forget-me-Not

Daffodil, Narcissus, Jonqu il Narcissus spp. Goose neck stage

Catmint Nepeta faassenii 12florets open


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Nerine Nerine bowdenii oldest buds almost open

Love-in-a-Mist, Devil-in-the-Bush, Nigella dam ascena open flowers

Chincherinchees, Sea On ion Ornithogalum spp . colored buds

Peony Paeonia spp . colored buds

Poppy Papaver spp. colored budsPaphiopedilum Orchid Paphiopedilum spp. 34 days after opening

Phalaeno psis Orchid Phalaenopsis spp. 34 days after opening

Sum mer Phlox, Garden Phlox, Phlox paniculata 12florets open

Fall Phlox, Perenn ial Phlox

Tuberose Polianthes t uberosa majority of florets open

Polyanth us Primrose Primula spp . 12florets open

Ranunculus Ranun culu s asiat icus buds beginn ing to open

Common Mignonette Reseda ordorata 12florets open

Roses Rosa hybrids

Red and pink cultivars first 2 petals beginn ing to unfold, calyx

reflexed below a ho rizon tal position

Yellow cultivars slightly earlier than red and pink

White cultivars slightly later than red and pink

Black-eyed Susan, Yellow Oxeye Daisy, Rudbeckiaspp . fully open flowers

English Bulls-eye

Pincushion Flower Scabiosa spp. half-open flowers

Siberian Squill, Blue Squill Scilla siberica half-open flowers

Sho wy Stonecrop Sedu m, Live-forever Sedum spp. fully open flowers

Goldenrod Solidago spp. 12florets open

Steph ano tis, Wax Flowers Stephanotis floribunda fully open flowers

Bird-of-Parad ise Flower Strelitzia reginae first floret open

African Marigold Tagetes erecta fully open flowers

Columbin e Meadow Rue Thalictrum apguilegifolium 12florets openGlobeflower Trollius spp. half-open flowers

Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus fully open flowers

Comm on Garden or Late Tulips Tulipa gesneriana half-colored bu ds

Speedwell Veronica spp. 12florets open

Sweet Violet, English Violet, Viola odorata almost open flowers

Garden Violet , Flor ists Violet

Pansy, Ladies Delight Viola x wittrockiana almost open flowers

Calla Lily Zantedeschia spp. just before the spathe begins

to turn downward

Zinnia Zinn ia elegans fully open flowers


22/33

24

After flowers are rem oved from

the field and placed in the packing

shed, the stems should be cut

under water. Stems will accept

water as lon g as the xylem is notblocked. Air bub bles drawn up

into the xylem wh en th e stem

was cut in the field can block the

upward movement of water. The

air bubble blockage may be

eliminated by removing an inch

of stem u nd er water.

Fresh cut flowers are extremely

sensitive to temperature an d

hu midity. Because they have such

a high surface-area-to-volume

ratio, they can lose water and wilt

quickly if not kept un der lowtemperature and h igh h umidity

condition s. The flower tissue h as

a high metabo lic rate, so cooler

temperatures are necessary to

slow metabolism. Most flowers

should be stored at 3235 oF and

9095 p ercent relative hum idity if

they are to be kept awhile.

Flowers are sensitive to ethylene

gas. Ethylene is produced natu rally

by flowers, but can come from

oth er sources includin g decaying

plant material, old flowers, ripen-

ing fruit, gasoline and p ropan e

combu stion and welding. Carefulselection of a location for the

storage area away from mo tors

and welding equipment is

important. Sanitation and good

inventory m anagement should

elimin ate decaying plan t m aterial

and old flowers. Flowers should

not be stored in th e same facility

as ripening fruits and vegetables.

Good air circulation in th e storage

area will help dilute an y ethylene

which may be present.

Som e species are so sensitiveto ethylene that you need to do

more to p rotect them (Table 3).

Silver th iosulfate (STS) reduces th e

harm ful effects of ethylene and

is available from most suppliers

of com mer cial preservatives. Silver

is a heavy metal th at can po llute

ground water and soil. There are

systems available to recycle the

STS and recover th e silver.

