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- Clean, Professional Displays Part of Marketing Cut Flowers
- By Karen Gentry
Associate Editor
- When consumers visit a farmers’ market they will be attracted to colorful, creative displays that are clean and easily accessible.
John Dole, associate professor of horticulture at North Carolina State University, spoke to growers with that message about marketing fresh cut flowers at the Great Lakes Vegetable Growers Convention and Farm Market Show in January in Grand Rapids, Mich.
“The last 10% is harder to sell than the first 90%,” Dole told growers. “You should present the illusion that all of the good stuff is still there,” he said.
“Lots of folks try to go for the professional look, not necessarily the slick look,” said Dole. He said all containers should be uniform and there should be clear, easily readable signage that can be handwritten. When visitors stop at a booth they shouldn’t stop traffic, is one booth layout tip from Dole. He advised growers to select one color of buckets for cut flowers.
“Make sure everything is labeled with the price. Keep it clean, you don’t want confusion,” said Dole, who has been working with cut flowers for 12 years. He said many growers sell cut flowers at farmers’ markets or sell direct to florists and retail stores.
Dole coordinates national seed and perennial cut flower trials throughout the country by sending seed packets of new cultivars to 30-40 growers per year. In the fall Dole collects data from the growers and compiles reports. Last year many cultivars of the Celosia flower were popular, Dole said. “There’s been a lot of interest in breeding Celosia,” said Dole. Celosia has plume-like flowers ranging in color from dark crimson to orange and golden yellow.
Dole said the cut flower industry has matured with many people now growing and marketing fresh cut flowers for five to 10 years. Some of the areas of the country, including the Southeast and South Central regions are becoming saturated with growers, according to Dole.
Finding a niche and being near a large population are two keys to successfully selling cut flowers, according to Dole. Field cut flowers can be grown in any state although some states are easier.
Columbia, Ecuador and the Netherlands are major exporters of carnations, chrysanthemums and roses to the U.S. The dominance of imports has opened up opportunities for a lot of niche marketers of fresh cut flowers. Consumers want new and different choices and a variety of things to bring into the home. He said that with a bucket full of fresh cut stock with its fragrance and lack of yellow foliage, there’s really no comparison with imports that must be refrigerated and shipped to the U.S.
Dole believes Martha Stewart, who built a business empire on all aspects of homemaking, has had an effect on the industry. Her message has helped create home and garden shows and demand for flowers.
“The specialty cut flower market really has matured. It’s a sustainable industry, it’s here and it’s going to stay,” said Dole. A farmers’ market with all vegetable growers would be a good place for fresh cut flowers, Dole said. He recommends two books as resources for growers - “Specialty Cut Flowers,” by Allan Armitage and for organic growers, “The Flower Farm,” by Lynn Byczynski.
“Figure out how you’re going to sell. Attend meetings and start to visit and talk to people,” said Dole. Information is available from the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers Growers at (440) 774-2887.
For more information visit www.ascfg.org
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