Guest post from uBloom's JMH Schwanke!

Guest post from uBloom's JMH Schwanke!

CA Grown farmer's market Floral industry Flower farm Flower quality flowers for delivery Flowers in the media IFE 2011 Iris J Schwanke Lilies Soil Grown Tulips Sun Valley Tulips uBloom

J Schwanke visits our Sun Valley Arcata farm!

In light of our Arcata uBloom video release (coming today!), I asked my friend JMH Schwanke to do a guest post on our blog to tell us about his trip out here and whatever else his heart desired! Here is what he had to say:

My Friend Lily SunValley and I were chatting the other day... and Lily asked if I would like to be a guest blogger for Sun Valley! It was perfect timing... as our uBloom Team was readying themselves for the Sun Valley Arcata Premiere on the CA Grown Experience!

This was the JTV Crew's Second Visit to a Sun Valley Location... (we visited Sun Valley Oxnard Last September to see where Lily was born and also the Matsumoto flower fields and the Largest Cooler I have ever seen in my Life! Check it out on the CA Grown Experience visits Sun Valley Oxnard on uBloom.com)...and let me tell you... Oxnard and Arcata are Two Different Worlds!

This April we kicked off our Second Visit to the CA Flower Farmers with a Stop in Arcata CA at The Sun Valley Group! I can only begin to tell you how fascinating this trip was... and what an honor to be on a guided tour with Lane DeVries... CA Flower Farmer and owner of Sun Valley!

As a Flower Designer... I've always enjoyed creating with Sun Valley Flowers... they are simply... The Finest Quality Flowers and they NEVER Ever Disappoint... the Colors, the Varieties, the Long Lasting Performance... the List goes on and on!

But this was a different take for me... Our Visit focused on the Growing Process! The steps that Sun Valley takes to make typical seasonal flowers available everyday... Tulips 24/7!

It's pretty remarkable when you get to walk with a farmer through his fields as he shares his unique perspective and passion.... one on one! I liken it to "Singing with Tony Bennett" , "Dancing with Ginger Rogers" or "Painting with Monet"... you're side by side with the "expert"... those opportunities don't come around too often... and I was enthralled!

J and Lane talking flowers

I'll Admit it... I'm a HUGE Lane DeVries Fan! (A "groupie" if you will...) Lane amazes me... his Passion for Flowers is infectious... his Dedication...Limitless, and he's Compelling! I listened to every word... every second... knowing full well that his goal.. (and the goal of Sun Valley) is "Never be satisfied"! The message is clear... For Lane... it's all about the FLOWERS!

This "municipality"... Yes Sun Valley Group is just like it's own flower village... Street Signs, Transportation (in the Dutch tradition... bikes stand by to get quickly from one spot to another)... and topography...( The "Mountain" of Compost Rich Soil...)...the locations... 70+ Coolers (and heaters... Did you know that IRIS Bulbs are held dormant HEAT rather than cold temperatures? Surpise!)... The "residents" are Harvesting, Processing and Packaging... is like a finely tuned orchestra... each team member delivering their specific talent in unison to create the Sun Valley Flower "Symphony"! This is one well-oiled machine!

Crossroads at Sun Valley Arcata farm

It starts with Tons of Dirt (that Very Special "Humboldt Gold")... Millions of bulbs... Cooler after cooler... dedicated to scientifically delivering Soil Grown Tulips year round... for Flower Lovers Everywhere! It's staggers the Mind... and electrifies the senses! Degree by degree... breath by breath... drop by drop...Sun Valley coaxes and cares for each and every flower... from Bulb to Bloom!

Tulip bulbs ready for planting

Tulips just sprouting up

Parrot Tulips ready to go to their new home

It's an adventure... the Sun Valley Adventure... working with Nature to provide (year round) those fleeting Spring Flowers... Tulips, Hyacinth Iris... Ohhh BTW... The IRIS... Recently I attended the International Floral Expo in Miami and Sun Valley was there with Carts of IRIS... (and Loads of LILIES)... sharing their Passion for Flowers in True Sun Valley Style! Remember I told you... It's ALL about the Flowers!!

