Youse the flower guy?

[DFB]

So what do any of you guys (or gals) know about flowers except not to weed wack them, run them over with the mower, let the dog dig them up, or spray them with roundup

The flower guy is what they call me at the market and that's because I sell TRUCKLOADS of greenhouse flowers all season from May until September.

We have virtually everything the industry offers like most all the bedding plants such as allysums, ageratum, celosia, dianthus, dusty miller, impatiens, marigold, nicotina, portulaca, petunias, pansies, salvia, snapdragons, stock, wax begonia, and zinnia.

We also have geraniums, our specialty at least 15 different colors daisies, dahlia's, coleus, new guinea, multiple types of begonia's. The proven winner line of plants like million bells, red and green potato vine, vinca, and spikes. Plus big planters and pots of zinnia flowers, dinner plate dahlias, datura, egyptian papyrus, and ornamental grasses. Along with huge lots of different lilies, all kinds of perennials, and fall mums just to name a few

Believe it or not some of my best customers can be guys too...though there's always definitely lots of ladies!


So does anyone have an annual or perennial flower garden planting they want to post a picture of...flower boxes, tubs, or planters?

 

[Bird]

I'm afraid I'm just the opposite. If you can't eat it, I probably don't know anything about it. Most of those names you listed are names I don't even remember hearing, and even of those I have heard, I wouldn't recognize any of them if I saw them.

 

[jerrybob]

Like Bird.....don't know the names of most flowers but I do know some are real purdy! I send my wife roses every once in awhile but....dang.....those flowers have gotten expensive.....then again.....so has gas!

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I have the small greenhouse, 14x14 and other than veggies, I try to raise flowers to plant and also sell a few. We started growing Herbs this year and sold everything we grew. I don't know a lot of them by name but like to grow them and currently reading about the herds and flowers.

I tried growing some cut flowers last year to see how they would do, mostly pollen-less sunflowers and they did great. I also propagate some shrubs and have around 400 Old English Boxwood's. The boxwood's don't sell as good as they did years ago. I have around 4000 seedlings but don't think I will put them out.

I will try to take some pictures this weekend of the daylilies, and a few other flowers. We also have a lot of succulents...different hens/chicks, rock weed, stone crop, ice plants, etc.

Our goal is to retire early, and sell plants, fruits and veggies with some shrubs. We are currently looking for a larger greenhouse.

I like what you have and interested in your occupation... greenhouse operator, wholesaler...?

Do you sell plugs...give TBNers a discount...:thumbsup:

 

[DFB]

Certain things have been around for what seems like forever and most people just know them as an industry standard. Pansies, geraniums, impatiens, and petunias generally never go out of style...akin to asking for better boy tomatoes when there dozens of newer varieties to chose from.

Greenhouse Grower this month asked the question "Does the industry even need any more new plants?" Seems that most people haven't even caught up to some of the ones released as far back as 5 years ago.

One grower interviewed had this great perspective "For those who don't know what they are then they're all new varieties!"

 

[DFB]

I have the small greenhouse, 14x14 and other than veggies, I try to raise flowers to plant and also sell a few. We started growing Herbs this year and sold everything we grew. I don't know a lot of them by name but like to grow them and currently reading about the herds and flowers.

I tried growing some cut flowers last year to see how they would do, mostly pollen-less sunflowers and they did great. I also propagate some shrubs and have around 400 Old English Boxwood's. The boxwood's don't sell as good as they did years ago. I have around 4000 seedlings but don't think I will put them out.

I will try to take some pictures this weekend of the daylilies, and a few other flowers. We also have a lot of succulents...different hens/chicks, rock weed, stone crop, ice plants, etc.

Our goal is to retire early, and sell plants, fruits and veggies with some shrubs. We are currently looking for a larger greenhouse.

I like what you have and interested in your occupation... greenhouse operator, wholesaler...?

Do you sell plugs...give TBNers a discount...:thumbsup:

HRF

What we have is about 40 hoop style greenhouse structures all together. Varying in sizes from 24' to 96' long and average 12' to 20' wide. Plus one gigantic plexiglas showhouse building. On most all of the tunnels I put a double Z track about 36'' up from the ground so we can open up the sides in hot weather. There an incubation chamber for germination, a pot filling machine in the "dirt room", and an new automatic seeder machine that was purchased year before last. Sales are mostly all direct retail, we virtually sell everything we can grow. Now and then a little wholesale and start custom orders for a few people.

Herbs are good. I always do good with kitchen herbs and there is always a dozen or more different ones to chose from. A friend of mine wants to expand into medicinal herbs when she retires from her nursing career in a few years.

