Amaranthus: Hot Biscuits, Illumination, Green/Red Tower; Ammi: Green mist; Artemisia: Silver King; Bells of Ireland; Campanula: Champion, Medium (cup and saucer); Calendula; Caryopteris: Dark Knight; Carthamus: Orange; Celosia: Hi-Z, Kurume, Cramers; Cosmos; Delphinium: Bellamosum, Connecticut Yankee; Dianthus; Amazon duo, Amazon rose magic, Purple bouquet; Echinacea: Magnus, Primadona; Glads; Gomphrena: Purple all round, Red strawberry, White, Carmine; Grass: Purple majesty millet, Black Sorghum, Black Sorghum Amber, Red Sorghum, Se. Hylander, Se. Macrochaeta, Se. Verticillata, Sorghum hegari, Tapestry; Larkspur: Sublime; Liatris: Picador; Lilies: Asiatic, Foxtail, Oriental; Lepidium Cress; Nigella; Oregon Grape; Rubeckia: Becky (gallons plants), Cherokee, Indian summer; Snaps: Madame Butterfly mix, Rocket White, Rocket Yellow, Rocket Red; Statice: Rose, Purple, Dk Blue, Lt Blue, White; Sunflowers; Sweet peas; Veronica: Longfolia, Red Fox; Zinna: Benery Giant

Edible flowers: (for CSA and restaurants).

Bachelor's button; Calendula; Dianthus; Hollyhock; Honneysuckle; Lavender; Lilac; Marigold; Monarda didyma; Nasturtium; Pansy; Scarlet runner bean; Snapdragon; Squash; Sunflower

Now that does not look like alot.

I am still working on my woodies, herbs and veggie lists. This does not include all the other perennials from year gone by: peonies, echinops, other types of echinacea, veronicas, foxgloves, delphiniums, shasta daisies, rudbeckias, asters, basketflower, curly willow, pussywillow, forsthia, etc...

Sorry Trish I know I need some Dahlias.

Let me know if someone sees something nice and new missing.

Thanks!!!

Bryan

BTW I love that tapestry millet. L.O.V.E. it. Fresh and dried. Cannot live without it.

I will forgive you on the dahlias :)

Where's the lisianthus? Where are the tuberose?

We had alot of problems with our Benary's Giant zinnias last season. Maybe the drought.

Warm Regards,

Trish

Want to try Pumpkin on a Stick and some of the round on top peppers this year

Cheers - Kim
Billabong Fresh Flower Farm

Bryan

And as soon as somebody invents a peony that blooms all summer long, I'll be able to die happy. :)

I am most interested in the varieties of each flowers chosen, and the reasons behind them. I learn so much from all of you. I'm no beginner gardener, by any means, by I've always grown vegetables or flowers for my own personal pleasure. Cutting and selling adds a completely new terrifying dimension to it all.

If I post my list, would you all mind critiquing it (kindly, please - don't tell me I'm stupid - I'm already feeling a bit fragile) showing me where my weaknesses and holes are, maybe varieties that I should not hang my gardener's hat on?

Antirrhinum majus - night and day
Bells of Ireland
Buddleia
Delphinium - pacific giant
Hollyhock - chater’s double, indian spring
Iris - dutch, spirea, bearded
Larkspur - giant imperial, others
Lily - asiatic, oriental
Peony
Stock - giant imperial
Sunflower - peach passion, sunbright, sunrich orange summer, tohoku yae
Tulip - red, yellow
Verbascum - shades of summer, other

Agrostemma (corn cockle) - purple queen
Calendula - deja vu
Centaurea (bachelor button) - tall
Columbine - McKana’s giant
Coreopsis - double sunburst
Daisy - shasta
Dianthus (sweet william) - hollandia
Gaillardia (blanket flower) -
Godetia (clarkia)- farewell to spring
Malva sylvetris - zebrina
Marigold - gold coin, african jubilee
Rudbeckia - indian summer
Scabiosa (pincushion flower)
Statice - pacific
Sweet pea - 15 var. heirloom (a personal weakness)
Yarrow - colorado
Zinnia - benary’s giant, oklahoma improved, state fair, old mexico

Agastache (anise hyssop)
Ageratum - tall blue planet
Amaranthus - opopeo,love-lies-bleeding,love-lies-green
Ammi majus - white dill
Basil - cinnamon
Celosia - Cramer’s amazon
Cloud larkspur - blue, white
Euphorbia
Gomphrena - QIS mix, strawberry fields, bi-color rose
Lavender - english tall
Millet - purple majesty
Polygonum (prince’s feather)- kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate
Salvia - lady in red, marble arch

I like your list. A very impressive list indeed.

