Crowd suns to get smaller stems/blooms?

16 years ago

In a study on sunflower spacing and stem size at Mississippi State U., the authors stated that florists can't use sunflowers if the stems are too large, say 1 inch or so in diameter. Does this go along with what you have folks have found? Are smaller blooms also more desirable?

After reading this, my plan is to plant using 8 inch spacing in rows 1 foot apart. This may give me a good stem size to try to peddle to my local florists on non-farmers'-market days. I would welcome, I say welcome, any thoughts on this from any of you pros out there. I have a lot to learn.

This will be my first year for marketing flowers and I'll be happy with almost any degree of success, up to and including breaking even.

ThinMan

Here's a link to the study. Sunflower Study

Comments (7)

moonblooms
16 years ago
We sell at farmers markets and also to a local retail market. We bunch them in 5's and it seems like people don't care about the stem size. They want pretty, large, full heads. They want the plain yellow-gold petals with the black-brown disc (pollen-free of course). We grow Sunbright and they are just awesome. Your spacing seems about the same as ours. I really don't know what the florists want or why they would even want sunflowers from local growers. Hopefully you'll be able to move them all at the farmer's markets.
thinman
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks very much, Moonbloom. It was very kind of you to answer my greenhorn-type question. You may be right about florists not needing my sunflowers, although I've spoken to two so far who say they would like to see some when I have them. It doesn't hurt that I know them personally.

ThinMan
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moonblooms
16 years ago
I was speaking with a friend the other day who had planned to have bunches of sunflowers at her daughter's wedding. They had a whole field planted, although too late. So, they had to let the wedding planner buy them from a florist. So, yes, sunflowers to a florist this time of year is probably a good thing if you have extras. There are people who need them and have to get them somewhere.

I just meant that buying sunflowers from a farmer's market is an experience. We see these beautiful ladies in their straw hats and their cute market bags buy bunches of sunflowers direct from the growers. And then, their look is complete.
thinman
Original Author
16 years ago
And then, their look is complete.

I can just picture them. :-)

Thanks, Moonblooms

ThinMan
bfff_tx
16 years ago
Thinman

My Houston area florists love the smaller sunflowers (Pro-cuts & Sunbrights), when grown on 5-6" apart down a row of four wide with 12" spacing. When open they are a little bigger than the palm of a hand and stem size is approx half the size of the big ones. Florists find them much easier to work with and they will buy them from you religously once they've had a taste. The big clunkers seem to be falling from grace as they have to be used in really big tall arrangements or basket type work. With the smaller heads, florists are able to use them more, hence, they'll buy more. They also notice that the suns are not as old and the petals not creased or bruised which happens to the larger ones, on handling.
Market customers on the other hand, have been conditioned to like the big ones, anything smaller, and they think it's not a s/flower. I have trouble selling smaller heads to those customers in a bunch, so I use them in mixed bouquets.
Cheers - Kim
BFFF - Tx
thinman
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you very much, Kim. That is just exactly the kind of information I was hoping to get. I have ten different varieties in the ground, including some Pro-Cuts and Sunbrights, so I'm hoping I have all the bases covered -- except for the ones I haven't thought about. :-)

I'm looking forward to the markets. It should be fun -- and a learning experience.

ThinMan
bfff_tx
16 years ago
You are very welcome ThinMan and good luck with your markets and the growing of the suns. It's been a trying season for Texas growers, so hope you guys up north are having better times than me.
Cheers - Kim
Billabong Fresh Flower Farm

Crowd suns to get smaller stems/blooms?

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Crowd suns to get smaller stems/blooms?

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