The stem tips of mo st spike

type flowers will ben d u pward

if laid horizontally. This is known

as negative geotropism. Spike type

flowers shou ld be stored andshipped upright.

Bruising and breaking flowers

reduces their aesthetic value an d

therefore their econom ic value.

Woun ds also allow entry of many

disease organisms and increase

ethylene production by the flow-

ers. Careful h andling to prevent

damage is imperative to ensure

a long-lived, high-quality flower.

Pulsing

Pulsing is a chem ical treatmen tof flowers to prolong the vase life.

The treatment is not continuou s

and typically lasts for 212 hours.

Silver thiosulfate (STS), and

510 p ercent sucrose solutions

are chemicals often pulsed into

flowers. These solutions are put

in the h olding water and the

flowers are held at various tem -

peratures for a certain tim e period.

Different species and different

Herbs

Postharvest


23/33

25

cultivars require different pulse

treatment s. Althou gh pu lse

treatments have not been deter-

min ed for man y specialty cut

flowers, there are too man y

different treatm ents to cover

in this publication.

M arket in g and Sel l ingFlowers can be marketed to

a flower who lesaler, a retail florist,

or directly to th e pub lic at a

farmers market o r farm m arket.

Each m arket has advantages and

disadvantages. Direct to th e pu blic

is the easiest market to en ter.

Sorting, han dling, and packaging

usually are minimal as is the

capital investment. A wide variety

of species and cultivars may besold with success. The disadvan-

tage is the volum e of sales may

limit th e income.

Wholesalers will accept large

volumes of flowers. You will have

to p ackage, sort, and grade flowers

to th eir specifications, and th ey

may no t accept some specialty

flowers. They set th e price for your

flowers. It takes awhile for th e

grower and wholesaler to develop

a good working relationsh ip.

Retail florists bu y from whole-salers. If you m arket directly to th e

florist, you cut out the middleman

and can get a h igher wholesale

price for your flowers. Florists may

not b e as concern ed with packag-

ing as wholesalers. Both florists

and wholesalers will insist on high

quality. Florists may be m ore

interested in specialty flowers than

wholesalers. You will have to deal

with several florists to sell the

same volume you would to a

wholesaler. The m arket or m arkets

you choose to enter m ust provide

sufficient profit m argins for you

to stay in b usiness.

Tab le 3. Flowers Particularly Sensitive to Ethylene

Agapanth us um bellatus

Alstroemeria hybrid

Anem one spp.

Astilbe spp.

Gypsophila spp.

Bouvardia hybrids

Campanula spp.

Dian th us spp.

Cent aurea cyanu s

Delphinium spp.

Dendrobium spp.

Eremerus robustus

Freesia hybrids

Solidago spp.

Kniphofia u varia

Lilium spp.

Aconitum napellus

Phlox paniculata

Scabiosa spp.

Rosa Spp.

Ant irrhinum maju s

Mat th iola in cana

Lath yrus odoratu s

Poppy


24/33

26

ReferencesAker, S.M. and W.E. Healy.

1988. Producing Cut FlowersGeneral Field Crop Management.

University of Maryland Coopera-

tive Extension Service. Ent erprise

Guide of Southern Maryland Fact

Sheet 468.

Dole, J.M. and M.A. Schnelle.

The Care and Han dling of Cut

Flowers. Oklahom a State Univer-sity Cooperative Extension Ser-

vice. OSU Exten sion Facts No.

6426.

Koch , Mark an d Sally Nakasawa.

1991. Top 30 Flowers For Dry-

ing. Association of Specialty Cut

Flower Growers. The Cut Flower

Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 3.

Various issues o f The Cut Flower

Quarterly, a publication o f the

Association of Specialty CutFlower Growers.

Ball Seed Co. prod uction no tes

for cut flower growers.

Recom m end at ion s1 . Keep a jo u rn a l.2 . Expe r im en t w i th test p lo ts, befo re expan d ing p rodu c t ion .3 . Unde rstand cu t f l ow e rs a re a h igh -va lue, in tensive ly m anag ed c rop .4 . Unde rstand tha t a h igh -qua l i t y p roduc t i s essen t ia l fo r success.5 . Set p r ices to ensure p ro f i ts . Pr ice cu t t ing w i thou t low er ing costs can ha ve

a d rast ic e f fec t on p ro f i tab i l ity.