The saying is that all bouquets should have a touch of blue. If this is true or not, we don't know. But, we seem to always add a touch. So, although I see that you have lavender, blue cloud larkspur and ageratum, I would recommend adding blue salvia to your list. The bonus of having the blue salvia is that is comes back year after year.

Also, amaranthus. The more variety. The better.

Sunflowers: You might want to add some of the ProCut series to you mix. They flower earlier and later in the season due to their being less daylength sensitive than some of the other sunflowers.

Millet: Tapestry

Ammi majus: Green Mist which adds a nice lime green to the bouquets.

And, just a couple more suggestions which are bulbs/tubers:

Dahlias -- just because :)
Acidanthera
Nanus Mix Gladiolus
Crocosmia

Warmest Regards,
Trish

I'm new to this as well, in the South-East of England, climate comparable to Oregon. I've got experience with veg, but new to growing and especially selling flowers...

Here is my list:

Achillea Cerise Queen
Achillea Summer Pastels
Ageratum Blue Horizon, Red Sea
Agrostemma Ocean Pearl
Antirrhinum Princess White with Purple Eye
Antirrhinum Rocket Mixed
Aquilegia Origami Mixed
Aquilegia William Guinness
Aquilegia Winky Mixed
Armeria Joystick Mixed
Aster Benary's
Berkheya Silver Spikes
Bupleurum Griffithii
Calendula Balls Improved Orange
Campanula Persicifolia Blue
Campanula Persicifolia White
Candytuft Iceberg Superior
Canterbury Bells Blue
Carnation Floristan Mixed, Raspberry Ripple
Carthamus Kinko
Carthamus Shiro
Chrysanthemum Merry Mixed
Dahlia Cactus Flowered Mix, Double Hybrids
Dahlia Dandy Mixed
Delphinium F2 New Century Dreaming Spires Mixed
Delphinium Round Table Mixed
Digitalis Excelsior Hybrids
Digitalis Foxy
Echinacea Purpurea Purple, White
Echinops Platinum Blue
Eryngium Alpinum Superbum
Eucalyptus Gunnii
Gaillardia Dazzler Mixed
Hollyhocks Chaters Double Mixed
Hollyhocks Fiesta Time
Hollyhocks Fruity Mixed
Larkspur Giant Imperials Special Mixed
Larkspur Tall Hyacinth Flowered Mix
Liatris Floristan White
Molucella Molucella Laevis
Monarda Didyma Panorama Red Shades
Nigella Persian Jewels Mixed
Pennisetum Cream Falls
Physostegia Virginiana Crown of Snow
Pyrethrum Robinson's Single Giant Hybrids Mixed
Salvia Reference
Scabiosa Beaujolais Bonnets
Scabiosa Fama
Statice Sunburst Mixed
Statice Sunburst Soft Pastel Mixed
Stocks Miracle Mixed
Sunflower Junior (in pots)
Sunflower Pastiche
Sunflower Sonja
Sunflower Soraya
Sweet Pea High Scent
Sweet Pea Mammoth Mixed
Sweet William Hollandia Mixed
Tagetes La Bamba (to grow in between the peonies against nematodes)
Veronica Sightseeing
Zinnia Giant Dahlia Flowered Mix, Oklahoma
Poppy Oase, White Cloud (both paenoiflorum)
Cornflower Balls mixed, Black Ball
Didiscus Lacy Series
Peonies Sarah Bernhardt, Kansas, Karl Rosenfeld
Callistephus Matsumoto, Ostrich Plume

Any comments highly appreciated!

My growing season is not at all like yours, but I can offer some thoughts on a few-.

I prefer the Rocket snaps but haven't grown the variety you mentioned. Rockets stand up extremely well in wind and I like the color blends. Last year I didn't plant enough, this year I'll be doubling or maybe tripling my planting (staggered dates). They go well in mixed bouquets and also sell in straight bunches.