Carts full of Telstar Iris

Sumatra Lilies at IFE - Wow!

And that being said... it's Easy to see... Sun Valley is still a Flower Farm... Man working with Nature... side by side... with respect and admiration! Bulbs are planted... roots are established... leaves appear and flowers bloom... day in day out... Planting, Growing, and Harvesting... the process is never ending... and Thank Goodness because the Flower Keep Coming... thanks to our Local Flower Farmers!

Rows of Tulips in one of the Greenhouses

Lane among the tulips

The opportunity I've been afforded creating the CA Grown Experience has been Life Changing... I realize I look at Flower Differently NOW... (and I'm a 4th Generation Florist... Designer, Store Owner, TV Host, Flower Expert... ) but it took this experience of Traveling from CA Flower Farm to CA Flower Farm... meeting the Farmers to realize that it's not merely a bucket of Tulips...NOW It's a Bucket of Lane's Tulips... (or a Bucket of Chad's Roses... or Mel's Protea)... because it's Personal! I Know First Hand "Where my Flowers come from!"... and that is very VERY Special!

We look to Our Flowers for their Beauty, their fragrance... and even their Healing properties... because of the CA Grown Experience... Now I look a little further... to the Flower Farmer... who had the vision to plant the Flowers I love so very much!

Thanks Lane... for being my Flower Farmer... and my Friend! I love Flowers... I love Tulips and I Love Sun Valley! Thanks for the Memories!!!

J, Lane & the uBloom Crew

Take Care Lily!!! Thanks for asking me Guest Blog... and Did I mention you look particularly AWESOME in that Color??! and That you Smell especially Wonderful Today?

XXOO!

J

Everything Flowers at http://www.ubloom.com/!


Gosh J, thanks for the flattering words! More importantly, thanks for your support of our farms and the floral industry as a whole. So excited for the Sun Valley Arcata video and videos to come!

Lily's Boots: The Path to Iris Enlightenment

Lily's Boots: The Path to Iris Enlightenment

CA Grown Flower Meaning Flower quality Iris flower Patriotic flowers Sun Valley What is Iris

I really enjoyed learning and writing about Hydrangea the other day (read the post here), so I decided to continue down this path of knowledge acquisition, and Iris seemed like the perfect flower to study up on next.

Perhaps this is because Iris puts the blue (and white!) in "red, white and blue" and the Fourth of July is coming up quick. The more likely culprit is seeing it popping up around the farm a lot more lately. Getting a constant eyeful of Telstar and friends has brought the fact that I don't know much about Iris to the forefront of my consciousness. And as we all know by now, when I don't know something about flowers, I seek out some answers!

Here are the facts that have opened my eyes and broadened my Iris horizons:

What is Iris?
I'm starting simple here, and simply put: Iris is a bulb flower (at least the type we grow) with tall, straight stems and fancy flowers. I have to admit I knew that one already, but now that we're all on the same page...

The Meaning of Iris
Thanks to Google, I now know that Iris, derived from the Greek word for rainbow, symbolizes faith, wisdom, hope and valor. To the Chinese, it is the dancing spirit of early summer. It is also the flower behind the fleur-de-lis, one of the most well-recognized symbols in the world.

Oddly enough, when I read these meanings, each one of them rang true (except for maybe rainbow, but that's just me). Something about the Iris, perhaps it's long and sturdy stem or its strange, delicate-seeming blooms, seems regal and wise. The only thing I would add to the list is tranquility. One look at a bunch of Iris and I'm immediately transported to a quiet, sunny field caressed by a light breeze. This may seem cheesy, but you'd probably envision the same image, too, if you had that very scene just a short bike ride away from your office door!



"Sunny" Iris field (Ironically, it was cloudy the day I took this pic!)

