A COMMERCIAL GROWERS GUIDE

CUTFLOWERS

Kansas State University

Agricultural Experiment Station

and Cooperative Extension Service

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“More than anything,I must have flowers,always, always.”

—Claude Monet

Contents

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Introduction .............................................................5Choosing a SitePreparing the BedWhat To Grow: The Ideal CropDefinitionsFresh Cut Flowers—AnnualsFresh Cut Flowers—PerennialsFresh Cut Flowers—BulbsFresh Cut Flowers—Flowering Woody StemsDried Materials—Flowers and Miscellaneous Plant Parts

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

AnnualsBiennialsPerennials

How to PlantPlant DensityCrop Support

How to Grow .......................................................... 11WateringFertilizerWeed ControlDisease Control

Table 1. Diseases Common to Flowering Plants

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Harvest ................................................................... 18Table 2. Optimal Development Stage of Cut Flowersfor Direct Sale

Postharvest .............................................................22PulsingMarketing and Selling

Table 3. Flowers Particularly Sensitive to Ethylene

Summary ................................................................24Recommendations SummarizedReferences

Suppliers .................................................................25Cut Flower SeedsPlugs, Transplants, and BulbsPreservatives and DyesCleaning SuppliesSynthetic, Organic, and Biological ControlsSoluble Organic FertilizersContainers, Harvest, Holding, PackingSeeding and Planting EquipmentTillage and Bedding EquipmentTransplanting EquipmentIrrigation EquipmentGeneral Materials

Recommended Reading ..........................................29

Directories .............................................................. 31

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

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Introduction

Labor efficiency is a criticalfactor in choosing a site. Flowerproduction requires intensivemanagement. The site shouldhave ready access for productionequipment and removal andhandling of the harvested prod-uct. Study the proposed site forease in movement of materialsand plants into it to begin produc-tion, within the site while pro-ducing and harvesting the crop,and of the harvested crop tostorage and packing areas. Theidea is to maximize efficiency ofthe labor required for all produc-tion and marketing functions.

If a pick-your-own marketingstrategy is your choice, a site witheasy access is critical. Easy access

from public roads to parking areasand from parking to the fields willenhance the consumer’s overallshopping experience.

Preparing the BedPlants should be grown in beds

raised 4–6 inches to maximizedrainage. Poorly drained soilshould be corrected by placingdrain lines 10–12 inches deepunder the beds. Check for theexistence of a hardpan in the soil.A deep-rooted cover crop such asalfalfa may help to break up thehardpan. A well-drained soilenvironment is essential formaximum root development andreduces the potential for root rotproblems.

Choosing a SiteMost cut flowers prefer a loca-

tion in full sun throughout theentire day. The field and soilshould be well drained. Windprotection is highly desirable forall plants. Windbreaks serve toreduce water stress on plants andhelp prevent stem breakage andfloral damage. It is important toconsider any competitive effectwhich may occur from the rootsof any plant used as a windbreak.The site should have sufficientcold air drainage to avoid recur-ring early or late season frosts.A source of irrigation water isessential. If animal foraging is aproblem, fencing may be required.

Many agricultural producers in Kansas are considering alternative enterprisesto increase their incomes. Field production of specialty fresh or dried cut flowers couldbe a profitable alternative crop in Kansas. Our state has a climate advantageousto production of many flowers, grasses, and grains for the floral and decorative craftsmarkets. Perennial flowers that are high in demand, such as Liatris, are native to Kansasand flourish in our climate and soils. National, regional, and local markets exist for high-quality specialty cut flowers. These markets can be served with Kansas-grown products.

The outdoor production of specialty cut flowers is an old segment of the floricultureindustry currently in revival across the country. The market conditions, technology andvarieties are new. As an emerging industry, it offers unique opportunities for those whoenter. This publication discusses basic cut flower production factors. The term “cut flower”in this publication refers to all fresh and dried flowers, seed heads and stalks, and allplant parts used for floral and decorative purposes.

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Organic matter should beincorporated into the beds toa depth of 10–12 inches. Theaddition of organic matter is bestif incorporated in the fall, but canbe done anytime before plantingif the nitrogen status of the soilis monitored. Remember that forbeds planted to perennials, it maynot be possible to work additionalorganic matter deep into the soiluntil the plants are divided orreplaced. For these beds, sufficientorganic matter should be addedinitially to provide a soil structurewith optimum aeration anddrainage.

Always have the soil tested fornutrient content before addingany fertilizer to the planting bed.Production decisions madewithout adequate information aremerely guesses and can be costly.If nitrogen levels are low and largeamounts of organic matter havebeen added, an application of20–45 pounds of actual nitrogenper acre prior to planting maybe appropriate.

Marketing strategy, plant growthhabit, and labor efficiency deter-mine the ideal size of a plantingbed. If a pick-your-own marketstrategy is the choice, beds shouldbe narrow—about 21⁄2–3 feet wide—so consumers easily can picktheir flowers without damagingthe crop. Bed length should beabout 25 feet, with sodded aislesto provide customers with quickand clean access to any productthey desire. Traditional produc-tion beds are 3–4 feet widedepending on the growth habitof the crop.

Bed width is set to allow maxi-mum light penetration to thecenter of the bed and to facilitateharvesting. The wider a bed is, thebetter the ratio of productionspace to aisle space and the greaterthe return per acre. Tall, denseflower growth habits reduce theamount of light reaching lowerleaves in the center of the bed.

A worker can efficiently reachonly 2 feet into a bed to make aproper cut and remove the flowerwithout damage to the crop.

Bed length also is set to maxi-mize the area in production versusthe area in aisles. The limitingfactor to bed length is laborefficiency. The maximum distancea worker should carry harvestedflowers is about 50–60 feet.Planting beds should be 100–120 feet long.

What To Grow:The Ideal Crop

An ideal cut flower crop, eitherfresh or dried, would have thefollowing characteristics:•low cost of production—

materials and labor•high value and unlimited

demand•high production per square foot

of bed space•extended production and

marketing season•long productive life•ability to sell fresh and to sell

surplus as a dried or preservedfloral product

•postharvest vase life of at least7 days

•resistance to diseases and pestsof all types

•resistance to heat and droughtstress

•long stems (18 inches)•easy harvest and handling•aesthetically pleasing and/or

fragrant flowers, foliage, orstems

No single species or varietyof plant material will meet allof these criteria. They are pre-sented here to provide a meansof evaluating the relative desir-ability of producing a crop of aspecific plant.

DefinitionsAnnual: A plant that lives,

grows, and dies with a completedlife cycle within a single year,usually blooms continually duringits life cycle.

Biennial: A plant that normallyrequires two years to complete itslife cycle. It will grow and produceleaves, but produces flowers andseed pods only after subsequentlyundergoing a cold period, usuallythe second year.

Perennial: A plant which hasa life span of more than two years,but flowers for only a set periodduring the season.

Fresh Cut Flowers—Annuals

Ageratum houstonianum—Flossflower; in demand for blue flower;a variety to try is ‘Blue Horizon.’

Ammi majus—Queen Anne’slace, snowflake; white lacy headcan be dyed.

Antirrhinum majus—Snapdragon;tall spike required, varieties to tryare Rocket and the Potomacs.

Callistephus chinensis—Chinaaster; many cutting strains avail-able, the Florett Series is an extra-double, large-flowered type.Caution: aster yellows, a diseasetransmitted by insects, is devastat-ing and difficult to control.

Celosia cristata—Cockscomb,feather or plume Celosia; for thered crested flower try the ChiefSeries. The Sparkler Series is a redfeather-type to try. Wheat celosiabear slender white plumes duringsummer heat and are rose tintedunder cool nights of fall.

Centaurea cyanus—Cornflower,bachelors’ buttons; frilly buttonsof white, pink, and blue.

Centaurea americana—Cornflower; much larger flowersthan C. cyanus, lilac-pink color.

Clarkia amoena—Godetia; trythe Grace Series; prefers cooltemperatures.

Consolida regalis—Larkspur;Giant Imperial Strain is thestandard strain; try Qis Seriesand ‘Blue Cloud.’

Dianthus barbatus—SweetWilliam; old types are biennials,new types act like true annuals;try the new Pride of Park AvenueSeries.

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Eustoma grandiflorum—Lisianthus, sweet lissies; Yodelsare the standard variety butalso try the Echo Series andthe Heidi Series.

Gypsophila elegans—Annualbaby’s breath; most commonlygrown are the large-flowered whiteform, but the smaller-floweredpink, rose, and purple also have amarket. Recommended for freshuse only.

Helianthus debilis cucumerifolius—Sunflower; relatively smallflower of yellow to white andshades of mahogany and rust.Try ‘Sunbright’ and ‘Full Sun,’regularly branched plants whichdo not produce pollen. In ourtrials, pollen production hasproven to be a quality objection-able to the consumer. Pollen shedfrom the vase causes a mess.

Iberis amara—Rocket candytuft;fragrant and early bloomer.

Limonium sinuatum—Annualstatice; try Excellent Series,Qis Series, and the Turbo Series.Surplus production may bemarketed in dried form.

Molucella laevis—Bells of Ireland;apple green “flowers” (calces);surplus production may be usedin dried form.