Peony bouquets just fly off the table. I mix mine with Lady's Mantle which blooms the same time for me. I use a lot of Lady's Mantle in bouquets for as long as it keeps blooming, usually 3-4 weeks. It's very long lasting as a cut and has a nice fresh scent, too. I cut the peony 'marshmallows' daily throughout the week and hold them in the fridge until day before market when I arrange the bouquets. They can also be cut in tight bud with colour showing, they just take a day longer to open once set in water.

I love Pro Cut Orange sunflowers - they're just awesome to grow and cut. I tried some others last year but at the end they weren't worth the growing space. My season is short, though, so the Pro Cuts with staggered planting dates work best for me.

I grew Contessa Pale Pink Agrostemma last year and really, really liked it as did the customers - for an old fashioned plant, few people knew what it was. In the bouquets I home tested, each one of the unopened Agrostemma buds opened - the bouquets lasted really well. I'm going to sow the purple one this year, as well.

I noticed you don't have Baby's Breath on your list. This proved indispensable for me and I missed it when it was done blooming. I'll be sowing more of that this year, too.

I couldn't sell marigolds. I think it's because almost everyone around here plants one type or another. And I know Calendula is supposed to be a good cut, but I sure can't get them to last for more than 3 days.

On the flip side, I couldn't supply enough lilies. Any colour with any filler sold just as quick as the next. I always show customers how to pull off the pollen to keep a cleaner flower and table.

Statice is great for bouquets, and I found that some customers like straight bunches for their own drying purposes.

Last winter I bought the Armtigage book Specialty Cut Flowers and I found it really helpful and would highly recommend it.

There's plenty about selling at Farmers Market besides growing the flowers and now is a good time to think about displays, signs, how to transport, handouts, etc. I checked the Growing for Market site that perhaps Trish at one time recommended. On that site there is a downloadable PDF newsletter about farmers market - a variety of articles that I also found really helpful. The article on pricing is really good.

Finally ... good luck and have fun!

Trish - I have been to your site numerous times. What I learn just by looking at your pictures is priceless. When it comes down to choosing the right ones for this medium - well, I would need some really specific direction from you. Also, my very best to you with your illness.

pudge - I am on the mailing list of GFM!

I hope to still be here 5, 10 years from now, still learning from all of you. And maybe along the way I can reciprocate.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!

Trish - I already have a few black and blue salvia plants. Totally forgot about them. How many would you recommend for a first year marketer?

Sorry, I could have told you to check Johnny's Seeds for that tapestry, or Germania Seed.

It is really going to depend how many markets you are planning as far as blue salvia plants. We do four markets, and have six 200' rows of blue salvia. However, we also use alot of it in our wreaths. So, my thinking is that we never have too much blue salvia. The more you pick, the more it branches out and produces.

If you have just recently signed up for the Growing for Market publication, you may have missed the September 2007 edition. The article on growing dahlias was written by us. The suggested dahlias mentioned in the article are for beginner growers. If you don't have a copy, and would like one, please email me at dahliafarmer@yahoo.com with your address; and, I will send you a copy.

Meanwhile, these were our dahlia suggestions for beginning cutflower growers: Sophie K, Hamilton Lillian, Peaches n Cream, Kenora Lisa, Almand Joy, Jessie G, Christopher, Alice Chalifoux, Danae, Kidd's Climax, Rebecca Lynn.

Warmest Regards,

PS I would suggest adding some of those Canterbury Bells (Campanula) to your list as well. Customers LOVE them. The ones that we grow are planted in the fall for spring production. Because life took a different direction last fall, the little plants didn't get planted out in the field. They are planted in the ground in one of our hightunnels. We plan to move them to the field late spring because we need the space for our lisianthus in the hightunnel.

Sunnyo, Pacfic giants were too tall, agrostemma didn't work well for me, Indian Summer (grow tons!), Celosia (HiZ is better), Gomphrena and Millet (grow tons). The rest looks good.

Arjen, that list is huge. Summer pastels did not work for me, Campanula add champion, echinops ritro is better, Veronica longfolia is taller, the rest looks OK, some I have not tried.