The Cultivation of Iris  If you were to take that short bike 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 at Sun Valley, which is precisely what I did this week. Here is a brief breakdown of what I learned:    

las llenas


Our Iris bulbs come predominantly from our partners in Holland, and until they're ready to be planted, they stay dormant in heated rooms (about 87 degrees Fahrenheit). Summer Iris bulbs are planted in lines of fresh soil in open fields during the springtime, usually in March, or as soon and as often as the rain allows. (Just a side note, these cool, foggy Arcata summers are ideal for growing Iris in the field.) The Irises grow for around two and a half to three months before they are ready to be harvested. The Iris crew knows to pick them when they become "las llenas" (loosely translated as "the full"), or when they are showing darker color through the leaves fully from the base of the bloom to the tip of the flower. It takes an experienced eye to notice this change, as it can be hard to detect on a cloudy day or when facing the sun. Luckily we've got an experienced Iris Picking Team always up for that challenge! After the Irises are graded, they are hydrated overnight in our warehouse coolers before moving on to their next destination: the customer!  

Experienced Iris Picking Team

 The Care of Iris

Almost as important as the proper production of Iris is proper care once it's in the vase (or bucket). As with most flowers, you should cut about an inch off the end of the stem and remove any leaves below the water line, then immediately place the flower into a somewhat warm water-preservative solution. (By the way, the type of water you're using can be a deal-breaker. Some tap water has too much chlorine or minerals that can negatively impact the vase life of your Iris. Water softeners can also be your Iris's enemy. For more fragile varieties of Iris, often times those with colors other than blue, you may want to use bottled water.) Now display the flowers in a cool spot sans direct sunlight and drafts. Check on the water level once in awhile and enjoy! 



The Iris's Iris

I can't close this post without mentioning the Telstar, which would don a cape and call itself "Wonder Iris" if it could walk and talk. It makes up a large percentage of our Iris growing program and for good reason: It is the only cut blue Iris to open fully every time, and it has the strongest stems and the longest vase life out of any other Iris. It's basically the cut Iris that all others aspire to be!



Buckets full of Telstar, the "Wonder Iris"



Now that I've shared this information with you, I hope that you are experiencing the same feelings of Iris enlightenment that I recently did. Whether it makes you think of the American flag, a sunny field or even a rainbow, this is a sublime and interesting flower, perfect for topping your tables this summer!

 

To learn more about Iris, please visit our Flower Resource page: http://www.thesunvalleygroup.com/thesunvalleygroup/pdf/SV_RP_Iris.pdf



How to tell a flower from a lemon

How to tell a flower from a lemon

CA Grown Flower quality flowers for delivery Iris Lilies Send flowers tFlowers and science Tulips Vase life

My Friday post about Lemonade Day (click here) gave me inspiration to answer one of the questions I had before starting here at Sun Valley:

How can you tell a flower from a lemon? (In other words, what makes a flower a quality flower?)

Now, I'm not talking about flower variety or arrangement style. I'm talking about how can you tell you're getting a flower, any flower, that's going to give you the optimal bang for your buck.

Here are some things to look for when trying to judge the quality of your flowers:

1. Size Matters
When looking at two flowers of the exact same variety, you can generally assume that the one with larger blooms and longer, thicker stems is of better quality. It most likely received the right mix of nutrients, water, sunlight and TLC to make it grow to its maximum potential. Just don't try to compare different flower varieties. This is unfair to the littler guys.


An orchid with Botrytis


2. What's that brown spot?
If you ever find yourself asking this question about a particular flower, run in the other direction! Unless, of course, the color is a characteristic of the flower. (Ask your florist on this one.) Brown spots could mean the flower has a mold, pests, mechanical damage, or a disease, such as botrytis.

3. How long it lasts
"Vase life" is something I didn't even know there was a term for a few months ago, and now it's something I hear about practically every day. Vase life simply means how long the flower lives after being cut. Each type of flower has a basic ballpark figure for longevity in the vase. (Click here for the vase life of Sun Valley's flowers.) If your flower lasts on the longer side of its expected vase life, it's good quality! Remember: you'll get to enjoy your flowers longer if you bring them home when they are still slightly closed. A wide-open flower is already more than halfway through its life cycle.