Nigella damascena—Love-in-a-mist; delicate flowers for fresh use;allow surplus production to setfruit for sale as fresh material,further surplus fruit may be usedin dried form.

Scabiosa atropurpurea—Pin-cushion flower; dense, rounded,rich colored, flower heads.

Zinnia elegans—Zinnia; severalflower types and sizes available.Never water overhead; subject toleaf diseases. The dahlia-flowered‘Giant Mammoth,’ the cactus-flowered ‘Zenith’ and the StateFair series are reported to be thebest of the large flowering zinnias.Try the Pumila Series, Ruffles andCut-and-Come-Again for smallersized flowers.

Fresh Cut Flowers—Perennials

Achillea filipendulina—Yarrow,fernleaf yarrow; try ‘Gold Plate’and ‘Coronation Gold.’ For othercolors try ‘Jambo’ (soft yellow),‘Lilac Improved’ (lilac pink),‘Lusaka’ (pure white), ‘Nakuru’(purple and white), ‘Sawa Sawa’(dark purple), and ‘Wesersand-stein’ (light pink).

Artemisia ludoviciana—Whitesage; grown for the silver-grayfoliage which is used fresh or indried form. ‘Silver King’ and ‘SilverQueen’ are standard cultivars.

Asclepias incarnata & Asclepiastuberosa—Butterfly flower; rose-purple and neon orange respec-tively; easy to grow, shippable,and long-lasting cut flowers.

Aster novi-belgii & Asterericoides—Aster; hybrids of bothspecies are good cut flowers;‘Monte Casino’ is the standardvariety grown, the Master Seriesis among the best of the newhybrids.

Astilbe—Astilbe, false spirea;requires moist soil in summer;color range of white, pink, red,and lavender.

Chrysanthemum x superbum—Shasta daisy; most popular fromcuttings is ‘T.E. Killin’ and ‘Alaska’from seed; prolific bloomersadaptable to most soils; plants arenot long-lived without frequentdivision.

Echinops bannaticus, Echinopsexaltatus, Echinops ritro, Echinopssphaerocephalus—Globe thistle;rich blue to very light blue;excellent producers for eitherfresh or dried markets; long-lived,but should not be transplanted.

Eryngium amethystinum &Eryngium planum—Eryngo,sea holly; easiest of the eryngoto grow; excellent fresh or dried;small silvery-blue to purple-blueflowers; try ‘Donau,’ ‘BlueStar,’ ‘Blue Diamond,’ ‘SilverStone,’ and ‘Fluella.’ Larger-flowered types are E. bourgatti and

E. x zabelii. Eryngium alpinumis the most difficult to grow, butis the largest-flowered with severalgreat blue cones surrounded byprickly calyx frills.

Gypsophila paniculata—Perennialbaby’s breath; the standard “filler”of the floral industry; used freshor dried; suited to dry, light, andslightly alkaline soils. Vegetativelyproduced plants have large, fullydouble flowers; ‘Perfecta’ is thestandard. Can be seed grown, butwill have smaller flowers and onlya portion will have double flowers.

Liatris—Gayfeather, blazing star;one of the longest lasting andfinest cut flowers; native to Kansas;well adapted to our climate andsoils; long-lived plants. Producefor local markets only; over-supplyin national market.

Paeonia—Peony; herbaceoustypes are among the choicestof fresh and dried cut flowers;extremely long-lived; short harvestseason but can be stored cool anddry for up to 12 weeks. Kansas hasa competitive advantage in thecommercial production of peoniesbecause of climate. Plants require3–5 years from planting to reachproductive potential. Demandcurrently exceeds supply for bothfresh and dried flowers.

Platycodon grandiflorum—Balloonflower; large bellflowerlikeblooms follow balloonlike buds;adapts to a wide range of soiltypes; will tolerate some shade.

Salvia farinacea—Blue salvia,mealycup sage; strong grower inextreme heat; can be used as freshor dried material; try ‘Victoria,’‘Catima,’ and ‘Blue Bedder.’ Salviais sensitive to methyl-bromidetreated soil.

Scabiosa caucasica—Pincushionflower; a traditional florists’ cutflower; easy to grow and adaptableto most soils; try ‘Fama’ and‘Complement,’ lilac blue or whiteseed strains.

Solidago—Goldenrod; hybridsfrom Holland are better than ournative species; easy, trouble-free,

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and adaptable to most soils. Note:Goldenrod does not causehayfever symptoms.

Fresh Cut Flowers—BulbsAllium—Flowering onion; all

species are good fresh cut flowers;easy to grow and adaptable to anywell-drained soil. The best speciesfor cutting are: A. aflatunense,A. caeruleum, A. giganteum, andA. spaerocephalum.

Gladiolus—Gladioli; staggeredplanting for continuous harvest;plant new corms each year; digand sell corms each fall. Standarditem for florist and farmers’market sales. Try both standardand “baby” glads; the new hybridParigo Series is an intermediatetype glad.

Lilium—Lily; the Asiatic andAurelian hybrids along with theOriental hybrids L. auratum, L.rubellum, and L. speciosum are bestfor commercial cut flower produc-tion. Try the white floweredOriental hybrid ‘Casa Blanca.’

Fresh Cut Flowers—Flowering Woody Stems

The stems of Forsythia, Salix,and Chaenomeles can be cut whendormant, held cool and forcedinto bloom as fresh flowers forlate winter and early spring sales.

Dried Materials—Flowers andMiscellaneous PlantParts

The following list of the top30 flowers for drying is theresult of a membership surveyby the Association of SpecialtyCut Flower Growers.Achillea (yarrows)Ammobium (herb)Artemisia (silver king, queen, and

annual Sweet Annie)Branches of Plants (myrtle, cedar,

willow)Iberis sempervireas (candytuff)Carthamus tinctorius (safflower)Celosia cristata (cockscomb)

Consolida regalis (larkspur)Daucus carota (Queen Anne’s lace)Echinops (globe thistle)Eryngium (seaholly)EucalyptusChrysanthemum parthenium

(feverfew)Gomphrena golbosa (globe

amaranth)Grass and Grains (Wheat, black

bearded and Durum; rye, oats,rice, buffalo, quaking, barley,canary, flax, hare’s tale, milo,sorghum,)Gypsophila perfecta & G. paniculata

(baby’s breath)Helichrysum bracteatum

(strawflower)Helipterum manglesii (Rhodanthe)Helipterum manglesii (Acroclinum)HydrangeaLavandula (lavender)Lepidium (peppergrass)Limonium latifolia (latifolia)Limonium caspicum (caspia)Limonium sinuatum (annual

sinuata)

Limonium suworowii (rattail)Limonium tataricum (German)Lunaria (money plant)Nigella (love-in-a-mist,

devil-in-the-bush)Papaver somniferum (poppy pods)Rosa (roses)Tanacetum (tansy)Xeranthemum (common

immortelle)Zea Mays (corn)

When choosing plants to grow,start with a test plot. Begin smalland learn how to grow the plantand determine if it is suitable andeconomical to produce under yourspecific conditions. You should beable to produce a high-qualityproduct before expanding produc-tion beyond the experimentalstage. Keep a journal. You will findlittle or no information availableon many plant materials you maywish to grow. Your experience willbe useful for production decisionsin subsequent seasons.

Foxtail,Milo, Wheat

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When to PlantPlanting dates depend on your

target market and on plantclassification—whether it is anannual, biennial, or perennial. Ingeneral, the peak demand for theretail florist trade is from fallthrough Mother’s Day. Fieldproduction of fresh cut flowers forthis market should include plant-ing for maximum harvest in thespring and fall seasons. Farmersmarkets typically operate from latespring until frost in the fall.Consistent production throughoutthis period is most desirable.

AnnualsAnnuals are planted into the

field as soon as the danger of frostis past. Using transplants willbring the crop into flower earlierand may return higher prices earlyon if you are able to harvest forthe Mother’s Day market. Sequen-tial plantings may be requiredto assure a continuous supplyof product throughout the marketseason. Staggered plantings—twoweeks apart into July—are com-mon for many annuals. Trans-plants may be used initially tohit the earliest possible market,with later plantings direct seeded.When choosing cultivars, becareful to select those suitable forcut flower production. Manyannuals have been developed foruse as bedding plants and are notsuited for commercial cut flowerproduction.

BiennialsBiennials should be planted

in the fall to ensure an adequatecold treatment before regrowthstarts in the spring. The overwin-ter cold treatment is required formore uniform flowering. If bedsor plants are not ready for plant-ing in the fall, some alternativesexist. Placing the plants into coldstorage or spraying them with500–1,000 parts per million ofgibberellic acid will substitute foroverwintering the plants in thebed. While these alternatives dopromote flowering, productionquantity and quality are reducedcompared with fall-planted stock.

Biennials tend to bloom ina condensed time period. Stag-gered plantings typically will notresult in staggered periods ofbloom. Most biennials will bloomat the same time unless subjectedto cold storage or gibberellic acidtreatments. Some biennials areexcellent cut flowers but becauseof this concentrated, all-at-oncebloom habit, few are grown ascommercial crops.