Lavender, Goldenrod,

Thistle

Summary


25/33

27

Supp liers in this pu blication

are listed for identification. No

endorsement is intended, nor is

criticism of similar suppliers not

mentioned.

Cu t Flo w er SeedBall Seed Co.

250 Town Road

West Ch icago, IL 60185

W. Atlee Bur pee Co.

50375 Park Ave.

Warminster, PA 18974

The Country Garden

Rt. 2

Crivitz, WI 54114

Express Seed Co.

201 West Main St.

Smethport, PA 16749

H.G. German Seeds

Box 398

Smethport, PA 16749

German ia Seed Co.

5952 North Milwaukee

Chicago, IL 60646

Gloeckner

15 East 26t h St.New York , NY 10010

Joh n n ys Select Seeds

Albion, ME

L. Daehn feldt

P.O . Box 15 DK-5100

Oden se C., Denm ark

North rup King Seed Co.

Maryland Plants an d Supplies

9586 Deereco Rd.

Timonium, MD 21093

Park SeedWh olesale

HG6 Cokesbury Rd.

Greenwood, SC 296470001

Penn Seed Co.

Rt. 309 , Box 3 90

Dallas, PA 18612

Vaugh an Seed Co.

5300 Katrine Ave.

Down ers Grove, IL 60532

Harris Moran Seed Co.

3670 Buffalo Rd.Rochester, NY 14624

Stokes Seeds, Inc.

Box 548

Buffalo, NY 14240

Leen d e Mos

P.O. Box 542690 ABs

Gravenzade

The Netherlands

Plu g s, Tran sp lant s,and Bu lbsVand enberg Bulb Comp any

P.O. Box 532

Chester, NY 10918

914-469-9161

FAX 914-469-2015

Bradbury Farms

19738 West Bradbury Rd.

Turlock, CA 95380

209-668-7584

FAX 209-668-7928

McHutchin son Co.

Vaughn Fletcher

418 Kingsley

Liberty, MO 64 068

816-781-1818

Yoder Brothers

Fritz Thomas

1234 East Dunklin St.

Jefferson City, MO 651014116

800-347-7651

Stuifbergen Bulb Expo rt Co.

Pete Stuifbergen

1645 SE. Decker

Lees Sum mit, MO 64063

816-524-0840

Express Seed Co.Paul Orrick

300 Artino St.

Oberlin, OH 440741263

Sun bay Farms

Watsonville, CA

Charles Barr Jr.

408-724-7577

FAX 408-724-5829

Headstart Cut Flower Plugs

408-842-3030

FAX 408-842-3224

Ball Seed Co .

Adrian Holmes

Rt. 2, Box 79

Pomona, KS 66076

785-566-3511

Vaugh an Seed Co.

Joe Rawley

Box 3473

Lawrence, KS. 66046

785-843-8080

Suppl iers


26/33

28

Bluebird Nursery, Inc.

P.O. Box 4 60

Clarkson, NE 68629

800-356-9164

FAX 402-892-3713

Preservat ives and D yesRob ert Koch Ind ustries, Inc.

Rt. 1, Box 4HH

Benn ett, CO 80102

303-644-3763

FAX 303-644-3045

Gard/Rogard, Inc.

Garden Environmental Group

903 Arm strong St.

Algonq uin , IL 60102

1-800-433-4273

Flora life In c.

120 Tower Dr.Burr Ridge, IL 60521

708-325-8587

Fax 708-325-4924

Poko n & Chrysal USA

7977 NW. 21st St.

Miami, FL 33122

1-800-247-9725

Fax: 305-477-1284

SEGO In tern ation al, Inc.

503-796-0133

FAX 503-222-417

Vita Flora In c.

P.O. Box 1 690

Lakesville, AZ 85929

602-368-6800

The Joh n Hen ry Co.