Trish, thank you very much for the CD. It will help tons. I have a order in with the local wholesaler that still owes me a few hundred $ from Millet for a HANDS on!

Good luck to all. I will get my woody order posted later this week.

Bryan

BRYAN - Thanks for the tip on the "pacific". I've added the "rocket" that Pudge suggested.

Thanks to everyone for the additional flower suggestions. I take all of you very seriously! "Trust" doesn't begin to describe it. I've been reading everything I could get my hands on, via online, subscriptions, and books, since before last September when I made this decision to grow cut flowers for market. I believe this forum was one of the very first places I found that encouraged this seed in my mind, so it kinda feels like "home" to me. If I had a little "bowing down" icon for you, it would be right here:

Wind bringing storms outside today. Off to do some inside seed-planting...

Your trust and admiration is very humbling. Don't ever believe that we are not also learning from you. Sometimes new growers may have an item on their list that some of us haven't thought of growing. We are always learning. ALWAYS.

The more we can promote locally grown cut flowers, the better it is for all of us specialty cut flower growers.

We do grow the Agrostemma. While it is very tedious to cut, the customers love it in their bouquets because of its old fashioned look. And, there is just going to be one plant that you just hate cutting. I guess it is just part and parcel of being a grower.

Also, early in the season, when we are desperate for something green in the bouquet, we raid the shady garden and cut our hosta leaves. It gives a nice finished look to bouquets. Word of warning, however. They need to be put in hydrating solution for about an hour or even overnight before using it. Otherwise, they wilt. Hydrating solution makes them stay all perky!

Warmest Regards,
Trish

Warmest Regards,
Trish

And I've made a note for Gloeckner's, as well, Bryan.

Thanks!

http://www.cramersseeds.com/pages/millettap.htm

The seed that johnnys sells gives you a pendulous or hanging type. see URL

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/product.aspx?category=58&subcategory=94&item=1599

I do grow both types are both are great fresh and dried.

And then I go back and plant a few more seeds, just in case, 'cause you never know when you might need them ... LOL!

Ageratum, Blue Horizon
Ageratum, Blue Planet **
Amaranthus cruentus, Autumn's Pallet **
Amaranthus cruentus, Autumn's Touch **
Amaranthus cruentus, Hot Biscuits (been good at market)
Amaranthus cruentus, Twin Towers Green **
Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Green Thumb **
Ammi visnaga, Green Mist (good, as your know!)
Antirrhinum, Rocket Mix
Artemisia - Cramers' Cousin Annie (use lots!)
Aster, Bouquet Powderpuff Mix (seeded out-we were lucky)
Aste, Gala Mix (seeded out last year)
Basil Sweet Dani (used alot with zinnias for sm. bouquet)
Bells of Ireland
Bupleurum griffithii, Green Gold
Celosia cristata, Chief Mix
Celosia, Century Mix
Celosia, Cramers' Burgundy (lost most last year-damping)
Celosia, Cramers' Lemon-lime (same)
Celosia, Pampas Plume (always good for quick filler)
Dahlias (still working on order ; )
Delphinium Consolida regalis, Cloud Snow (reseeder, too)
Dianthus, Amazon Neon Cherry (florists buy quite a bit)
Dianthus, Amazon Neon Purple (same)
Dianthus, Amazon Neon Rose Magic (same)
Dill, Dukat (use all season at market)
Euphorbia marginata, Icicle **
Euphorbia marginata, Snow on the Mountain **
Helianthus, Moulin Rouge
Helianthus, ProCut Bicolor
Helianthus, Sunbright Supreme (our staple)
Helianthus, Sunrich Gold (early planting of these)
Helianthus, Sunrich Lemon
Helianthus, Sunrich, Orange
Sorghum, Red, Texas Black, Mixed (popular last year)
Statice, QIS Mix
Statice, Turbo Mix (new to us last year -- lots of stems)
Sweet Pea, Mammoth, Incense**, Elegance** (gotta have sp's)
Zinnia, Benary--pink, crimson, deep red, orange, purple
Zinnia, Peppermint Stick **

Established perennials are:
Peony, Yarrow-Colorado, Lilies A&O (and a little of this and that)

Starting our seeding tomorrow!!

pitt from Indiana-zone 5

Also, I saw a couple listing hollyhocks. What are the secret to cutting these. Every time I've tested them...the flowers always wilt within a few hours.