PerennialsPerennials are placed into

categories based on the presenceor absence of storage organs andwhether they must be dug in thefall and replanted each spring.

1. cold-hardy plants which havestorage organs and can remainin the ground for severalyears. If allowed to remain in

place over winter, theytypically will bloom at thesame time. Extended bloomperiods can be achieved bydigging in the fall, placing in40oF storage, and plantingevery 2–3 weeks beginning inmid-spring. Examples in thisgroup are liatris and lilies.

2. nonhardy plants which havestorage organs and must bedug each year. Continuousbloom periods are relativelyeasy to achieve by staggeringthe planting dates from springthrough mid-summer. Theadditional labor requiredto dig, store, and replantincreases their cost of produc-tion. The economics ofproducing each species shouldbe analyzed before extensiveproduction is undertaken.Examples in this group areanemones, dahlias, gladiolus,and ranunculus.

3. cold-hardy plants which haverhizomes or a clump-forminggrowth habit and may be leftundisturbed for a few toseveral years before beingdivided. After the first year,plants in this category tend tobloom together, typicallywithin a week or so of thesame time each year. Bloomperiods can be extendedslightly through cultivarselection. Examples of plantsin this group are peony andshasta daisy.

Planting

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How to PlantIn general, transplants should

be planted shallow, with the rootsplaced just below the soil surface.Planting too deep reduces oxygenexchange between the newlydeveloping root system and theatmosphere, slowing growth. Toodeep planting encourages thedevelopment of root and stemrots. The soil around the trans-plants should be firmed to removelarge pockets of air but not somuch so as to pack the soil. Allplants should be watered as soonafter planting as possible. Delay-ing the application of water to thenewly planted crop may severelyreduce overall production.

Plant DensityA closely spaced crop of annual

flowers will usually produce moreflowers over the growing seasonthan a crop at wider spacing. Theessential criteria in cut flowerproduction is the number offlowers produced per square foot

on growth habit of individualspecies and the growingconditions.

It should be noted that closerspacings produce more flowers persquare foot of bed, but also reduceair circulation within the bed.Poor air circulation could increasethe likelihood of foliar diseases.If powdery mildew or leaf spotfungus is a common problem ona species you intend to produce,then a slightly wider spacing maybe appropriate.

Crop SupportSome cut flowers may need

support to ensure a high percent-age of straight stems. A plastic ornylon material in rolls of eithera 4- or 6-inch mesh is a popularsupporting material. It is laid outhorizontally and suspended abovethe bed by attaching to steel fenceposts placed along the edges ofthe bed. Other methods exist andany method which produces thedesired result with low cost andminimal labor is acceptable.

of bed space and not the numberof flowers per plant. In general,the closer the spacing of annualsthe more flowers produced. A4- to 6-inch spacing within therow and 6–8 inches between rowsis ideal for most annual flowers.This will vary depending on thegrowth habit of each species andon the specific environment of theplanting site.

Perennials left in place each yearhave the potential to crowd eachother to an extent that may reduceoverall production in succeedingyears. Plants that may be dividedevery 3 years (shasta daisy) may beplanted closer than plants whichmay be divided every 20 years ormore (peony).

In general, perennials areplanted at about a 1-foot spacing,within and between rows. Peoniesare planted 3 feet apart in a singlerow or staggered in a double row,with a 3-foot spacing within eachrow and 2 feet between rows.Plant density will vary depending

Zinnia

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WateringSpecialty cut flowers grown

in the field, for fresh or driedmarkets, will require more totalwater than many other field crops.To maintain floral quality andpeak production, the plants mustbe watered frequently, sometimesdaily with some soil types. A watersource of sufficient volume andquality should be readily availableto the production area. Growersin Kansas should not attemptto produce cut flowers withoutsupplemental watering. Naturalrainfall is not sufficient norreliable. Without supplementalwatering, production may notbe economically realistic.

Overhead watering is notrecommended. It may physicallydamage the flowers, cause spottingon the petals, splash soil onto thefoliage, and promote the spread ofdisease. Some type of drip irriga-tion is recommended. It has theadvantage of placing the water onthe ground where it is needed andnot on the flowers or foliage.

The basic principle in designingan irrigation system for cut flowersis to place the water uniformly

around each plant. Spacing ofirrigation lines depends on soiltype and structure. Coarse, opensoils require closer spacing thandense, fine soils. The irrigationsystem plan should be developedby a competent designer, with thegrower having a thorough under-standing of the system and itsoperation.

Irrigation should be scheduledbased on the soil moisture statusin the root zone. Proper irrigationmanagement provides sufficientbut not excessive water to thecrop. Water stress will reduceproduction and quality of a crop.A consistently saturated soil willreduce growth and promote thedevelopment of root rot. Theamount and frequency of waterrequired will vary with theweather and stage of maturityof the crop.

FertilizerBefore initiating any fertilizer

program, always test the soil fornutrient content. The increasedwater requirement of cut flowerscreates an increased requirementfor fertilization. The applicationof fertilizer should coincide with

crop needs. Higher rates arerequired in the initial phasesof growth while you are buildingthe size of the plants. Lower ratesare required as a crop approachesharvest. For crops with a harvestthat extends throughout thegrowing season, lighter and morefrequent application of nitrogenmay be necessary to reduce thenonproductive cycle betweenflushes of bloom. Nitrogen defi-ciency is the most commonnutrient problem. Many growersincorporate 25–45 pounds ofactual nitrogen per acre beforeplanting. Minor element deficien-cies are common in areas ofKansas with alkaline water or soils.

Weed ControlWeeds must be controlled in

the field production of cut flow-ers. Competition with weedsreduces the quantity and qualityof floral production. A bed full ofweeds increases the time requiredto harvest, raising labor costs. Dueto limited production of manyspecies of specialty cut flowers,only a few herbicides are labeledfor use. Contact your county

How toGrow

Specialty cut flowers are a high-dollar crop. Their value is measured in dollars per squarefoot, not dollars per acre. Withholding or delaying application of any input, which reducesflower production or quality, is false economy.

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Extension agent for an updateon herbicides labeled for flowerproduction.

Weed barriers can be used. Theyhave the added benefit of restrict-ing soil splash onto foliage andflowers from rain and irrigation.The most common barriers in useare plastics and paper. The majordisadvantage with plastic mulchesmay be in their disposal afterremoval from the bed. The barri-ers restrict water evaporation fromthe soil surface, reducing loss andmaintaining a more consistent soilmoisture content.

Straw and wood chips have beenused as mulches to reduce weedcompetition, improve waterretention, and reduce temperaturefluctuations within the soil. Beingorganic materials, they slowlydecompose and increase organicmatter in the soil. They areapplied in a 2- to 4-inch layer andmust be reapplied each year.

A hoe and hand weeding arethe best methods for control.Availability and cost of labor maybe prohibitive in all but thesmallest production situations.

Insect ControlGood cultural practices are the

best insect control available. Ahealthy, actively growing plantis more resilient to insect attack.The ideal approach is a preventa-tive program. Control insectsearly, when they are first detected.Do not wait until a serious infesta-tion occurs. Less chemical can beapplied to a smaller area tocontrol these hot spots as theydevelop than would be required tospray the entire crop. Aphids, leafhoppers, spider mites, and thripsare the most common insectsencountered.

Integrated pest management(IPM) is the process of using allthe different methods of control-ling insects in an integratedapproach. The main goal is toreach an acceptable level of insectcontrol with minimal use of

chemical pesticides. Monitoringinsect species and keeping recordsas to insect numbers and locationare integral parts of the program.

Biological controls using para-sites, predators, and pathogenscan help keep insect levels inbalance. They are especially usefulwhen the grower specializes inonly a few crops. Biologicals tendto be specific to an insect on acrop. It is easier to manage aninsect on a crop than it is tomanage several insects on avariety of crops.

All chemicals should be appliedintelligently. Always apply at thelowest possible effective rate.Learn the life cycles of all insectsassociated with the culture of yourcrops. Know which stage of eachinsect’s life cycle is susceptibleto which chemical spray. Sprayonly when control is possible.

Disease ControlFoliar fungus diseases are the

most serious disease problemon cut flowers. If mildew or otherfoliar diseases are a recurringproblem, it might be wise to

increase the spacing betweenplants slightly to improve aircirculation around the foliage.Powdery mildew and black leafspot are two of the most commonfoliar diseases. Botrytis attacksflowers during cool damp weather.Improper watering or frequentrains may cause some root rotproblems. These can be minimizedby planting on raised beds. Occa-sionally Fusarium and Verticilliumwilt have become problems. AsterYellows Virus can be devastatingon susceptible crops.

The best approach to diseasecontrol is a preventative program.Manage the crop. Don’t neglect it.Practice good sanitation; keep thefield free of weeds and plantdebris. Adjust planting density foreach species to allow sufficient aircirculation within the bed. Con-trol leaf hoppers and thrips toreduce the potential for spreadingvirus. Rogue out diseased plantsand remove from the productionarea. Table 1 describes diseasescommon to many floweringplants.

Columbine

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Table 1. Diseases Common to Flowering Plants

Host Disease Symptoms

Aster Botrytis stem and petal rot Small brown to black lesions(Botrytis cinerea) develop on the stems or petals.