P.O. Box 17099

Lansin g, MI 48901

517-323-9000

FAX 517-323-4707

Sm ith ers-Oasis Co.

P.O. Box 1 18

Kent, OH 44240216-673-5831

Cleanin g Sup p l iesDillon Floral Corp.

P.O. Box 1 80

Bloom sburg, PA 17815

717-784-5770

Flora life, Inc.

120 Tower Dr.

Burr Ridge, IL 60521

708-325-8587

FAX 708-325-4924

Forestry Suppliers Inc.

P.O. Box 8397Jackson, MS 392848397

US 1-800-650-0776

FAX 1-800-543-4203

Precision Blend Inc. (PBI)

705 North Sho re Dr.

Mound, MN 55364

612-472-5443

Synt het ic, O rgan ic ,and B io log ica l Con t ro ls

FMC Corp1563 East Coun ty Line Rd.

#402

800-468-0441

FAX 601-956-9510

Kentucky Garden Supply

731 Red Mile Rd.

Lexington, KY 40504

800-432-9510

ARBICO Inc.

P.O. Box 4247 CRB

Tucson, AZ 85738

800-767-2847Fax: 602-825-2038

Bun ting Biological

P.O. Box 2430

Oxnard, CA 93034

805-986-8265

Fax: 805-986-8267

Phero Tech, Inc.

7572 Progress Way

Rt. 5

Delta, British Columbia,

CanadaV4G 1E9

604-940-9944FAX 604-940-9433

Am erican Insectaries

Escondido, CA

619-432-0485

Abb ott Labo ratories

North Chicago, IL

1-800-323-9597

Praxis

Allegan , MI

616-673-2793

Brinkm an Horticultural

Ston ey Creek, Ontario,

Canada

416-643-6630

Better Yield Insects

Windsor, Ontario,

Canada

519-727-6108

Mycogen Corp .

San Diego, CA

619-453-8030

Whitmire Laboratories

St. Louis, MO

1-800-325-3668

JRM Chem ical Inc.

13600 Broadway Ave.

Cleveland , OH 4 4125

800-962-4010

FAX 216-475-6517

Research Organics Inc.

4353 East 49th

Cleveland , OH 4 4125

800-321-0570

216-883-1576

BioLogic Comp an y

P.O. Box 177BGWillow Hill, PA 17271

717-349-2789

IPM Laboratories, Inc.

Main St.

Locke, NY 130920099

315-497-3129

Organic Con trol In c./ORCON

5132 Venice Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90019

213-937-7444

FAX 213-937-0123

Hydro-Garden s, In c.

Colorado Springs, CO

719-495-2266

Gerhart Inc.

North Ridgeville, OH

216-327-8056

Necessary Tradin g Co.

New Castle, VA

703-864-5103


27/33

29

Biotactics

Riverside, CA

714-685-7681

App lied Biono m ics

Sidney, British Columbia,

Canada

604-656-2123

Richters

Goodwood, On tario,

Canada

416-640-6677

Koppert B.V.

The Netherlands

31-189140444

Brin km an B.V.

The Netherlands

31-174811333

Solub le Org anicFert i l izersSeagro Corpor ation

3601 10th SE.

East Wenatchee, WA 98801

509-884-1600

(fish-based)

California Spray Dry Co.

P.O. Box 5035

Stockto n, CA 95205

209-948-0209

(spray-dried blood)

ENP Inc.

P.O. Box 218

Mendota, IL 61342

800-255-4906

(fish-based)

Am erican Meat Protein

2515 Elwood Drive

Ames, IA 50010

515-292-1021

(spray-dried blood)

Cont ainers, Harvest ,Ho ld in g, Pack ingLomey Mfg. Corp/Spotless Group

P.O. Box 5314

Asheville, NC 28813

1-800-423-2314

FAX 704-626-9210

Epic Produ cts In c.

17395 Mt. Hermm ann

Fou nt ain Valley, CA 92708

714-641-8194

FAX 714-641-8217

Moore Paper Boxes, Inc.

2916 Bou lder Ave.Dayton, OH 45414

Boas Box Co.

