I still hesitate. Even after growing flowers for six years, even knowing and seeing with my own eyes that if I cut deeply on certain flowers, if I disbud, the next ones produced will have longer, stronger stems and bigger, more beautiful blooms - it is hard to sacrifice the buds before me for those that are still to come.
The hesitation gets a little worse once Fall arrives, as cold and frost and freezing temperatures will surely follow - but when? in two weeks? Three? Four? Will it be a killing frost? Will the blooming dahlias and zinnias and so many other annuals turn black but the plants survive to throw off more blooms?
Such is the life of a flower farmer as the season turns. We check the weather often, we harvest a little earlier, and we temper our promises to designers, reminding them that Mother Nature always bats last.
What does that mean for you, the floral designer? It means ordering early, letting your supplier know particulars - does it have to be burgandy, or can it be plum, too? And, since frost sometimes affects one section, but leaves another untouched, can a substitute be made? Maybe zinnias can sub for dahlias, or verbena for ageratum. It may mean ordering earlier than you normally would., especially for flowers that hold well. It means understanding that weather is way outside anyone’s control, so a backup plan is beneficial.. It means having several growers that could supply you, as a killing frost that one may not be for another.
Here in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, we have an abundance of local growers. At least once a week I discover a new grower on social media, prompting me to marvel all over again at how the locally grown movement has, well - grown over the last five years. How to find them? Here are three resources.
The MD Dept of Agriculture sponsors the MD Cut Flower Growers Association. Visit the website to find flowers by county, along with country information. David Brunton of Right Field Flower Farm is our webmaster, and thanks to him, expect to see new content on this site, including lists of what the various farmers offer for sale. Visit http://www.marylandgrownflowers.com.
The Association of Speciality Cut Flower Growers is the national association for professional growers, offering a wealth of training to all members. For florists, as well as the general public, they have a website to connect growers to florists and the general public. Visit the site, enter a city and state, and a map pops up showing where the flower farmers are in that location. Visit: http://localflowers.org
Last, email FindFlowers@googlegrowers.com. This email goes to all the growers who participate in the Maryland Cut Flower Growers Association, including many in Virginia, DC and even Pennsylvania Be specific - what flower, what color, how many stems, stem length, what date you need them, and where you are located. You are sure to hear from one or more if they have what you need.
And remember - many mums keep producing into Novementer, and we do have growers who grown in hoop houses and greenhouses, so product continues to be available year round. Look to local so your designs can continue bringing comfort and joy, even in this challenging time.