During humid weather, a dusty graygrowth of the fungus covers diseasedtissue.

Rust Yellow, orange, or dark red pustules(Several fungi) form on leaves. Severe infection may

result in premature defoliation.Generally not a serious problem.

Powdery mildew White powdery patches develop(Erysiphe sp.) on leaf surface.

Fusarium wilt Young plants may develop a root(Fusarium oxysporum f. callestephi) and topple over. Older plants may

be stunted and yellow, andeventually wilt and die. A browndiscoloration can be found in thevascular system.

Aster yellows Affected leaves develop yellowing(Mycoplasmalike organism) of veins. Growing points turn light

yellow-green and give rise toabnormal growth.

Canna Bud rot Infected leaves develop large(Xanthomonas cannae) irregular spots as they unfurl from

the bud. The bacteria (which residein the bud) also attack flower stemsor petals.

Chrysanthemum Leaf spots Small circular spots develop on(Alternaria and Septoria sp.) leaves. Extensive spotting may cause

premature defoliation.

Botrytis blight Generally restricted to the(Botrytis cinerea) greenhouse, this disease causes

blighting of flower petals. A dusty,gray growth covers diseased tissueduring humid conditions.

Aster yellows See discussion under aster.(Mycoplasmalike organism)

Virus diseases Several viruses affect chrysan-themum; includes mosaics,distortion, rosetting, and yellowing.

Wilt Leaves turn yellow and die from the(Verticillium sp. and Fusarium sp.) bottom of plant toward top. Infected

plants are stunted or killed.

Cosmos Powdery mildew White powdery growth on surface(Erysiphe sp.) of leaves.

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Host Disease Symptoms

Dahlia Crown gall Large wartlike swelling forms on(Agrobacterium tumefaciens) crowns of diseased plants.

Wilt Lower leaves on affected plants turn(Fusarium sp. and Verticillium alboatrum) yellow and wilt. Symptoms progress

toward top of the plant. Brown orblack streaks may develop in thevascular system. Plants are stuntedor killed.

Root rot Aboveground symptoms similar(Various fungi) to wilt; however, roots are discolored

and rotted.

Powdery mildew White powdery growth on the(Erysiphe sp.) surface of leaves.

Delphinium or Larkspur Stem rot Large, circular patches of plants may(Delphinium) (Sclerotium sp.) die during warm weather. Affected

plants develop a serious root rotand collapse. Small, tan to brown,round fungal structures calledsclerotia associated with dead plants.

Powdery mildew White powdery growth on surface(Erysiphe and Sphaerothaeca sp.) of leaves.

Gladiolus Fusarium crown (corm) rot During the growing season, leaves(Fusarium oxysporum f. gladioli) on affected plants turn yellow

prematurely. During storage, cormsdevelop a dry rot. Diseased cormsproduce spindly, weak plants thefollowing year.

Hollyhock Rust Small yellow spots appear on the(Althlaea) (Puccinia malvacearm) upper surface of the leaves. Brick-red

pustules or blisters form on the lowerleaf surface.

Iris Iris leaf spot Circular to oval straw-colored spots(Didymellina macrospora) develop on leaves; spots surrounded

by a brown to purple margin.

Bacterial soft rot Leaves of affected plants develop(Erwinia caratovora) a water-soaked appearance. Rhizomes

develop a foul-smelling soft rot; thedisease often follows injury causedby the iris borer.

Scorch Central leaves wither and die back(Cause unknown) from tips. Affected leaves may turn

reddish-brown. Rhizome remainsfirm but center of roots rot leavingouter layer. Roots collapse and caneasily be pulled from the rhizome.

17

Host Disease Symptoms

Lily Botrytis blight Orange to reddish-brown circular(Lilium) (Botrytis eliptica) spots on leaves, stems, buds, and

flowers. Grayish fungal growthappears in spots during wet weather.

Marigold Aster yellows Affected leaves first develop(Tagetes) (Mycoplasmalike organism) yellowing along veins. Growing

points turn light yellow-green andgive rise to abnormal growth.

Botrytis blight Browning and decay of flowers.(Botrytis cinerea) Grayish fungal growth appears on

infected petals during wet weather.

Fusarium wilt Discoloration and decay of root(Fusarium sp.) and lower stem. Interior of lower

stem may have a pinkish-reddiscoloration.

Narcissus Basal rot-bulb rot A dry rot develops in roots, then(Daffodil) (Narcissus) (Fusarium oxysporum Penicillium spp.) spreads to center of bulb and out.

Bulbs turn dark brown and pink(Fusarium) or bluish-green(Penicillium); fungal growth mayform 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 concentricrings develop within them. Spotson petals have a dark center andlight brown border. Stem lesions areelongated, brown, and water soaked.

Botrytis blight Soft, slimy decay of leaves and(Botrytis cinerea) flowers. Gray fungal growth develops

on infected plant parts during wetweather.

Rust Yellowish-orange spots on upper leaf(Puccinia violae) surface; spots are pale green on

underside of leaf. Petioles and stemsmay also be infected. Brown andblack pustules develop later ingrowing season.

Peony Botrytis blight Sudden wilting of shoots. Brown(Paeonia) (Botrytis cinerea) or black rot can be seen at the base

of stems, below ground. Grayishfungal growth visible on stems justabove soil line. Infected flowers turnbrown, and large, irregular brownareas develop on leaves. Fungalgrowth may also develop on infectedplant parts.

18

Host Disease Symptoms

Peony continued Phytophthora blight Infected stems, leaves, blossoms,(Phytophthora cactorum) and buds are brown and leathery.

Black cankers form on stems andcause them to fall over.

Red spot, measles Small, dark red circular spots(Cladosporium paeoniae) on leaves. Spots coalesce to form

blotches that are dark purpleon lower surface.

Iron chlorosis Interveinal yellowing of leaves.Scorching of leaf margins may occurin 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 andpremature death of leaves.

Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.(Erysiphe cichoracearumand Sphaerotheca humili)

Salvia Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.(Erysiphe sp.)

Snapdragon Anthracnose Sunken spots on older stems and(Antirrhinum) (Colletotrichum antirrhini) leaves are pale yellow to gray with

a brown border. Small black fruitingbodies of the fungus are visiblewithin the 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 wiltand die quickly.

Stocks Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.(Matthiola)

Sweet Pea Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.(Lathyrus) (Microsphaeria sp.)

19

Host Disease Symptoms

Tulip Botrytis blight (Fire) First symptoms are small brown(Tulipa) (Botrytis tulipae) spots on foliage and flowers. Spots

enlarge and form blighted areas witha grayish center and dark margin.During wet weather, gray fungalgrowth may be seen in blightedareas. Stems may rot and small bulbsmay be infected. Bulb lesions areyellow to brown and may containsmall black fruiting bodies of thefungus.

Yucca Leaf spot Irregular brown spots on leaves.(Kellermania anomala)

Zinnia Leaf spot-blight Small reddish-brown leaf spots with(Alternaria zinniae) gray centers. Dark brown cankers

may develop on stems and flowersmay be spotted or blighted.

Powdery mildew White powdery growth on leaves.(Erysiphe sp.)

Lily

20

Many authors have stated thatflowers should be harvested at thepeak of perfection. Although thisadvice seems straight forward,it is ambiguous considering thedifferences in flowers and con-cepts of peak of perfection. Forthe consumer, the peak of perfec-tion is when the flower is showingits best color and form, and laststhe longest. For the grower, thewholesale broker and the florist,it is the stage when the flower willhold up in the marketing chainthe longest and meet the expecta-tions of the consumer.

Table 2 lists the optimal stageof development for harvesting awide range of specialty cut flowersfor the direct market. Flowers forwholesale markets should be lessdeveloped to allow for handlingand shipping time.

For the longest vase life, flowersshould be harvested in the morn-ing before the heat of the day. Theflowers are cooler and have morewater in them. Less energy willbe required to cool the flowers andwilting will be less of a problem.Flowers should be removed fromthe field as soon as possible andplaced in a cooler at 40oF or a coolplace that is less than 60oF untilthey can be sorted, graded, pack-aged, and shipped to market.

Special attention should beplaced on harvest equipment.Knives or shears should be sharpso all stems can be cut cleanly.Dull cutting instruments can

crush stems, restricting the flowof water into the stems andshortening the vase life of theflowers. Knives, shears, andharvest containers should beroutinely disinfected before eachuse. A mild chlorine bleachsolution (1:10) is adequate. Har-vested flowers should be placed intepid water (110oF) with a floralpreservative added. When using apreservative, put flowers in plasticcontainers. Preservative chemicalsmay react with a metal container.

Floral preservatives have manycomponents that lengthen thevase life of flowers. First, theyacidify the water. Flowers keeplonger in acid water (pH 3.5).Water tests should be conductedto determine the pH of your water.Most water in Kansas is hard oralkaline (pH > 7.0), especially citywater. If your water is very hard,it may require additional acid.

Chemically softened watershould not be used in any stage ofcut flower production or handling.The high level of sodium inchemically softened water canbe toxic to flowers. If large-scaleproduction is being considered,installation of a water deionizer isrecommended to ensure a reliablesource of high-quality water.