5610 Lancaster Ave.

Philadelph ia, PA 19131

215-477-7700

FAX 215-477-1240

Seed ing and Plant in gEq uip m entCole Manufacturing Co.

Box 92 16Charlotte, NC 28299

(Planet Jr. Seed Drill)

Earthway Products

P.O. Box 547

Briston , IN 46507

(garden planters)

Ti llage and Bed din gEq uip m entAh rens Nu rsery

Rt. 1

Huntington, IN 47542812-683-3055

Kenn co Mfg. In c.

Box 11 58

Ruskin, FL 33570

813-645-2591

Guy Farm Equ ip. Co.

15219 Hwy. 14

Woodstock, IL 60098

815-338-0600

Lely Corpora tion

Box 10 60Wilson , NC 27893

919-261-7050

Transplant ing Eq uip m entEllis Manu facturin g Co.

Box 246

Verona, WI 53593

Mechanical Transplanter

Box 1008B

Holland, MI 49423

Speedlin g Man ufacturing

Box 2 83

Sun City, FL 33586

Holland Tran splanter Co.

510 East 16th St.

Holland, MI 49423

Powell Manufacturing Co.

P.O. Drawer 707

Benn etsville, SC 29512

I r r ig a t ion Eq uip m entAmerican Plant Products

9200 NW. 10th

Oklahom a City, OK 73127

1-800-654-4583

Sm ith Irrigation

Box 232, North Main St.

Kensington , KS 66951

Good Earth Gardens

Jerry Edson

Rt. 1, Box 139

Clearwater, KS 67026

316-773-1494

Kan sas City Cut Flower Farm s

Ethan Kayes

4223 Gibbs Road

Kansas City, KS 66106

913-432-1330

Chesmore Seed Co.

1302 South 4thSt. Joseph, MO 64501

816-279-0865

General M ater ialsCentury Florists Supply Co.

Main Office: P.O. Box 325

Detroit, MI 482322562

313-872-0300

FAX 313-872-7907

Midwest Office: P.O. Box 4118 07

Kansas City, MO 641411807

816-474-3610, FAX 816-471-2733

Craftware Pottery

Mary Beavers

233 North 19

Lincoln , NE 68503

402-474-1622

Clifford Sales & Marketin g

Nick Clifford

44 Granada Way

St. Louis, MO 63124

314-432-5806


28/33

30

McHutchison Co.

Vaughn N. Fletcher

418 Kingsley

Liberty, MO 64068816-781-1818

American Plant Products

Rod Lewis

9200 NW. 10th St.

Oklahoma City, OK 731279722

405-787-4833

SweckerKnipp Inc.

Dennis Whitegon

900 NW. Jackson

Topeka, KS 66608

785-234-5652

GardN-Wise Distributors

1515 East 29th St. North

Wichita, KS 67219

316-838-1474

Temk in Int. , Inc.

21007 Superior St.

Chatsworth, CA 91211

818-709-1066

(sleeves)

Vaugh an Seed CO.

Joe J. Rawley

Box 34 73

Lawrence, KS 66046785-843-8080

Wheeler Arts

Dept. CFQ

66 Lake Park

Champaign, IL 618217101

217-359-6816

FAX 317-359-8716

Stupp y Green ho uses

Bruce Holden

P.O. Box 12 456

1212 Clay St.

North Kansas City, MO 64116800-877-8025

Nexus Greenhouse

10983 Leroy

Northglenn, CO 80233

303-457-9199

TENAX Corporation

8291 Patuxent Range

Jessup, MD 2079 4

800-356-8495Fax: 301-725-5910

Premier Bran ds Inc.

Tobin Stand ard

Dan OMeara

931 West 8 St.

Kansas City, MO 64101

816-842-3838

Ball Seed Co.

P.O. Box 335

West Chicago, IL

800-323-BALL

FAX 800-234-0370

A.H. Hu m m ert Seed

Sheryl Shaefer

2746 Ch outeau Ave.

St. Lou is, MO 63103

314-771-0646


29/33

31

Flowers for Sale: Grow in g

an d Marketin g Cut Flowers

Backyar d t o Small Acreage;

A Bootstrap Guide.Lee Sturdivan t.