Thanks.

I did add Echinacea Rubinstern and Delphinium Belladonna and Oriental Sky.

I need to quit ordering new seed.

Everything is coming up good and I have started to transplant already. 14,000+ plants takes a lot of room I have found.

Bryan

I was hoping for a little advice with our grow list this year given that we have very little space to work with to start. Could any of you comment on the best yielding options among the following?

Larkspur
Snapdragons
Bells of Ireland
Sunflowers
Statice
Gomphrena
Sweet Peas
Veronica Longfolia
Yarrow
Zinnias
Dianthus - Sweet William
Ammi - Green Mist
Millet - Purple Majesty & Lime
Verbena Bonarensis
Amaranthus
Asclepias
Talinum Paniculatum - Jewels of Opam

We will probably only be able to pick 5 or 6 of these to do and we'd like to get the biggest bang for our buck. Probably be direct-sowing except for some of the perennials (like yarrow).

Your thoughts would surely be appreciated.

Jody

If you want perennial, look at the above lists.

Good luck.

Bryan

Thanks

Jody

I'm using Benary's Giants (mixed) and Pro-cut orange.

This is my wish list for next year since I just got started:

Delphinium Aurora Mix
Echinaciea Primadonna Deep Rose
Liatris Floristan Violet (and some white variety if I can find the bulbs/seeds)
Leucanthemum Crazy Daisy
Rudbeckia Autumn Colors and Indian Summer
Dianthus Sweet William - Dianthus are some of my favorite flowers, so even if they don't sell, no biggie.
Verbascum Southern Charm
Blue bedder sage - already started the seeds for this
English daisy (red only)- seeds started
Gomphrena QIS formula mix- Another one I love, primarily for me, so if they sell at all another bonus
A variety of fresh cut annual and perennial herbs
Dappled willow if I can find one
Hydrangea - Don't know about this one yet, but I have a perfect spot in my yard for about 5 shrubs.
Glads, mixed colors

How are everyone's flowers looking?

Jennifer

Sounds like you two are doing well. I've been absent from the forum for awhile due to several reasons. I really wrecked my back last fall(ruptured my L5, S1 disk) and went through pyshical therapy for 4 months in order to be able to work this year. I have avoided surgery for the time being and so far, this planting season hasn't been too awfully painful.

I've added some new woodies to my "already too large for one person to manage" field. I put in 100 Avalanche lilacs, 50 Ruby spice summersweet, 50 Arnold red honeysuckle, 50 Guincho purple elder, 100 Saugeana Chinese lilac, 50 Calicapra beautyberry, 20 Exochorda pearlsbush, 50 Fothergilla mount airy, 50 French pussy willow, 50 Charles Joly lilac, 50 Pres Grevy lilac, 50 chinese lilac sunday, 50 Asessippi Lilac, and 20 Seven-son flower. That field has now grown to 9 acres of woodies. I started it 5 years ago and I'll finally be able to harvest my snowball viburnum, cranberry viburnum, blue muffin viburnum, pee-gee hydrangea. I will also be able to harvest some lilacs; Sensation, Beauty of moscow, Wedgewood blue, Monge purple, Mount baker, and Pocahontas.

Some of my baptisia crosses will flower for the first time this year as well, so I will finally see what the hybrids look like.

The annuals are prety much the same as most with Suns, Zins and glads making up the bulk of the main event flowers. I should have about a 1/2 acre of butterfly milkeed this year. That orange always looks great with the purple hoary vervain and suns. I also have the rest of my natives to compliment the boquets.

Due to my back injury, we didn't do nearly as many wreaths last year, hopefully this year I can stay injury free.

Trish,

We might be taking a late summer trip to Michigan. Where are you located and would you mind visitors?

Nice to read all the info and see what people are up to again. It gets me amped up to get er' done!

Take care,

Steve

Bryan

Is it too late to include larkspur? If so, what is a good substitute? What cultivar would you recommend for zone 5?

I also plan to try Bells of Ireland and to grow Purple Majesty Millet and Jewels of Opar (successful with these last season). I've not had good luck with sweet peas. Thanks.