Floral preservatives containchemicals that stop or slow thegrowth of microorganisms. Alow pH also retards microorganismgrowth. Microorganisms can plug

the water-conducting channels—xylem—of the flower and causedecay.

Floral preservatives also providefood in the form of simple sugars,like sucrose. Providing the flowerwith food lengthens vase life andbrightens the flower color.

Floral preservatives can be madefrom scratch, but beginnersshould use commercially preparedproducts until they becomefamiliar with their crops’ handlingrequirements and water quality.

Chives

Harvest

21

Table 2. Optimal Development Stage of Cut Flowers for Direct Sale

Common name Species Stage of development

Acacia Acacia spp. 1⁄2 florets open

Yarrow Achillea filipendulina fully open flowers

True Monkshood, Officinal Aconite Aconitum napellus 1⁄2 florets open

African Lily Agapanthus umbellatus 1⁄4 florets open

Allium, Ornamental Onion Allium spp. 1⁄3 – 1⁄4 florets open

Peruvian Lily Alstroemeria hybrids 4–5 florets open

Hollyhock Althea rosea 1⁄3 florets open

Joseph’s Coat, Amaranth Amaranthus 1⁄2 florets open Fountain Plant, Tampala

Poppy Amemone Anemone coronaria buds beginning to open

Anthurium Anthurium spp. spadix almost fully developed

Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus 1⁄3 florets open

Columbine Aquilegia hybrids 1⁄2 florets open

Astilbe Astilbe hybrids 1⁄2 florets open

English Daisy, True Daisy Bellis perennis fully open flowers

Bouvardia Bouvardia hybrids flowers beginning 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

Canterbery Bells Campanula spp. 1⁄2 florets open

Cattleya Orchid Cattleya spp. 3–4 days after opening

Cockscomb Celosia argentea 1⁄2 florets open

Bachelor’s Button, Cornflower Centaurea spp. flowers beginning to open

Wallflower Cheiranthus cheirii 1⁄2 florets open

Mums Chrysanthemum spp. fully open flowers

Hardy chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum morifoliumStandard cultivars outer petals fully elongatedSpray cultivars

Singles open but before anthesisAnemones open but before disk flowers start

to elongate

Pompons & decorative center of older flower fully open

Clarkia Clarkia elegans 1⁄2 florets open

Kaffir, Lily, Clivia Clivia miniata 1⁄4 florets open

Larkspur, Annual Delphinium Consolida ambaigua 2–5 florets open

Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis 1⁄2 florets open

Coreopsis, Tickseed, Lance Coreopsis Coreopsis grandiflora fully open flowers

Spiral flag Costus spp. almost fully open flowers

Montebretia Crocosmia crocosmiflora 1⁄2 florets open

Cyclamen Cyclamen persicum fully open flowers

Cymbidium Orchid Cymbidium spp. 3–4 days after opening

Dahlia Dahia variabilis fully open flowers

Delphinium Delphinium spp. 1⁄2 florets open

Dendrobium Orchid Dendrobium spp. almost fully open flowers

Sweet William Dianthus barbatus 1⁄2 florets open

Carnation Dianthus caryophyllusStandard cultivars half-open flowersSpray cultivars 2 fully open flowers

22

Common name Species Stage of development

Common Foxglove, Finger Flower, Digitalis purpurea 1⁄2 florets open Purple Foxglove, Fairy Glove

Leopard’s bane Doronicum causasicum almost open flowers

Globe Thistle Echinops ritro half-open flowers

Desert-candle, King’s Spear Eremurus robustus 1⁄2 florets open

Heather Erica spp. 1⁄2 florets 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 pulcherrima fully extended bracts

Lisianthus Eustoma ressellianum 5–6 open flowers

Freesia Freesia hybrids first bud beginning to open

Crown Imperial Fritillaria imperialis half-open flowers

Perennial Gaillardia, Blanket Flower Gaillardia x grandiflora fully open flowers

Annual 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 Baraberton Daisy, Veldt Daisy

Glads Gladiolus cultivars 1–5 buds showing color

Climbing Lily Gloriosa superba almost fully open flowers

Perennial & Annual Baby’s Breath Gypsophila spp. flowers open but not overly mature

Common Sunflower Helinathus annuus fully open flowers

Sunflower Heliopsis, Hardy Zinnia, Heliopsis helianthoides fully open flowers Orange Sunflower, False Sunflower

Christmas Rose, Winter Rose, Helleborus niger half-open flowers Black Hellebore

Daylily Hemerocallis spp. half-open flowers

Amaryllis Hippeastrum hybrids colored buds

Bearded Iris Iris germanica colored buds

Dutch Iris Iris hollandica colored buds

Corn Lily, African Corn Lily Ixia spp. colored buds

Kalanchoe Kalanchoe hybrids 1⁄2 florets open

Torch-Lily, Common Poker Plant, Kniphofia uvaria almost all florets showing color Flame Flower

Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus 1⁄2 florets open

Edelweiss Leontopodium alpinum fully open flowers

Tall Gayfeather, Blazing Star, Liatris spicata 1⁄2 florets open Button Snakeroot

Tiger, Asiatic, Oriental lilies Lilium spp. colored buds

Statice, Sea-Lavendar Limonium spp. almost fully open flowers

Lupine Lupinus mutabilis 1⁄2 florets open

Common Stock Matthiola incana 1⁄2 florets open

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

Common Grape Hyacinth Muscari botryoides 1⁄2 florets open

Garden Forget-me-Not, Myosotis sylvatica 1⁄2 florets open Woodland Forget-me-Not

Daffodil, Narcissus, Jonquil Narcissus spp. “Goose neck” stage

Catmint Nepeta faassenii 1⁄2 florets open

23

Common name Species Stage of development

Nerine Nerine bowdenii oldest buds almost open

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

Chincherinchees, Sea Onion Ornithogalum spp. colored buds

Peony Paeonia spp. colored buds

Poppy Papaver spp. colored buds

Paphiopedilum Orchid Paphiopedilum spp. 3–4 days after opening

Phalaenopsis Orchid Phalaenopsis spp. 3–4 days after opening

Summer Phlox, Garden Phlox, Phlox paniculata 1⁄2 florets open Fall Phlox, Perennial Phlox

Tuberose Polianthes tuberosa majority of florets open

Polyanthus Primrose Primula spp. 1⁄2 florets open

Ranunculus Ranunculus asiaticus buds beginning to open

Common Mignonette Reseda ordorata 1⁄2 florets open

Roses Rosa hybrids

Red and pink cultivars first 2 petals beginning to unfold, calyx reflexed below a horizontal position

Yellow cultivars slightly earlier than red and pink

White cultivars slightly later than red and pink

Black-eyed Susan, Yellow Oxeye Daisy, Rudbeckia spp. fully open flowers English Bulls-eye

Pincushion Flower Scabiosa spp. half-open flowers

Siberian Squill, Blue Squill Scilla siberica half-open flowers

Showy Stonecrop Sedum, Live-forever Sedum spp. fully open flowers

Goldenrod Solidago spp. 1⁄2 florets open

Stephanotis, Wax Flowers Stephanotis floribunda fully open flowers

Bird-of-Paradise Flower Strelitzia reginae first floret open

African Marigold Tagetes erecta fully open flowers

Columbine Meadow Rue Thalictrum apguilegifolium 1⁄2 florets open

Globeflower Trollius spp. half-open flowers

Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus fully open flowers

Common Garden or Late Tulips Tulipa gesneriana half-colored buds

Speedwell Veronica spp. 1⁄2 florets open

Sweet Violet, English Violet, Viola odorata almost open flowers Garden Violet, Florists Violet

Pansy, Ladies Delight Viola x wittrockiana almost open flowers

Calla Lily Zantedeschia spp. just before the spathe begins to turn downward

Zinnia Zinnia elegans fully open flowers

24

After flowers are removed fromthe field and placed in the packingshed, the stems should be cutunder water. Stems will acceptwater as long as the xylem is notblocked. Air bubbles drawn upinto the xylem when the stemwas cut in the field can block theupward movement of water. Theair bubble blockage may beeliminated by removing an inchof stem under water.

Fresh cut flowers are extremelysensitive to temperature andhumidity. Because they have sucha high surface-area-to-volumeratio, they can lose water and wiltquickly if not kept under lowtemperature and high humidityconditions. The flower tissue hasa high metabolic rate, so coolertemperatures are necessary toslow metabolism. Most flowersshould be stored at 32–35 oF and90–95 percent relative humidity ifthey are to be kept awhile.

Flowers are sensitive to ethylenegas. Ethylene is produced naturally

by flowers, but can come fromother sources including decayingplant material, old flowers, ripen-ing fruit, gasoline and propanecombustion and welding. Carefulselection of a location for thestorage area away from motorsand welding equipment isimportant. Sanitation and goodinventory management shouldeliminate decaying plant materialand old flowers. Flowers shouldnot be stored in the same facilityas ripening fruits and vegetables.Good air circulation in the storagearea will help dilute any ethylenewhich may be present.

