American Flowers Week

American Flowers Week

#OriginMatters American Flowers Week AmericanGrown CAGrown Debra Prinzing Domestic Flowers local flowers Mayesh Slow Flowers Wholesale

For the second year in a row, American Flowers Week is taking off! This week-long celebration of domestically grown flowers was created by Slowflowers.com's Debra Prinzing, a writer, speaker, and leading advocate for American flowers and the farmers who grow them.

 Why Dedicate a Week to American Flowers? 

American Flowers Week was organized to unite America's flower farmers with the US floral industry, while also engaging consumers in the conversation about the origin of their flowers.  This is a much-needed conversation, as 80% of flowers purchased in the US are imports, a move that has pushed 58% of US flower farms out of business since 1992.

American Flowers Week wants to change that.  After all, while 74% of consumers do not know the origins of their flowers, 58% prefer American Grown, if given the choice.

Prinzing points out that, "Consumers are more conscious than ever about the origins of the goods they purchase, especially when it comes to food — and flowers."  This is why it is important to celebrate the U.S. flower farmers who grow a diverse selection of florals year-round, as well as salute the floral designers whose values inspire them to source domestically.

  

American Flowers Week is buttressed by the support of the program, American Grown Flowers; a certification program, brand, and coalition of flower farmers--large and small--across the United States.  Through its iconic branding, advocacy, sponsorship, and wildly successful Field to Vase Dinner Tour, American Grown Flowers has been a giant in the domestic flower conversation.  

Kasey Cronquist, administrator of the Certified American Grown program and CEO/Ambassador of the California Cut Flower Commission, adds, “Origin matters, and we believe a week like this helps drive public awareness about hard-working American flower farmers that they can support all year long. Buying American Grown Flowers makes a difference.”

They aren't the only ones for the cause; one large Los Angeles-based wholesaler, Mayesh Wholesale Florist, is another American Flowers Week Sponsor this year, signaling a positive shift in the floral industry.  Their example is important, as the majority of wholesalers do not source domestically grown flowers (a move which then affects the flowers sourced by Grocers, E-Commerce, and Florists).  As one of our floral buyers, Mayesh has been a longtime supporter of U.S. Flower Farmers.  According to their CEO, Patrick Dahlson, "Mayesh is excited to promote American Flowers Week to highlight our American grown flowers and continue our support of the growing community.”

 What Can You Do To Support American Grown Flowers? 

If you are a florist, retailer, wholesaler, or floral designer this campaign is timed to coincide with America’s Independence Day on July 4th, allowing a perfect patriotic opportunity to promote American grown flowers.  See the wealth of promotional resources here: American Flowers Week Free Downloads.

 If you are a flower lover, check out the Why and How below:

We, and many other U.S. farmers, florists, and wholesalers, will be all over Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook with our American Grown blooms over the next week; follow along and add your own photos with the hashtag #americanflowersweek.  

Join the movement and Take Pride In Your Flowers! 

 

 

What Zantedeschia Want: Part 1

What Zantedeschia Want: Part 1

#americanflowersweek #americangrown #callalily #Callas #CAgrown #light #OriginMatters #zantedeschia #zants

Zantedeschia--a colorful name for a complicated flower.  These lovely, long-legged blooms are commonly referred to as "Calla Lilies," and even though they are not true members of the Liliaceae family, we let them get away with it because they're so darn pretty.

Morning Sunrise "Flaming" Zantedeschia

 
Like most pretty things, Zants can present a growing challenge.  They are quite particular about what they like and don't like.  So last year, we grew them in both greenhouses and hoop houses with the goal to see which growing conditions gave us blooms of the highest quality.   At the end of the season, we found out what Zantedeschia really want.  And what do they want? A one-two combination of diffused light and cool evenings.

  
LIGHT
Light, of course, is essential for all plant cultivation, but most importantly, it's the type of light that really matters.  And what Zantedeschia want is diffused light.  Diffused light simply means that the light is scattered, as opposed to direct.  There are several ways to achieve this, which we will discuss later.  Zantedeschia also want UV light.  You know that lower range of the light spectrum that gives you a killer tan or a wicked sunburn? Well, it also has an effect on the growth of Zantedeschia.  The kind of light as well as its intensity has a huge influence on the color saturation and clarity of the blooms as well as the length of the plant.  

Check out that rich color!

 

TEMPERATURE
Researchers say a little bit of stress is good for the body, though too much can be damaging.  The same goes for Zantedeschia. A little bit of cold stress helps them stretch to their elegant length while also infusing their blooms with intense color. If Zantedeschia are kept at a balmy temperature all day and all night, the intensity of its color will be reduced.  A cooler evening environment is essential for optimum flower production. Cool evenings are what really make the colors of our pink and orange "flaming" varieties more vivid.

Stretching for the sky

So which performed better? Greenhouse Zants or Hoop House Zants? Stay tuned for next week's Part 2 to find out how we gave Zantedeschia what they want (and in turn, give you what you want---the highest quality Zantedeschia you can find!).

Hydrangea: The Marvelous "Mophead"

Hydrangea: The Marvelous "Mophead"

#americangrown #CAGrown #hydrangeas #mophead #OriginMatters

 If you live in the cool Northwest region of the United States, chances are you have spotted one of summertime's most beloved shrubs in your town--giant orbs of blue, pink, white, and lavender stretching skyward from big, leafy branches.  Oh, Hydrangea!

Close-up of Hydrangea's florets

The genus "Hydrangea" is represented by over 11 species of varying bloom shapes, but the cultivar most often used in cut flower arrangements are the globose heads of H. macrophylla (affectionately referred to as "mopheads").  This highly decorative, bulbous form was born in the coastal areas of Honshu, Japan, developed extensively in Europe, and was introduced to the United States well over a century ago.

At first glance, the garden varieties around the northwest may appear similar to what we grow here on the farm, except for a few key differences. This is because over the last few years we have been planting more and more hybridized varieties.  Why?  Our trusty plant breeders have been working to produce  varieties of Hydrangea which possess the longest vase life, with the sturdiest stems and the most vibrant (and giant) blooms.  And now their breeding success has become our viewing pleasure!

Many Hydrangea varieties can produce pink, lavender, and deep blue blooms depending on the soil's pH.

These immense and billowy flower heads are made up of multiple florets which boast long-lasting color.  And the varying colors of Hydrangea are fascinating! Yes, different cultivars will give us clear blues, vivid pinks, pure whites, shades of frosty lavender and coral—but their color and intensity can vary depending on the acidity of the soil or water that is used.  Aluminum sulfate will reduce the soil's pH, causing a hydrangea to produce blue and lavender blooms, while a higher soil pH will give us vibrant pinks.  It is even possible for some cultivars to produce different color blooms on one plant! (Further on in the growing season, hydrangeas' coloration gets even more interesting, giving us the marbled tones of Antiqued Hydrangeas.)

Soil pH aside, the most important element to growing long-stemmed, giant blooms is temperature and light.  H. macrophylla originated in the temperate maritime climate of coastal Japan, which bodes well for us flower farmers in Coastal California.  Hydrangeas love a coastal setting, where cool breezes dissipate the heat.  Heat and too much sunlight can be a problem for these blooms, as they are sensitive to drooping from heat stress.  We grow ours in open shade-houses which allows for the circulation of cool sea breezes, while giving the plants just enough (but not too much) sunshine.  This one-two combination encourages stem length and complete coloring of the florets.  In winter, we keep the dormant plants uncovered, where the abundant Humboldt rainfall nourishes the shrubs for production the following spring.

Young hydrangeas stretching skyward in our shade-house.

Thanks to our forward-thinking growers here and our ground-breaking breeders across the pond, Sun Valley is on the forefront of America's Cut Flower Hydrangea Market.  Our new hybridized varieties look stunning in wedding bouquets, in large, upscale arrangements, as single stems, or even gathered together in a rustic display of color, as in the photo below.  They're fun and versatile blooms, giving you the creative freedom to build what you like.  Take ours, and make them yours!

Irresistible Field Iris

Irresistible Field Iris

#americangrown #CAGrown #flowers4mom #OriginMatters flower farming Iris Mother's Day

I've been taking farm walks again.  In the morning I'll traverse the hoop houses, the greenhouses, and the cool, breezy fields. I've noticed we've begun planting our Summer Iris in the fields, and the spring crops that were planted weeks ago are revealing peaks of their blue and purple heads, swaying gently in the north coast breeze.  Now I see what the Chinese meant when they referred to Iris as the dancing spirit of early summer.

 
The long, sturdy stems of the Iris and its complex, mosaic blooms give it an air of tranquility and mystery.  One look at a vase of Iris and I am immediately transported to a quiet, sunny field caressed by a light breeze.

Lucky for me, a quiet, sunny field caressed by a light breeze is just a short bike ride away.  If you were to take that same ride, you would meet with one of our Iris Picking Team Members, who could tell you a bit about how the Summer Iris is grown and harvested here at Sun Valley.


The Cultivation of Iris

Unlike other flowering bulbs--which are stored cold--our iris bulbs are stored in heated rooms.  The heat keeps the bulbs dormant, and when we're ready to plant, we break their warm slumber with ethylene gas.  This is just another way we flower farmers mimic nature.  Ethylene is already present in all plants as a hormone and acts to stimulate the ripening of your banana, the opening of flowers, or, in our case, the waking of our sleeping bulbs.  But that's just the first step in planting.  Second, we must cool down the newly awakened bulbs, which encourages root development. 

As you can see, temperature is key when storing and planting iris bulbs.  Once awake and cooled, we plant our prepared iris bulbs in fresh, fertile soil in either hoop houses (fall and winter) or in open fields (spring and summertime).  Our cool and foggy Arcata summers create the ideal environment for cultivating field iris.  They are able to get sufficient sun during the day without the oppressive heat that can cause plants to go dormant.   From bulb to bucket, it takes 2-3 months before our irises are ready to be harvested and brought to you.

Once it is time to harvest, the hard work has just begun.  Our Iris Crew knows to pick these flowers when the heads become become "las llenas" ("full").  When the heads are full, it means darker color shows throughthe leaves fully from the base of the bloom to the tip of the flower.  The tip of the flower should still be sheathed by green, but containing color on the inside.  This is considered the window pane, when the iris is still closed, but ready to burst into color in a few days.  It takes an experienced eye to notice this change, and those who pick Iris employ some special methods of the trade to ascertain and and guarantee that our iris are picked at the optimum moment.  They must take great care to not wait until they are too full, or pick too early when the buds are green--which means we often pick two times a day.  Timing is incredibly important, because at this stage of growth, iris moves fast, but luckily for us, our dedicated Iris team moves faster.  Check out the beautiful and colorful "las llenas" below:

After the Irises are picked, graded, and bunched, they are hydrated overnight with a special blend of nutrients before moving on to their next destination: you!

Mother's Day Iris
As Mother Day approaches, consider giving your mother a bountiful arrangement of irises.   After all, irises are singular in color, graceful in shape, and oh-so-versatile in scope--a charming, natural embodiment of a loving mother.  Whether standing alone (as the Blue Moon Bouquet below) or in combination with our other complementary and contrasting blooms--iris is sure to make a lasting impression. Check out the iris combination bouquets we're offering just for Mother's Day. 

Blue Moon Bouquet

Mother Sensation Combo

Mother's Delight Combo

World's Best Mom Combo

Bloom on! 

 

What Happens When Spring gets Super Fancy

What Happens When Spring gets Super Fancy

#americangrown #CAGrown #DLT #icecreamtulips #OriginMatters #superfancy Double Touch Pop-up tulips Queensland spring Sun Valley Tulips

It's that time of year again! Springtime has arrived and is getting all dressed up in its seasonal best. Trees, shrubs, and plants are showing off their colors everywhere, and even our tulips are getting Super Fancy.  

You may remember the celebrated variety of Ice Cream Tulips which made their Sun Valley debut around this time last year.  We sold out almost immediately. Though we are producing more bunches this season (and adding more varieties, to boot), their ever-increasing popularity is making these sweet visual treats disappear as quickly as you can murmur, "Wow."


Ice Cream Tulips are a very special Super Fancy variety, which growers and breeders know as DLTs, or double late tulips.  The "double" refers to the layers of white petals inside which slowly extend above outer pink petals, and eventually completely open to show off its full splendor.  Because of the sheer volume of petals, DLTs are also referred to as "peony tulips."




Some of the other Super Fancy varieties we have added this year are the breathtaking multi-fringed Double Touch and Queensland.  Check out those ruffled layers!

Triple-fringed Queensland

Multi-layered Double Touch

We grow all our Super Fancy Tulips in our Arcata Hoop Houses, which is necessary for two reasons: 1) The hoop houses provide plenty of natural light, which is needed to achieve those rich outer colors, and 2) The open sides allow the fresh morning air and cool evening breeze of the North Coast to circulate freely, which is necessary for proper growth of these babies.  We begin with low light in order to get these normally genetically short varieties to stretch to the desired 14-16 inch stem length.  Why are genetically short? Because most of the plant's energy goes into making those inside petals POP.

Due to the popularity of Super Fancies and how quickly they flew off our farm last year, we are pleased to announce that we will be offering more varieties like Ice Cream and Queensland--check out Pop-up Purple, Pop-up Yellow, Vaya con Dios, and Basita below.  If you happen to get a taste of  one of these bunches this year, consider yourself lucky; however, don't fret if you missed the boat--we'll be bringing these visual treats back next year.   

Pop-up Purple and Pop-up Yellow

  

Vaya con Dios and Basita

I'm proud to say that Sun Valley is on the forefront of production for these Super Fancy, Multi-Layered, Mind-Blowing Tulips.  Ice Cream, Queensland, and Double Touch will be in production until the end of May, and our hope is to continue to increase this program so that more and more of you can have these remarkable American grown tulips in your lives, so get 'em while they're hot outta the hoop house !  And remember--because these Super Fancy  tulips have really only come to market in the last few years, we are all part of forming their current story, but their future narrative is up to you.

Queensland growing in the Hoop House