Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The author spends a great deal of time telling you how to plant, transplant, fertilize, etc. She spends way too much space on basics of horticulture. Surely, anyone interested in selling flowers already knows how to grow them! The Ball RedBook would be a better reference for plant-specific growing advice. This book has extensive information about marketing and field yields, but I would take her advice with a grain of salt. I do not agree with some of her calculations and her other information is so far off the mark that I do not trust her opinions in this regard either.

The best info in this book is from her "case studies". The farmers she interviews give good information about their methods and mistakes, but very few specifics about the most important topic: preservation. Just as top chefs will alter recipes so that no one can duplicate their materpieces exactly, most flower growers are very tight-lipped about their secrets and will write pages and pages without giving specifics. This book is true to form. "Proper contitioning" tips go no farther than adding sugar or asprin, or buying commercial (and expensive!) potions.

My greatest complaint has to do with her guide to cut flowers at the end of the book. Some flowers that keep beautifully (after conditioning) are dismissed as having "no vase life". For example: Poppies and Cleome are dismissed as lasting a day or two, but using certain methods my Cleome lasted 2 WEEKS in the vase and won a blue ribbon at the county fair, and poppies can fetch $5 a stem and last 7-10 days if you do it right. "Flowers for Sale" by Lee Sturdivant has much better conditioning and plant selection information.

I am in the flower buisness and this book is an excellent resource of quality information. I've read many other books of this type, but this one is by far the best.

If you are just starting out, looking for a business or just love cut flowers, this book will get you off to the right start. What to plant and how much, for getting started. Highly recommended.

This book is a great resource if you want to grow flowers for a living. I have to warn you, if you love flowers as much as I do, you may have a problem cutting and selling them. Oh, well. I still do sell tomatoes.

Lynn Byczynski's book is terrific! It has all the information that you need to pursue a career as a flower farmer. It has given me the information that I was seeking to make a career change and become a farmer's market flower grower. Especially appreciated the "Source and references" section.

Well organized, pertinent info. Reads easily straight through but is also a reference to come back to. Unnecessary for casual gardeners, but a must for those interested in the business. Great book.

This book was very informative. The author goes over every aspect of becoming a flower farmer from what flowers to grow, how to figure out what to charge, where to sell, how to preserve, etc. I can't wait to start my flower farm!