Some species are so sensitiveto ethylene that you need to domore to protect them (Table 3).Silver thiosulfate (STS) reduces theharmful effects of ethylene andis available from most suppliersof commercial preservatives. Silveris a heavy metal that can pollutegroundwater and soil. There aresystems available to recycle theSTS and recover the silver.

The stem tips of most spiketype flowers will bend upwardif laid horizontally. This is knownas negative geotropism. Spike typeflowers should be stored andshipped upright.

Bruising and breaking flowersreduces their aesthetic value andtherefore their economic value.Wounds also allow entry of manydisease organisms and increaseethylene production by the flow-ers. Careful handling to preventdamage is imperative to ensurea long-lived, high-quality flower.

PulsingPulsing is a chemical treatment

of flowers to prolong the vase life.The treatment is not continuousand typically lasts for 2–12 hours.Silver thiosulfate (STS), and5–10 percent sucrose solutionsare chemicals often pulsed intoflowers. These solutions are putin the holding water and theflowers are held at various tem-peratures for a certain time period.Different species and different

Herbs

Postharvest

25

cultivars require different pulsetreatments. Although pulsetreatments have not been deter-mined for many specialty cutflowers, there are too manydifferent treatments to coverin this publication.

Marketing and SellingFlowers can be marketed to

a flower wholesaler, a retail florist,or directly to the public at afarmers market or farm market.Each market has advantages anddisadvantages. Direct to the publicis the easiest market to enter.Sorting, handling, and packagingusually are minimal as is thecapital investment. A wide varietyof species and cultivars may besold with success. The disadvan-tage is the volume of sales maylimit the income.

Wholesalers will accept largevolumes of flowers. You will haveto package, sort, and grade flowersto their specifications, and theymay not accept some specialtyflowers. They set the price for yourflowers. It takes awhile for thegrower and wholesaler to developa good working relationship.

Retail florists buy from whole-salers. If you market directly to theflorist, you cut out the middlemanand can get a higher wholesaleprice for your flowers. Florists maynot be as concerned with packag-ing as wholesalers. Both floristsand wholesalers will insist on highquality. Florists may be moreinterested in specialty flowers thanwholesalers. You will have to dealwith several florists to sell thesame volume you would to awholesaler. The market or marketsyou choose to enter must providesufficient profit margins for youto stay in business.

Table 3. Flowers Particularly Sensitive to Ethylene

Agapanthus umbellatus

Alstroemeria hybrid

Anemone spp.

Astilbe spp.

Gypsophila spp.

Bouvardia hybrids

Campanula spp.

Dianthus spp.

Centaurea cyanus

Delphinium spp.

Dendrobium spp.

Eremerus robustus

Freesia hybrids

Solidago spp.

Kniphofia uvaria

Lilium spp.

Aconitum napellus

Phlox paniculata

Scabiosa spp.

Rosa Spp.

Antirrhinum majus

Matthiola incana

Lathyrus odoratus

Poppy

26

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

1988. “Producing Cut Flowers—General Field Crop Management.”University of Maryland Coopera-tive Extension Service. EnterpriseGuide of Southern Maryland FactSheet 468.

Dole, J.M. and M.A. Schnelle.“The Care and Handling of CutFlowers.” Oklahoma State Univer-sity Cooperative Extension Ser-vice. OSU Extension Facts No.6426.

Koch, Mark and Sally Nakasawa.1991. “Top 30 Flowers For Dry-ing.” Association of Specialty CutFlower Growers. The Cut FlowerQuarterly, Vol. 3, No. 3.

Various issues of The Cut FlowerQuarterly, a publication of theAssociation of Specialty CutFlower Growers.

Ball Seed Co. production notesfor cut flower growers.

Recommendations1. Keep a journal.2. Experiment with test plots, before expanding production.3. Understand cut flowers are a high-value, intensively managed crop.4. Understand that a high-quality product is essential for success.5. Set prices to ensure profits. Price cutting without lowering costs can have

a drastic effect on profitability.

Lavender, Goldenrod,Thistle

Summary

27

Suppliers in this publicationare listed for identification. Noendorsement is intended, nor iscriticism of similar suppliers notmentioned.

Cut Flower SeedBall Seed Co.250 Town RoadWest Chicago, IL 60185

W. Atlee Burpee Co.50375 Park Ave.Warminster, PA 18974

The Country GardenRt. 2Crivitz, WI 54114

Express Seed Co.201 West Main St.Smethport, PA 16749

H.G. German SeedsBox 398Smethport, PA 16749

Germania Seed Co.5952 North MilwaukeeChicago, IL 60646

Gloeckner15 East 26th St.New York, NY 10010

Johnny’s Select SeedsAlbion, ME

L. DaehnfeldtP.O. Box 15 DK-5100Odense C., Denmark

Northrup King Seed Co.Maryland Plants and Supplies9586 Deereco Rd.Timonium, MD 21093

Park Seed—WholesaleHG6 Cokesbury Rd.Greenwood, SC 29647–0001

Penn Seed Co.Rt. 309, Box 390Dallas, PA 18612

Vaughan Seed Co.5300 Katrine Ave.Downers Grove, IL 60532

Harris Moran Seed Co.3670 Buffalo Rd.Rochester, NY 14624

Stokes Seeds, Inc.Box 548Buffalo, NY 14240

Leen de MosP.O. Box 54–2690 AB’sGravenzadeThe Netherlands

Plugs, Transplants,and BulbsVandenberg Bulb CompanyP.O. Box 532Chester, NY 10918914-469-9161FAX 914-469-2015

Bradbury Farms19738 West Bradbury Rd.Turlock, CA 95380209-668-7584FAX 209-668-7928

McHutchinson Co.Vaughn Fletcher418 KingsleyLiberty, MO 64068816-781-1818

Yoder BrothersFritz Thomas1234 East Dunklin St.Jefferson City, MO 65101–4116800-347-7651

Stuifbergen Bulb Export Co.Pete Stuifbergen1645 SE. DeckerLee’s Summit, MO 64063816-524-0840

Express Seed Co.Paul Orrick300 Artino St.Oberlin, OH 44074–1263

Sunbay FarmsWatsonville, CACharles Barr Jr.408-724-7577FAX 408-724-5829

Headstart Cut Flower Plugs408-842-3030FAX 408-842-3224

Ball Seed Co.Adrian HolmesRt. 2, Box 79Pomona, KS 66076785-566-3511

Vaughan Seed Co.Joe RawleyBox 3473Lawrence, KS. 66046785-843-8080

Suppliers

28

Bluebird Nursery, Inc.P.O. Box 460Clarkson, NE 68629800-356-9164FAX 402-892-3713

Preservatives and DyesRobert Koch Industries, Inc.Rt. 1, Box 4HHBennett, CO 80102303-644-3763FAX 303-644-3045

Gard/Rogard, Inc.Garden Environmental Group903 Armstrong St.Algonquin, IL 601021-800-433-4273

Floralife Inc.120 Tower Dr.Burr Ridge, IL 60521708-325-8587Fax 708-325-4924

Pokon & Chrysal USA7977 NW. 21st St.Miami, FL 331221-800-247-9725Fax: 305-477-1284

SEGO International, Inc.503-796-0133FAX 503-222-417

Vita Flora Inc.P.O. Box 1690Lakesville, AZ 85929602-368-6800

The John Henry Co.P.O. Box 17099Lansing, MI 48901517-323-9000FAX 517-323-4707

Smithers-Oasis Co.P.O. Box 118Kent, OH 44240216-673-5831

Cleaning SuppliesDillon Floral Corp.P.O. Box 180Bloomsburg, PA 17815717-784-5770

Floralife, Inc.120 Tower Dr.Burr Ridge, IL 60521708-325-8587FAX 708-325-4924

Forestry Suppliers Inc.P.O. Box 8397Jackson, MS 39284–8397US 1-800-650-0776FAX 1-800-543-4203

Precision Blend Inc. (PBI)705 North Shore Dr.Mound, MN 55364612-472-5443

Synthetic, Organic,and Biological ControlsFMC Corp1563 East County Line Rd.#402800-468-0441FAX 601-956-9510

Kentucky Garden Supply731 Red Mile Rd.Lexington, KY 40504800-432-9510

ARBICO Inc.P.O. Box 4247 CRBTucson, AZ 85738800-767-2847Fax: 602-825-2038

Bunting BiologicalP.O. Box 2430Oxnard, CA 93034805-986-8265Fax: 805-986-8267

Phero Tech, Inc.7572 Progress WayRt. 5Delta, British Columbia,CanadaV4G 1E9604-940-9944FAX 604-940-9433

American InsectariesEscondido, CA619-432-0485

Abbott LaboratoriesNorth Chicago, IL1-800-323-9597

PraxisAllegan, MI616-673-2793

Brinkman HorticulturalStoney Creek, Ontario,Canada416-643-6630

Better Yield InsectsWindsor, Ontario,Canada519-727-6108

Mycogen Corp.San Diego, CA619-453-8030

Whitmire LaboratoriesSt. Louis, MO1-800-325-3668

JRM Chemical Inc.13600 Broadway Ave.Cleveland, OH 44125800-962-4010FAX 216-475-6517