My ex liked to grow pro cut sunflowers and one plant only gets one flower head They were worth a $1.00 a stem market one year we losing flowers by the dozen. Thought it was deer turned out to be a woodchuck. One day it rained and we watched that chuck...it stood up on hind legs grabbed that stem and pulled the flower over and ate it! She was so mad she went running outside, slipping and sliding thru the mud and must have chased that woodchuck halfway to Connecticut

Perennials and the bulb type plants are easy to grow and always good to market. For cut flowers you can get 500 gladiolas bulbs for about $75 from Harris. Potted Asiatic or the new Asia Florum lilies easily go for $ 3.00 or more apiece and potted daylilies up to $8

 

[Bird]

Way back in 1995, I was talking to our county extension agent about trying to make a few bucks on 10 acres and he said herbs were the most likely thing to turn a profit back then.

I send my wife roses every once in awhile but....dang.....those flowers have gotten expensive

Yep, I buy flowers for my wife occasionally. Flowers from a florist are terribly expensive for us poor folks, and I usually get the flowers from Walmart. Now those are not cheap either, but when I think about what it would take for me to grow those, harvest, package, transport, etc, well . . . I don't see how they can sell them as cheap as they do.

 

[DFB]

I buy all my cut flower bouquets at the supermarket! :laughing:

 

[mjarrels]

I recall a few yeasr ago traveling thru Tagaytay (sp) next to lake Taal in the Philippines. The fresh flowers were breath taking. Cool mountain air. It was a huge break from Manila.

mark

 

[DFB]

Wow what a flower sale today. People especially in the mountain resort area are ready to put in their gardens. Hanging baskets and big tomato planters sold good and lots of veggies plants too. Highlight of my day some hillbilly Vermonter came looking for heirlooms...nothing but heirlooms was what he wanted...no gmo's was what he said... told me once the gmo's ruined all the seeds in the world there would be ONLY the heirlooms left

Had to order him up some heirloom plum tomatoes from the greenhouse. San Marzano's will be on the truck tomorrow. Takes all kinds hey

 

[Jstpssng]

Do you start your geraniums from cuttings, or buy them in pots? Are you pansies field dug, or started in the greenhouse? Do you raise cut flowers? If so, have you ever considered raising carnations in the greenhouse?,.and snapdragons/glads outdoors? If somebody wants a bedding plant and all you have are cascading petunias, do you sell them what you have and hope they don't know the difference? If somebody has a shady area and wants color, what are you going to suggest? (I saw 3 annuals on your list that would easily fit the bill)


OOPs, I didn't mean to sound like your HS teacher...

 

[J F]

I'm a man...and I love growing flowers/shrubs/plants, etc, no problem admitting it...just not real good at...yet. (It has been 10-12 years of tryin', though).

Love starting stuff from seeds and watchin' it grow...and then die, quite often (but only after I've got my mitts on 'em).

Nature's fun...and often quite stunning/beautiful...just as often cold and cruel...it's life.

There...I'm outta the closet.

 

[Birdhunter1]

The only thing I know about flowers is that when I build a flower bed I use alot of horse and chicken poop and water them regularly and they grow like crazy. Other than that my wife and I like Daisies, Roses, Hostas and Petunias and we have lots of each and they keep coming back year after year.

 

[Marveltone]

I don't know much about flowers, so my wife does all the buying, planning and arranging. I try to help and stay out of the way if possible. Here are a few perennials, annuals, and wild flowers found around our yard.

Not bad for the frozen tundra!

Joe

 

[DFB]

Do you start your geraniums from cuttings, or buy them in pots? Are you pansies field dug, or started in the greenhouse? Do you raise cut flowers? If so, have you ever considered raising carnations in the greenhouse?,.and snapdragons/glads outdoors? If somebody wants a bedding plant and all you have are cascading petunias, do you sell them what you have and hope they don't know the difference? If somebody has a shady area and wants color, what are you going to suggest? (I saw 3 annuals on your list that would easily fit the bill)

1)All start by cuttings
2)Greenhouse grown
3)Yes, No, No/Yes
4)No
5)Salvia, Impatien, Wax Begonia

 

[Jstpssng]

1)All start by cuttings
2)Greenhouse grown
3)Yes, No, No/Yes
4)No
5)Salvia, Impatien, Wax Begonia

Good answers, :thumbsup:
Would you like some volunteer help next spring? ( Not really, I don't have time amd can't afford the mileage )

Sorry about the quiz/ attitude, I just get tired of newby growers trying to blow smoke up my -

nose ... I was raised and fed by a family owned greenhouse/flower shop in Auburn that operated for 100+ years...

PS; a few Coleus would also add some color to that shady mix... Just to show you that I'm not blowing smoke either.

 

[J F]

Is there a flower rumble brewin' here?

:laughing:

 

[/pine]

I'm a man...

some here have wondered...

 

[J F]

some here have wondered...

Did you self-quote?

 

[/pine]

Did you self-quote?

I didn't say me...I said "some"...I do know you can take a jab...without leaving a mark...:thumbsup: