The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers (Gardener's Supply Books) [Paperback]

Lynn Byczynski (Author), Robin Wimbiscus (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Gardener's Supply Books | Publication Date: June 1, 1997

Acre-for-acre, flowers are the most profitable--as well as the most beautiful--crop on the farm. In The Flower Farmer expert flower grower Lynn Byczynski provides a complete introduction to raising a cornucopia of cut flowers for home use and for sale to retail customers, florists, and other markets.
The book offers detailed, manageable plans for flower growing on a scale ranging from a backyard border to a half-acre commercial garden. It will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, including:

Home gardeners who want growing tips from professionals, so that they can enjoy an abundance of flowers year-round in fresh and dried bouquets;

Passionate gardeners and small-scale growers who want to raise and sell cut flowers in season for additional income;

Small commercial farmers who want to increase farm revenue or even make a living from selling field-grown, specialty cut flowers.

The Flower Farmer provides a clear, realistic look at both the benefits and the challenges of growing flowers organically for local markets. Chapters include information on:

The best varieties of cut flowers--an A-Z list of more than one hundred recommended annuals and perennials, spotlighting the cultivars that are grown by professional flower farmers

How to cut, store, and preserve flowers for long-lasting beauty

How to dry flowers for crafting or for a dried-flower business

Flower-arranging basics from a designer's perspective

Extending the season with woody shrubs and trees

Marketing options for commercial growers, including sales at farmer's markets, supermarkets, florists, and wholesalers.

Sprinkled throughout are profiles of successful flower farmers--from Vermont to California, Texas to Wisconsin--each of them providing a unique perspective proving that growing flowers can be as profitable as it is satisfying.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Byczynski, who quit her city job to become a flower farmer, has interviewed hundreds of farmers who grow flowers as all or part of their income; she offers profiles of 12 of them. Byczynski emphasizes organic flowers because organic-farming practices protect both people and the environment. She gives advice on selecting seeds (recommending foolproof flowers for the novice grower), site and soil requirements, buying and starting plants, growing and caring for them, and creating a dried-flower garden. The author discusses growing woody ornamentals (certain species of trees and shrubs) that can be used in floral designs as well as harvest and postharvest procedures. She gives advice on arranging fresh flowers and on going commercial (marketing and pricing). There's a list of 100 recommended cut flowers, full-color photographs, and black-and-white line drawings. George Cohen

Review

"Byczynski, who quit her city job to become a flower farmer, has interviewed hundreds of farmers who grow flowers as all or part of their income; she offers profiles of 12 of them. Byczynski emphasizes organic flowers because organic-farming practices protect both people and the environment. She gives advice on selecting seeds (recommending foolproof flowers for the novice grower), site and soil requirements, buying and starting plants, growing and caring for them, and creating a dried-flower garden. The author discusses growing woody ornamentals (certain species of trees and shrubs) that can be used in floral designs as well as harvest and postharvest procedures. She gives advice on arranging fresh flowers and on going commercial (marketing and pricing). There's a list of 100 recommended cut flowers, full-color photographs, and black-and-white line drawings."
-Booklist review by George Cohen

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing (June 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930031946
• ISBN-13: 978-0930031947
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #526,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Flower Grower's Reference, January 27, 2000

By 

Debra A. Herrli - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers (Gardener's Supply Books) (Paperback)

I have been growing flowers for personal use for some time, and have recently decided to begin selling at Farmer's Markets, but where to begin? Ordering this book was probably the best beginning I could have happened upon - it is packed full of useful and realistic information covering all aspects of beginning a flower business, not only on growing but how to get started, marketing, how to price, where to buy supplies, how to learn more about the business, even where to purchase a canopy for using at the market and how to build a flower cooler. Also, the farmer profiles were informative, frank, and uplifting and the pictures were beautiful and helpful.

I read this book from cover to cover, including the appendicies, which is rare for me - I usually pick out the interesting chapters and focus on them, but all chapters here were interesting!

Thank you Lynn for a marvelous reference. Although I know I have hard work ahead of me, I am even more inspired to begin my small flower business after reading your book.

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for anyone interested in specialty farming., November 27, 1998

By 

Jennifer Redden (LaFayette, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers (Gardener's Supply Books) (Paperback)

Lynn Byczynski, herself a flower farmer, does an excellent job of sharing her wisdom to others who wish to make a living tending the earth. This book is not only applicable to those who wish to grow and sell cut flowers, it will also be useful to herb farmers, u-pick farm owners, and even those who just wish to grow beautiful flowers for their own use. The book's focus on organic growing techniques is especially useful, as is the author's descriptive list of recommended flowers to grow.

Throughout the book you are introduced to other specialty farmers who have carved a niche in the competitive horticultural market for their home grown products. No one claims this way of making a living is easy, but you can feel the pride and the love of the labor come through in each profile. Each small farmer generously shares stories of their successes and failures and paints a realistic picture of what is involved in the business.

The book also lists many useful sources for seeds and nursery products, wholesale plant companies, tools, marketing supplies, and other organic gardening reference books. I highly recommend this book to the potential flower farmer or market gardener.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best, April 17, 2002

By 

Gina Marie "Re Searcher" (The Natural State of America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers (Gardener's Supply Books) (Paperback)

This is the best book We've found on the subject. We're starting a "cut flower" business in ME. It's an invaluable resource, and it includes lists of flowers, care, feeding, when to plant etc. etc.