Research Organics Inc.4353 East 49thCleveland, OH 44125800-321-0570216-883-1576

BioLogic CompanyP.O. Box 177–BGWillow Hill, PA 17271717-349-2789

IPM Laboratories, Inc.Main St.Locke, NY 13092–0099315-497-3129

Organic Control Inc./ORCON5132 Venice Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90019213-937-7444FAX 213-937-0123

Hydro-Gardens, Inc.Colorado Springs, CO719-495-2266

Gerhart Inc.North Ridgeville, OH216-327-8056

Necessary Trading Co.New Castle, VA703-864-5103

29

BiotacticsRiverside, CA714-685-7681

Applied BionomicsSidney, British Columbia,Canada604-656-2123

RichtersGoodwood, Ontario,Canada416-640-6677

Koppert B.V.The Netherlands31-189140444

Brinkman B.V.The Netherlands31-174811333

Soluble OrganicFertilizersSeagro Corporation3601 10th SE.East Wenatchee, WA 98801509-884-1600(fish-based)

California Spray Dry Co.P.O. Box 5035Stockton, CA 95205209-948-0209(spray-dried blood)

ENP Inc.P.O. Box 218Mendota, IL 61342800-255-4906(fish-based)

American Meat Protein2515 Elwood DriveAmes, IA 50010515-292-1021(spray-dried blood)

Containers, Harvest,Holding, PackingLomey Mfg. Corp/Spotless GroupP.O. Box 5314Asheville, NC 288131-800-423-2314FAX 704-626-9210

Epic Products Inc.17395 Mt. HermmannFountain Valley, CA 92708714-641-8194FAX 714-641-8217

Moore Paper Boxes, Inc.2916 Boulder Ave.Dayton, OH 45414

Boas Box Co.5610 Lancaster Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19131215-477-7700FAX 215-477-1240

Seeding and PlantingEquipmentCole Manufacturing Co.Box 9216Charlotte, NC 28299(Planet Jr. Seed Drill)

Earthway ProductsP.O. Box 547Briston, IN 46507(garden planters)

Tillage and BeddingEquipmentAhrens NurseryRt. 1Huntington, IN 47542812-683-3055

Kennco Mfg. Inc.Box 1158Ruskin, FL 33570813-645-2591

Guy Farm Equip. Co.15219 Hwy. 14Woodstock, IL 60098815-338-0600

Lely CorporationBox 1060Wilson, NC 27893919-261-7050

Transplanting EquipmentEllis Manufacturing Co.Box 246Verona, WI 53593

Mechanical TransplanterBox 1008BHolland, MI 49423

Speedling ManufacturingBox 283Sun City, FL 33586

Holland Transplanter Co.510 East 16th St.Holland, MI 49423

Powell Manufacturing Co.P.O. Drawer 707Bennetsville, SC 29512

Irrigation EquipmentAmerican Plant Products9200 NW. 10thOklahoma City, OK 731271-800-654-4583

Smith IrrigationBox 232, North Main St.Kensington, KS 66951

Good Earth GardensJerry EdsonRt. 1, Box 139Clearwater, KS 67026316-773-1494

Kansas City Cut Flower FarmsEthan Kayes4223 Gibbs RoadKansas City, KS 66106913-432-1330

Chesmore Seed Co.1302 South 4thSt. Joseph, MO 64501816-279-0865

General MaterialsCentury Florists Supply Co.Main Office: P.O. Box 325Detroit, MI 48232–2562313-872-0300FAX 313-872-7907Midwest Office: P.O. Box 411807Kansas City, MO 64141–1807816-474-3610, FAX 816-471-2733

Craftware PotteryMary Beavers233 North 19Lincoln, NE 68503402-474-1622

Clifford Sales & MarketingNick Clifford44 Granada WaySt. Louis, MO 63124314-432-5806

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McHutchison Co.Vaughn N. Fletcher418 KingsleyLiberty, MO 64068816-781-1818

American Plant ProductsRod Lewis9200 NW. 10th St.Oklahoma City, OK 73127–9722405-787-4833

Swecker–Knipp Inc.Dennis Whitegon900 NW. JacksonTopeka, KS 66608785-234-5652

Gard’N-Wise Distributors1515 East 29th St. NorthWichita, KS 67219316-838-1474

Temkin Int., Inc.21007 Superior St.Chatsworth, CA 91211818-709-1066(sleeves)

Vaughan Seed CO.Joe J. RawleyBox 3473Lawrence, KS 66046785-843-8080

Wheeler ArtsDept. CFQ66 Lake ParkChampaign, IL 61821–7101217-359-6816FAX 317-359-8716

Stuppy GreenhousesBruce HoldenP.O. Box 124561212 Clay St.North Kansas City, MO 64116800-877-8025

Nexus Greenhouse10983 LeroyNorthglenn, CO 80233303-457-9199

TENAX Corporation8291 Patuxent RangeJessup, MD 20794800-356-8495Fax: 301-725-5910

Premier Brands Inc.Tobin StandardDan O’Meara931 West 8 St.Kansas City, MO 64101816-842-3838

Ball Seed Co.P.O. Box 335West Chicago, IL800-323-BALLFAX 800-234-0370

A.H. Hummert SeedSheryl Shaefer2746 Chouteau Ave.St. Louis, MO 63103314-771-0646

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Flowers for Sale: Growingand Marketing Cut Flowers—Backyard to Small Acreage;A Bootstrap Guide. Lee Sturdivant.San Juan Naturals. P.O. Box 624S.Friday Harbour, Washington 98250.

A thorough introduction to thecommercial cut flower business.Includes a step-by-step plan forstarting a flower growing andselling business.

Fresh (Cut) Flowers for Designs.Postproduction Guide I. Care andHandling. Retail and ConsumerCare Information. John N. Sacalis.Pfeifer Printing Co., Columbus, OH.

Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopediaof Herbs, Rodale Press.

Ball Red Book. (15th edition) VicBall, editor. Geo. J. Ball Publishing.622 Town Road, West Chicago, IL60185-2698.

The basic book on greenhousegrowing written for growers.

Care and Handling of Flowersand Plants. (2 volumes) 1985. C.L.Holstead. The Society of AmericanFlorists.

The Complete Book of Cut FlowerCare. 1988. M.J. Vaughan. TimberPress. Portland, OR.

Handling, Precooling, and Tem-perature Management of CutFlower Crops for Truck Transpor-tation. 1979. Roger E. Rij, James F.Thompson & Delbert S. Farham.USDA-SEA AAT-W-5.

The Complete Book of CutflowerCare. Mary Jane Vaughan. TimberPress.

The most comprehensive-yet-concise guide to postharvesthandling and care for growers,wholesalers, and retailers.

Identification of Insects andRelated Pests of HorticulturalPlants—A Pictorial Guide. OhioFlorists Association.

An unbound, 48-page compila-tion illustrating the different lifestages and crop damage of majorinsect, mite, and related pestgroups. Describes stages foreffective pesticide use. Colorpictures. Send $25 to Ohio FloristsAssociation, 2130 Stella Ct.,Columbus, OH 43215–1033.

Diseases and Pests of OrnamentalPlants. Pascal P. Pirone. Wiley–Interscience.

Florist Crop Production andMarketing. Kenneth Post.Orange–Judd Co. Out of print,but copies are available from TheAmerican Botanist Booksellers,P.O. Box 143, 9526 LexingtonAve., Brookfield, IL 60513.

The former standard of the indus-try, sometimes out of date, but stilla detailed and worthy volume.

Park’s Success With Seeds. ParkSeed Co. P.O. Box 46, Greenwood,SC 29648–0046.

Simple yet the most comprehen-sive guide to seed propagation.

Alberta Supernaturals. BuckGodwin. Available from OldsCollege Bookstore. Olds College,Olds, Alberta, CANADA TOM1PO ($8, including postage).

The best book for the large-scalegrower of drying flowers (statice,strawflowers, grains, and muchmore).

Commercial Field Production ofCut and Dried Flowers, (Proceed-ings from a National Symposiumsponsored 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 theUniversity of Minnesota. Send toExtension Special Programs,405 Coffey Hall, 1420 EcklesAve., University of Minnesota,St. Paul, MN 55108.

Commercial Flower Forcing,A. Laurie, D.C. Kiplinger, and K.S.Nelson. McGraw–Hill.

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

Commercial Flower Growing.John P. Salinger. ButterworthsHorticultural Books.

The closest thing to a completetext on field production of flowersand although it was written inNew Zealand, it adapts fairly wellto American conditions (much ofthe bibliography is Californian).

RecommendedReading

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Lists each species with informa-tion on hardiness, color, height,and uses in arrangements.

The Commercial Storage ofFruits, Vegetables, and Floristand Nursery Stocks. Ag Hand-book 66. 1990. USDA AgriculturalResearch. U.S. GovernmentPrinting Office, 1305 SW. 1st,Portland, OR 97201. $7.00.

Concise descriptions of condi-tions required for best shelf life.

Refrigeration and ControlledAtmosphere Storage for Horticul-tural Crops. Northeast RegionalAgricultural Engineering Service.#22. 1990. Cooperative Extension,152 Riley–Robb Hall, CornellUniversity, Ithaca, NY 14853.$5.25.

Construction diagrams for coldstorage and controlled atmo-sphere facilities.