Personal side note on vase life: We all know cut flowers don't last as long as, say a puppy or other gifts, but sometimes when we know that we only have something for a short time, we appreciate it all the more while we have it.


Dyed blue roses can be a popular choice



4. Flower color isn't black and white

The flower color issue can actually be a tricky one. Overall, if the color of the flower appeals to you, then great! That's all that really matters. But some flowers out there are dyed to become a certain color, and well, if this doesn't matter to you, then it doesn't matter. But generally, a flower that reveals its true colors without the assistance of artificial dyes is probably your best bet if it's perfection you're seeking. Buyer be aware: several species of flowers, such as tulips, roses and gerberas, do not naturally grow in blue.

This lemon test can be applied to basically all flowers, but each individual species of flower has its own quality standards and potential sour spots. If ever you are unsure about what you're about to put in the vase, don't hesitate to ask your go-to floral expert, such as the local florist or your Mom. Aside from quality, the most important thing to remember when choosing a flower is to pick one that appeals the most to you, whether it's for sentimental reasons or for pure aesthetic attraction.


If Mom doesn't have all the floral answers, The Flower Expert Feed gives great information on a large variety of flowers. Here's the link: http://www.theflowerexpert.com/

And if you want to keep up with me and my boots, subscribe to this blog by entering your email address on the right-hand side, and follow the steps from there!

Floral Knowledge= Lifetime of Enjoyment

Floral Knowledge= Lifetime of Enjoyment

#american grown #CAGrown Floral industry floral knowledge Flower quality

Did you know that you should leave the bulb on the stem of a Hyacinth when you put it in a vase?  The basal plate at the bottom of the bulb continues to absorb water and nutrients and can prolong the beautiful blooms even longer.
Did you also know that Hyacinth has a powerful, sweet fragrance that's reminiscent of gardenia or plumeria?

Well, I didn't either!

But I do now.  This little tidbit of floral education is just one of the many perks that happened when I joined the team at Sun Valley. I came into this business bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, with an average appreciation for flowers and a black thumb to boot. But all the flower knowledge I've gained has converted me into an avid lover of flowers and even inspired me to grow my own garden.

Through my personal transformation into a floral butterfly, I see an opportunity for the rest of the floral industry:

Gift a person flowers, they have a flowers for a week.  Teach them about flowers, and they enjoy them for a lifetime.

Like the old fishing adage, we can appeal to those who aren't already in love with flowers by educating them. Reach them by teaching them!

I'm walking (and talking) proof that an otherwise non-committal window shopper can be converted into a regular floral consumer just by learning a bit more about those pretty little mood enhancers. My romance with flowers is directly correlated to my increasing knowledge about them. And the more I know, the more I want to learn. The more I learn, the more I love flowers! This principle can be applied to all potential floral consumers. The tricky part is understanding what exactly they need or want to know to make the same transition.

People don't want to be left in the dark.  They want to know where their flowers come from, how they're grown and where they end up.  This is one of the reasons why the #Americangrown and #CAgrown movement, along with the Field-to-Vase aesthetic, is so strong.

In addition to farming and growing practices, there is A LOT to know about flowers.  Six months ago I certainly couldn't have told you what each flower symbolizes, their history, their country of origin, or which ones were appropriate for certain occasions. On top of that, there are the more practical educational bits, such as: what prolongs vase life, which ones smell the strongest, and what the heck is Lisianthus, anyways?

THIS is a lisianthus!

That's why it is important to reach out and offer information, photos, and educational tidbits about the flowers that we already love so much. These educational bites can be as simple as flower care tips or as complicated as a breakdown of the year-round tulip growing process. The point is to give people a sense of floral competency through the acquisition of knowledge.
 

Let's go one step further than telling people that flowers are great. Let's teach them about flowers, so they can bloom into flower enthusiasts as well!

If you have any questions about flowers, please let me know in the Comments!