San Juan Natu rals. P.O. Box 624S.

Friday Harbour, Washington 98250.

A thorough in troduction to th e

comm ercial cut flower business.

Includes a step-by-step plan for

starting a flower growing and

selling business.

Fresh (Cu t) Flowers for Designs.

Postproduction Guide I. Care and

Handling.Retail and Consum er

Care Information. John N. Sacalis.

Pfeifer Printing Co., Columbus, OH.

Rodales Illustrated Encyclopedia

of Herbs, Rodale Press.

Ball Red Book.(15th edition) Vic

Ball, editor. Geo. J. Ball Publishing.

622 Town Road, West Chicago, IL

60185-2698.

The basic book on greenhouse

growing written for growers.

Care an d Han dlin g of Flowers

and Plants. (2 volum es) 1985. C.L.

Holstead. The Society of American

Florists.

The Comp lete Book of Cut Flower

Care. 1988. M.J. Vaughan. Timber

Press. Portlan d, O R.

Handling, Precooling, and Tem-

perature Management of Cut

Flower Crops for Truck Tran spor-

tat ion.1979 . Roger E. Rij, James F.

Thomp son & Delbert S. Farham .

USDA-SEA AAT-W-5.

The Comp lete Book of Cutflower

Care. Mary Jane Vaughan. Timber

Press.

The most comprehensive-yet-

concise guide to postharvest

handling and care for growers,

wholesalers, and retailers.

Ident ification of Insects and

Related Pests of Horticultu ral

Plan tsA Pictorial Guid e. Ohio

Florists Association.

An unbound, 48-page compila-

tion illustrating the different life

stages and crop damage of major

insect, mite, and related pest

groups. Describes stages for

effective pesticide use. Colorpictures. Send $25 to Ohio Florists

Association, 2130 Stella Ct.,

Columbus, OH 432151033.

Diseases and Pests of Ornam ent al

Plants.Pascal P. Piron e. Wiley

Interscience.

Florist Crop Production and

Marketing.Kenn eth Post.

OrangeJudd Co. Out of print,

but copies are available from The

Am erican Botan ist Booksellers,

P.O. Box 143, 9526 Lexington

Ave., Brookfield, IL 60513.

The former standard of the indus-

try, sometimes out of date, but still

a detailed and worthy volume.

Parks Success With Seeds.Park

Seed Co. P.O. Box 46, Greenwood,

SC 296480046.

Simple yet the most comprehen-

sive guide to seed propagation.

Alberta Sup ern atu rals.Buck

Godwin. Available from Olds

College Bookstore. Old s College,

Old s, Alberta, CANADA TOM

1PO ($8, includin g postage).

The best book for the large-scale

grower of drying flowers (statice,

strawflowers, grains, and m uch

more).

Commercial Field Production of

Cut an d Dried Flowers, (Proceed-

ings from a Nation al Symposium

spon sored by the CACP and ASHS).

Includes marketing, coopera-

tives, costs, propagation, select-

ing a crop, woodies, grasses,

weeds, diseases and pests ofeverlastings, post-harvest,

annuals, and wildflowers.

Available for $25, payable to th e

University of Minnesota. Send to

Extension Special Program s,

405 Coffey Hall, 1420 Eckles

Ave., University of Minnesota,

St. Paul, MN 55108.

Comm ercial Flower Forcing,

A. Laurie, D.C. Kiplin ger, an d K.S.

Nelson. McGrawHill.

Basic guide to greenhouse produc-tion of out-of-season materials.

Comm ercial Flower Growin g.

John P. Salinger. Butterworths

Horticultural Books.

The closest thing to a complete

text on field production of flowers

and although it was written in

New Zealand, it adapts fairly well

to American conditions (much of

the bibliography is Californian).

RecommendedReading


30/33

32

Lists each species with informa-

tion on h ardiness, color, height ,

and uses in arrangements.