Marketing of Floricultural Prod-ucts in the United States, AnAnnotated Bibliography. Susan C.Whitmore and Henry Gilbert.USDA, National Agricultural Lib-rary. Bibliographies and Literatureof Agriculture, Number 66. USDA’sNAL, Beltsville, MD 20705.

A comprehensive list of journals,books, newsletters, associationsand government reports onmarketing. Includes addresses fornational market price reports.

Holland Bulb Forcers Guide.(4th edition) A.A. DeHertogh.International Flower Bulb Center,Hillegom, Netherlands.

The basic reference for flowerproduction from bulbs.

Potpourri . . . Easy as One, Two,Three! Dody Lyness. Berry HillPress. 7336 Berry Hill #8, PalosVerdes, CA 90274. $6.95.

Resource for fragrance craftersand dried floral designers.

Ball Culture Guide: The Encyclo-pedia of Seed Germination. BallSeed Co. 622 Town Road, WestChicago, IL 60185. $27.

Provides information on germi-nation, lighting, crop time, fieldproduction, and varieties.

Kieft’s Growing Manual. KieftBloemzaden BV. Blokker, Holland.Available from ASCFG. $10.

For annual, biennial, and peren-nial cut flowers and ornamentalgrasses grown from seed.

Everlasting Flowers for Pleasureand Profit. Jeannette Verhelst.$11.00. Jeannette Verhelst, Box178, Radville, Saskatchewan,Canada, SOC2GO.

Excellent resource written bya grower for growers.

Manual of Herbaceous Ornamen-tal Plants. Steven M. Still. StipesPublishing Co. 10–12 Chester St.,Champaign, IL 61820.

The reference for descriptiveinformation on herbaceous plantmaterials.

Manual of Woody LandscapePlants: Their Identification,Ornamental Characteristics,Culture, Propagation, and Uses.Michael A. Dirr, Stipes PublishingCo., 10-12 Chester St., Cham-paign, IL 61820.

The reference for descriptiveinformation on woody plantmaterials.

Competitive Advantage. MichaelE. Porter. The Free Press a Divisionof Macmillan, Inc. 866 ThirdAvenue, New York, NY 10022.

How to create and sustain acompetitive advantage.

Production and OperationsManagement. Norman Gaither.CBS College Publishing. 383Madison Avenue, New York, NY10017.

A basic, introductory book onoperations management:planning products, processes,and facilities. How to plan andcontrol operations for productiv-ity and quality.

Postharvest Handling andStorage of Cut Flowers, FloristGreens, and Potted Plants. J.Nowak and R.M. Rudnicki. TimberPress. Portland, OR.

A comprehensive, text-bookapproach to this subject.

Specialty Cut Flowers (Proceedingsfrom the 2nd National Conferenceof the ASFG).

Includes wholesale distribution,trends, marketing, costs, gettingstarted, new varieties, callas, iris,bulbs, statice, IPM, perennials,everlastings, and woodies. Avail-able for $25 ($20 to members)from the ASCFG.

Specialty Cut Flowers (proceedingsfrom the 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.

Ornamental Grasses, The AmberWave. Carole Ottesen. McGraw–Hill. $29.95.

A general overview plus details onthe production and uses of over 70varieties. Highly useful appendices.

Ornamental Grasses andGrasslike Plants. A.J. Oakes.Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1990. ISBN0-442-23931-9. $68.95 approx.

Comprehensive examination ofgrasses and their production.

Ornamental Grasses R. Grounds.Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1979.

Dried Fresh Flowers from YourGarden. Elizabeth Bullivant.Pelham Books/Stephen GreenePress. London, UK. $31.95.

Reference with imaginative ideason uses for flowers. Informativechapter on hydrangeas.

The Encyclopaedia of Everlastings.The Complete Guide to Growing,Preserving, and Arranging DriedFlowers. Barbara Radcliffe Rogers.Weidenfeld & Nicholson.

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A membership directory ofwholesale florists and floristsuppliers is available from WF &FSA, P.O. Box 7308, Arlington, VA22207, 703-241-1100.

“Floral Marketing Directory &Buyer’s Guide” is available fromthe Floral Marketing Division ofthe Produce Marketing Associa-tion, P.O. Box 6036, Newark, DE19714–6036, 302-738-7100($25 for PMA members, $50 fornonmembers).

Magazines,Bulletins, Newsletters“Growing for Market.” LynnByczynski, editor. FairplainPublications. P.O. Box 365,Auburn, KS 66402. $24.

A monthly journal of news andideas for market gardeners.Articles on crop culture, han-dling, marketing, merchandis-ing, and profiles of successfulgrowers provide subscribers withtimely information and ideas.

“Supermarket Floral” magazine isa free monthly publication fromThe Packer. P.O. Box 2939,Shawnee Mission, KS 66201,800-255-5113.

Covers all aspects of the super-market floral department.

“Potpourri Party-Line.” DodyLyness, editor. Berry Hill Press.7336 Berry Hill #8, Palos Verdes,CA 90274.

A quarterly publication tailored tothe interests of fragrance craftersand dried flower designers. Cur-rent trends in herbal growing,floral trends, recipes for scentedpotpourri mixtures, and dryingtechniques. Articles are slantedtoward the interests of home-based businesses.

“Florist Review” magazine keepsyou in touch with the retail trade.Florist Publishing Co. 111 NorthCanal St., Suite 545, Chicago, IL60606, 312-782-5505.

“Flowers &” is published monthlyby Teleflora for retailers in “thebusiness of flowers.” Write toTeleflora, Teleflora Plaza, Suite260, 12233 West Olympic Blvd.,Los Angeles, CA 90064.

“American Vegetable Grower”magazine offers articles on prac-tices well suited to the field flowergrower. Meister Publishing Co.Willoughby, OH 44094.

The USDA issues bi-weeklyreports on cut flower prices invarious centers across the country.Available from Federal–StateMarket News, 630 Sansome St.,Rm. 727, San Francisco, CA 94111.

“Forcing Flower Bulbs” includesinformation on growing bulbsfor cut flowers. The pamphletis available from Leo BerbeeBulb Co. 18443 S.R. 4 N., P.O. Box370, Marysville, OH 43040,513-642-0511.

“Cut Flowers: Production andMarketing.” C. Kopolow. January1989. 7 pages. Send a self-addressed, gummed label to Agri-Topics, National AgriculturalLibrary, Room 111, 10301 Balti-more Blvd., Beltsville, MD 20705.

“Dried Flowers.” C. Kopolow.November, 1989. 8 pages. Senda self-addressed, gummed labelto Agri-Topics, National Agricul-tural Library, Room 111, 10301Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville, MD20705.

”Herbs.” S. Whitmore and H.Shimizu. December 1989. 6 pages.Send a self-addressed, gummedlabel to Agri-Topics, NationalAgricultural Library, Room 111,10301 Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville,MD 20705.

“Peonies.” J. MacLean and S.Whitmore. n.d. 4 pages. Senda self-addressed, gummed labelto Agri-Topics, National Agricul-tural Library, Room 111, 10301Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville, MD20705.

Cornell Recommendations forCommercial Floriculture Crops,Part 1: Cultural Practices. Part 2:Disease, Pest, and Weed Control.Cornell Cooperative Extension,Ithaca, NY 14853.

Directories

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For further information, contactJudy Laushman, Executive Direc-tor, ASCFG, 155 Elm St., Oberlin,OH 44074, 216-774-2887.

The Kansas Greenhouse GrowersAssociation is an organization ofgrowers providing support to theKansas floriculture industry, andoffering educational opportunities

The International Freeze-DryFloral Association emphasizes thepromotion, marketing, and use offreeze-dried florals. Contact theIFDFA at P.O. Box 71272, Clive, IA50325.

through their annual seminars,trade show, and growers school.A bi-monthly newsletter keepsmembers up-to-date on issuesaffecting the industry. For moreinformation or to join the KGGA,contact Alan Stevens, KGGAExecutive Secretary, 216 WatersHall, Kansas State University,Manhattan, KS 66506–4029.

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is a national network of commercial fieldgrowers. The Association’s basic purpose is to provide cultural, technical, and marketinginformation through conferences and a quarterly bulletin.

Calla Lily, Violet, Tulip

Organizations

Brand names appearing in this publication are for product identificationpurposes only. No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar

products not mentioned.

Publications from Kansas State University are available on theWorld Wide Web at: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu

Contents of this publication may be freely reproduced for educational purposes.All other rights reserved. In each case, credit Alan B. Stevens and Karen L. B. Gast,

Specialty Cut Flowers—A Commercial Growers Guide, Kansas State University,June 1992.

Alan B. StevensExtension Specialist

Floriculture & Ornamental Horticulture

Karen L. B. GastExtension Specialist

Postharvest & Marketing

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Stationand Cooperative Extension Service

MF-1034 June 1992

It is the policy of Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and CooperativeExtension Service that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to its educa-tional programs, services, activities, and materials without regard to race, color, religion,national origin, sex, age or disability. Kansas State University is an equal opportunityorganization. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 andJune 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, ExtensionDistricts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Marc A. Johnson,Director.

File code: Horticulture & Landscaping 1