Software used for cut flower business

18 years ago

Hi, y'all.. New voice here. I have been out here reading all your incredibly great stuff. I love being a flower grower, I have to say. I think we are amongst the most peaceful beings. Anywho, I wanted to know if there is anyone out there who has used any particular software to keep track of their cut flower business. Ease of set up is essential for me as being in front of the computer is not my fave, unless it is to read the forum of course! Thanks and I am looking forward to really talking to you guys about the important stuff.

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Comments (5)

flowerfarmer
18 years ago
Welcome to the Cutting Garden forum. As far as sales records, we use the Quick Books Pro software program. For other record data such as sowing, transplanting, planting, bloom dates, harvest dates, etc, we transfer information from our notebooks into an Excel spreadsheet. I have to tell you, however, that we keep our notebooks full of information. I love being able to use my bright color Sharpie pens. And, I really like making notes on the print-outs with colored pen. Last season, the pen color of choice was apparently purple.

Last November Growing for Market had an article written about a good record keeping system. You can also purchase a record keeping software program from another grower for a nominal fee. I have linked the website below.

Trish

Here is a link that might be useful: Crop Planning Spreadsheet Information
misskitty_blooming
Original Author
18 years ago
Trish, thanks for the information. My husband said he thought Excel was going to be the way to go. Do you track your cuts down to the number harvested by plant or do you estimate for square footage returns? Thanks again. Kat
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I have quite a bit of experience with this, as I do many of the flower arrangements for our church including all weddings and funerals. Unfortunately, garden cut flowers have not been chemically treated like store purchased cut flowers and simply just don't stand up to being cut for many days for the most part. They would be much, much better arranged late the evening before or the day of the wedding. Chrysanthemums are often very inexpensive and hold up for days in bloom - if I need filler I often choose those to add to my flowers. Thyme2dig is right, greenery can really fill out arrangements, especially variegated greenery. And if you live in an area that has vacant lots or wild areas, consider culling from them. I recently supplied flowers for a wedding and used purple top grass. It is gorgeous in bloom, and we also have queen anns lace to go with it. Some ferns and a variegated evergreen pittosporum and the table decorations were lovely.
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Florist "wire services" FTD & Teleflora have not changed in that the local florist makes up and delivers the arrangement. Nothing is sent through the mail other than a check or a bill from the wire service depending on whether you sent or received more orders that month. FTD and Teleflora both offer their member florists websites with shopping carts for their customers. You can also do a lot of record keeping online and you most often don't call the other florist anymore you send the order online or using their Mercury or Dove network. Both provide advertising etc. What has changed and is new is services that offer grower direct cut flowers to the public. Hallmark tested this sort of service several years ago. I have no idea if it is still available. I no longer am a florist next to a Hallmark store. I am not an online consumer of flowers, my experience is over twenty years as a retailer of flowers so I'm sure there are other services out there. The Hallmark flower service allowed people to buy boxes of cut flowers in grower bunches sometimes with a vase tossed in and have them sent to a gift recipient. The selection was small and the flowers are not processed when they arrive. They are in grower bunches which is totally different than consumer bunches. All thorns, leaves, outer "guard" petals, weeds, brown petals, bruised petals etc. are still on the flowers. The labor to process flowers from grower bunches to consumer bunches or bouquets or floral design is saved, which makes the flowers cheaper. However, many people don't like the way "raw" flowers look and don't understand what to do with them, decreasing vase life and satisfaction. BTW, Columbia and Eucuador grow huge amounts of cut flowers. Most cut flowers you see in supermarkets or other high volumn bucket shops are South American grower direct which is generally much lower priced than US grown or Holland grown. Most carnations, chrysanthemums and roses sold today in the USA are grown in South America, the wholesale flower markets import them and then the florists by from them if they don't do enough volumn to import directly. 1800Flowers.com is a huge player in the sending flowers business. FTD and Teleflora have either out competed or bought the other wire services, AFS, FloraFax and Redbook were purchased by Teleflora.
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Thanks for asking! I really want to run this past someone, but I think it will work well. Summerfield posted a few new ideas for my plan, after I showed you the other version. At first, I wasn't sure about the master bedroom in the front. Then, Summerfield posted another version, with the big living room in the back. Between the two, I thought...if the living room and bedroom would work in those spaces...we could have the kitchen/keeping room, on the other side of the house. I've always thought this was the best place for the kitchen/keeping room. It has the best views, the perfect big fireplace (really better than having this in the living room) the size is great...now the baking area can actually be IN the kitchen! And we have a lovely lilac hedge (15' high) on the other side of the proposed porch. So, with Summerfield's help, we came up with this new plan. I really like it, but like all things, it comes with compromises. The mudroom, laundry and utility areas either had to go where I want the porch...or on the other side of the house. Not only did we REALLY want the porch, but the parking will be on the left side of the house. It's about 25' between the kitchen and utility room. There is a small pantry by the fridge, but most long term food storage, paper products and pet supplies will be in the other area. However, we're used to a bit of a trek, so I think it will be fine...and at least we don't have to go to the basement! The claw foot tub will (hopefully) have climbing roses around the bay window, as well as the window seat in the master bedroom. This is the corner (south side) where we plan to have the garden, so it will be much easier to have roses, lavender and other flowers...off the bedroom than my husband's 'rustic' living room. And, the views out the living room will be of the pine trees on the back hill and the horses in their pasture. So...all things considered, what do you think?
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flowerfarmer
18 years ago
Miss Kitty,
We tend to look at the big picture. We're not stem counters; however, we do look at per square foot returns on both hightunnel and field production. My opinion is that one has to look at the big picture. There are always some flowers that on their own may not be worth growing. They do, however, at times help sell some of the other flowers. The Quick Books Pro program is a valuable sales record tool. Excel is also very helpful in planning. Both equally important in this flower farming business.

Trish
flowers4u
18 years ago
Miss Kitty,
I use Excel...however at some point will be pursuing Quickbooks too, just am not that big yet! I use Excel for my plant orders (sometimes can copy from prior years!), invoices, recordkeeping, and for a flower availability list - I used a format similar to the one that Bob Wollam a grower in PA has on his website. I also use it for a farm map...listing the beds by area and what's planted in them...primarily for my helpers who don't know the plants as well as I do! That way I can say go to the upper east section, row 3 and weed it! I had intended to pursue the crop program Trish mentioned and had forgotten about it. Let us know if you order it and what you think! And, welcome!

Wendy
misskitty_blooming
Original Author
18 years ago
Wendy, thanks for your input too. I have started with Excel and I am going to have to go to Quickbooks as well. I really have to start this thing right or I'll be in huge trouble come tax time. Thanks again.

Software used for cut flower business

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Software used for cut flower business

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flowerfarmer

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flowerfarmer

flowers4u

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