The Comm ercial Storage of

Fru its, Vegetables, an d Florist

an d Nu rsery Stocks.Ag Han d-

boo k 66. 1990. USDA AgriculturalResearch. U.S. Governmen t

Printin g Office, 1305 SW. 1st,

Portland , OR 97201. $7.00.

Concise descriptions of condi-

tions required for best shelf life.

Refrigeration and Controlled

Atm osph ere Storage for Horticul-

tur al Crop s.Northeast Regional

Agricultural Engin eering Service.

#22. 1990. Coo perative Extension,

152 RileyRobb Hall, Corn ell

University, Ithaca, NY 14853 .$5.25.

Construction diagrams for cold

storage and controlled at mo-

sphere facilities.

Marketing of Floricultur al Prod-

ucts in the United States, An

AnnotatedBibliography. Susan C.

Whitm ore and Henry Gilbert.

USDA, Nat ion al Agricul tu ral Lib-

rary. Bibliographies and Literature

of Agriculture, Number 66. USDAs

NAL, Beltsville, MD 20705.A comprehensive list of journals,

books, newsletters, associations

and government reports on

marketing. Includes addresses for

national market price reports.

Holland Bulb Forcers Guide.

(4th edition) A.A. DeHertogh.

International Flower Bulb Center,

Hillegom, Netherlands.

The basic reference for flower

product ion from bulbs.

Potp ou rri . . . Easy as On e, Two,Three! Dody Lyness. Berry Hill

Press. 7336 Berry Hill #8, Palos

Verdes, CA 90274. $6.95.

Resource for fragrance craft ers

and dried floral designers.

Ball Cultu re Guid e: The Encyclo-

pedia of Seed Germin ation . Ball

Seed Co. 622 Town Road, West

Chicago, IL 60185. $27.

Provides information on germi-

nation, lighting, crop time, field

product ion, and varieties.

Kiefts Growin g Man u al. Kieft

Bloem zaden BV. Blokker, Hollan d.

Available from ASCFG. $10.

For annual, biennial, and peren-nial cut flowers and ornamental

grasses grown from seed.

Everlastin g Flowers for Pleasure

and Profit .Jeannette Verhelst.

$11.00. Jeannette Verhelst, Box

178, Radville, Saskatchewan ,

Canada, SOC2GO.

Excellent resource written by

a grower for growers.

Manual of Herbaceous Ornamen -

tal Plan ts. Steven M. Still. Stipes

Publishin g Co. 1012 Ch ester St.,

Champ aign, IL 61820.

The reference for descriptive

information on herbaceous plant

materials.

Manual of Woo dy Land scape

Plants: Th eir Iden tification ,

Ornamental Characteristics,

Culture, Propagation , and Uses.

Michael A. Dirr, Stipes Publishin g

Co., 10-12 Chester St., Cham-

paign, IL 61820.

The reference for descriptiveinformation on woody plant

materials.

Comp etitive Advanta ge. Michael

E. Porter. The Free Press a Division

of Macmillan, Inc. 866 Third

Avenue, New York, NY 10022.

How to create and sustain a

competitive advantage.

Production and Operat ions

Management.Norman Gaither.

CBS College Publishin g. 383

Madison Avenu e, New York, NY

10017.

A basic, in troductory book on

operations management:

planning products, processes,

and facilities. How to plan and

control operations for productiv-

ity and quality.

Postharvest Han dling an d

Stor age of Cu t Flowers, Florist

Green s, an d Potted Plan ts.J.

Nowak and R.M. Rudnicki. Timber

Press. Portlan d, O R.

A comprehensive, t ext-book

approach to this subject.Specialty Cu t Flowers(Proceedings

from the 2nd National Conference

of the ASFG).

Includes wholesale distribution ,

trends, marketing, costs, getting

started, new varieties, callas, iris,

bulbs, statice, IPM, perennials,

everlastings, and woodies. Avail-

able for $25 ($20 t o mem bers)

from th e ASCFG.

Specialty Cu t Flowers(proceedings

from th e 3rd National Conferenceof the ASCFG).

Includes aster, yarrow, post-harvest,

woodies, IPM, delphinium,

co-operatives, new varieties, auctions,

larkspur, stock, everlastings, custo-

mers, computers. Available for $25

($20 to members) from the ASCFG.

