Project Overview
Information Products
Commodities
- Additional Plants: ornamentals, cut flowers
Practices
- Crop Production: greenhouses, varieties and cultivars
- Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
- Farm Business Management: budgets/cost and returns, market study, new enterprise development
- Sustainable Communities: new business opportunities
Proposal summary:
Nearly all cut flowers sold in the United States are imported from other countries. Especially from December through March few local flowers are available. Most cut flower farmers in the Northeast region have limited income from growing cut flowers during this winter season. However, consumer demand for fresh flowers is especially high in the
winter months, when there are multiple holidays, including Christmas. Even with access to heated greenhouse space, timing flowers for the Christmas season and other December holidays can be difficult for farmers to optimize.
This project intends to test which cut flower varieties can be grown most successfully by local growers for December. We will evaluate nine different species and identify key horticultural best practices like planting dates, optimal temperatures, best varieties, and need for supplemental light. We will analyze profitability of each crop by tracking plant yields, crop inputs, and labor. We will then identify the marketability to both local retail and wholesale-to-florist markets by tracking farmers market sales and sending a survey to local florists.
To share results with other growers, we will write articles for relevant publications (e.g., Growing for Market Magazine and/or the Cut Flower Quarterly) and host a webinar about the trials for cut flower farmers through an organization such as the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG).
Project objectives from proposal:
Our project intends to evaluate whether cut flowers in December can be a profitable crop for farmers in the Northeast. This project will:
- Determine whether nine specific cut flower species can be forced to bloom in December in the Northeast
- Determine ideal horticultural practices to achieve December blooms including planting dates, supplemental lighting schedules, and optimal temperatures for each crop
- Observe the performance of multiple varieties of each species by measuring qualities such as stem length, bloom count, and bud size, to determine which are best suited for December harvests
- Calculate profitability for each crop by tracking input costs, labor, and sales
- Determine interest of retail and wholesale flower buyers by measuring sales, tracking farmers market feedback, and conducting surveys
- Educate other cut flower farmers on maximizing December profitability by publishing articles and hosting a webinar