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Getting lilies to market
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Posted by fundybayfarm z5westernN.S. (My Page) on Sun, Jul 29, 07 at 6:55
Ok market vendors, what is the trick to getting those beautiful lilies we grow to the market without the creases, bruises and missing petals? A bigger car would be helpful, but I'm not doing THAT good at the market. ha. I am so careful to not cram these bouquets into buckets, only do 2 to a bucket to avoid crowding, and some just in vases and into a container that they don't fall over but I still end up with lilie bouquets that are a little worse for wear. Is there some method that works well for you?
I had bouquets with white lilies, and I think they show the bumps the worst. Thanks for any suggestions.
Cheryl |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Getting lilies to market
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- Posted by pudge 2/3 Sask (My Page) on
Sun, Jul 29, 07 at 11:04
| Hi Cheryl. I've been taking bouquets with lilies to market the past 2 weeks and I know what you mean. I try to put the lilies in the middle of the bouquet, and always pick stems with a few more buds. I transport my bouquets in kids sand pails (from the dollar store) and pack 3 to a bucket. When I put them in my vehicle I actually have them quite tight together so that if I have to hit the brakes (plenty of wildlife on the road) nothing tips over. I put one bucket in then with the back of my hand hold the flowers back a bit while I set the next bucket in. I think this tight packing in the vehicle might help with breakage. My trip to market is 40 miles away, a good 20 of that is on very rough used-to-be-paved-but-now-more-gravel highway and everything makes it quite well. There is the odd petal that breaks but nothing really that the customer notices or cares. Sleeves would probably help, but I don't use them and so far so good without them. |
RE: Getting lilies to market
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Pudge,
Thanks for your packing tips, it just doesn't always work with mine. I really need a cooler, and that is in the plans hopefully for next year so I can hold flowers longer. It has been a HOT week. So all of my lilies are opening fast, and they are BIG. Some look like tree trunks. There is just no hiding them with other flowers. I wish they all wouldn't open so fast too. Do you have a cooler?
Some of my bouquets I can fit 3 or 4 to a bucket, but not the lily bouquets. I think next week the I'll remove the other seat of my my van. With both of the bench seats out, I should be able to fit 3 more buckets without as much crowding. If the lilies weren't so big, it wouldn't be a probelm, but some of these have 14 or more buds on them. Do your's get that big?
Cheryl |
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