Orna m ent al Grasses, Th e Am ber

Wave. Carole Ottesen.McGraw

Hill. $29.95.

A general overview plus details on

the production and uses of over 70varieties. Highly useful appendices.

Ornamental Grasses and

Grasslike Plan ts. A.J. Oakes.

Van Nostran d Reinh old, 1990. ISBN

0-442-23931-9. $68.95 approx.

Comprehensive examination of

grasses and their production.

Orna m ent al Grasses R. Grounds.

Van No strand Reinh old, 1979.

Dried Fresh Flowers from You r

Garden.Elizabeth Bullivant .

Pelham Books/Steph en Greene

Press. Lon don , UK. $31.95.

Reference with imaginat ive ideas

on u ses for flowers. Informative

chapter on h ydrangeas.

The Encyclopaedia of Everlastings.

The Com plete Guid e to Growin g,

Preserving, an d Arran ging Dried

Flowers. Barbara Radcliffe Rogers.

Weidenfeld & Nicho lson .


31/33

33

A mem bership directory of

wholesale florists and florist

suppliers is available from WF &

FSA,P.O. Box 7308 , Arlington, VA

22207, 703-241-1100.

Floral Marketing Directory &

Buyers Guideis available from

the Floral Marketing Division of

the Produce Marketing Associa-

tion, P.O. Box 6036, Newark, DE

197146036, 302-738-7100

($25 for PMA members, $50 for

nonmembers).

M ag azin es,Bul let in s, New slet ter sGrowin g for Market.Lynn

Byczynski, editor. Fairplain

Publications. P.O. Box 365,

Aub urn , KS 66402 . $24.

A m ont hly journal of n ews and

ideas for market gardeners.

Articles on crop culture, han-

dling, marketing, merchandis-

ing, and profiles of successful

growers provide subscribers with

timely information an d ideas.

Sup erma rket Floralmagazine is

a free mon thly pub lication fromThe Packer. P.O. Box 2939,

Shawnee Mission , KS 66201,

800-255-5113.

Covers all aspects of the super-

market floral departm ent.

Potpou rri Party-Line.Dody

Lyness, editor. Berry Hill Press.

7336 Berry Hill #8, Palos Verdes,

CA 90274.

A quarterly publication tailored to

the interests of fragrance crafters

and dried flower designers. Cur-

rent trends in herbal growing,

floral trends, recipes for scented

potpourri mixtures, and drying

techniques. Articles are slanted

toward the interests of home-

based businesses.

Flor ist Reviewm agazine keeps

you in touch with the retail trade.

Florist Publishing Co. 111 North

Canal St., Suite 545, Ch icago, IL

60606, 312-782-5505.

Flow ers &is published m onth ly

by Teleflora for retailers in thebusiness of flowers. Write to

Teleflora, Teleflora Plaza, Suite

260, 12233 West Olympic Blvd.,

Los Angeles, CA 90064.

American Vegetable Grower

magazine offers articles on prac-

tices well suited to the field flower

grower. Meister Publishing Co.

Willough by, OH 44094.

The USDA issues bi-week ly

reportson cut flower prices in

various centers across the coun try.Available from FederalState

Market News, 630 Sansom e St.,

Rm. 727, San Francisco, CA 94111 .

Forcin g Flower Bu lbsincludes

information on growing bulbs

for cut flowers. The pamp hlet

is available from Leo Berbee

Bulb Co. 18443 S.R. 4 N., P.O. Box

370, Marysville, OH 43040,

513-642-0511.

Cut Flowers: Prod uction an d

Marketing. C. Kopo low. January

1989. 7 pages. Send a self-

addressed, gummed label to Agri-

Topics, National Agricultural

Library, Room 111, 10301 Balti-

mo re Blvd., Beltsville, MD 20705.

Dried Flowers.C. Kopolow.

November, 1989. 8 pages. Send

a self-addressed, gummed label

to Agri-Topics, National Agricul-

tural Library, Room 111, 10301

Balti

Speciality Cutflowers

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