The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, 2nd Edition

by Lynn Byczynski, Robin Wimbiscus (Illustrator)

From taking cuttings to winning new customers, this is  the guide to growing beautiful organic flowers for enjoyment or profit Over 75,000 copies sold! The first edition of  The Flower An Organic Grower’s Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers helped thousands of small growers start successful cut-flower businesses. This expanded and thoroughly revised second edition has become equally influential for backyard novices and experienced growers alike. New sections in this edition Also updated is the acclaimed resource directory, complete with sources of seeds, plants and supplies, and expert information on organic production under the National Organic Program. For the beginner and backyard gardener, there is an extensive section on the basics, including : For the commercial grower, The Flower Farmer, 2nd Edition  includes information This updated edition also includes revised profiles of successful growers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into the operation of some of the most cutting-edge flower farmers in the country. Because of the extensive revisions and enhanced content, The Flower Farmer, 2nd Edition  is essential reading for those already in the flower business, as well as those who dream of growing flowers for enjoyment or profit.  

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Business, Reference, Agriculture, Plants

284 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1997

Reviews

[Rhode PVD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!!! I bought this book because I was considering flower farming as a business as my city is rife with farmer's markets and other good local outlets to sell bouquets in. It was helpful in all the ways you'd want a niche business book to be. Written in a friendly manner with loads of illustrations, it included:
- case studies, told story-style, of real life, local, organic flower farmers across the US.
- basics about how to run a flower farm, including soil, space requirements, seasonal workload, financial and pricing tips, and gardening tactics specific to cut flower production
- lists of good plants for local flower farmers (which differ somewhat from plants that produce flowers for distance shipping), including when to cut the flowers.

This last bit is also useful for the home gardener who doesn't intend to go into business. I own a lot of gardening books, and while some indicate which plants are suitable for cut flowers, none that I know of give specific cutting tips and tactics.

As a result of reviewing this book, I've decided against going into this business myself. Its fun to dream about, but too much for my life right now. However, I'm thrilled to be making more serious plans to add better cutting plants to my garden this spring.

Cut flowers at the florist are often terrible for the environment. They are usually grown far away using non organic methods and then flown to your region. (Planes have awful carbon footprints.) Then they only last a week in the vase and must be replaced again.

Cut flowers from a local producer or from your own yard or community garden sustain you in multiple ways without hurting the earth. This book is worth a look through if you love flowers and have at least one sunny bed you could dedicate to them.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this this evening and I WANT TO DO THIS! One day. Sometime. It's all my big sister's fault (that's you, R). The author makes it sound so feasible, yet entirely (am I sweating?) real. I could grow flowers. People would buy them here. I feel sure of it. And I already have loads of books on flower arranging. Boy, wouldn't it be fun to have acres of zinnias? For now (if I can ever get up enough courage to sink spade into this soil) a patch of cosmos will be enough. :)

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended during a flower growing workshop at the Young Farmers Conference at Stone Barns Center in 2013. It is a thorough guide to developing one's flower operation. It's a remarkable reference book that is comprehensive and includes photos. I could certainly gather more from rereading it cover to cover. The back of the book lists the best flowers for cutting and tips for propagation and post-harvest handling.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book!! it has everything you need to know about growing flowers, selling them to florist and anything you need to know to get started with your business and
it's really inspiration.

[Nick Woodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-organized book, with lots of ideas. Chock full of advice with real stories and how to do it!

[Sarah Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't let the datedness of this book sway you away from it. Practical, useful tips for not just for flower growing but the business of flower farming as well.

[Felicity Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent primer on all things flower farming: what to grow, how to grow it, abs how to sell it.

I like that she gives the fundamentals, then suggests deeper reading to learn more. The book moves along without getting bogged down in a deep dive on a particular aspect.

I also liked the case studies and wish there were more of them. I also found myself wondering how much the trends in cut flowers and the industry as a whole have changed since the book was published in 2008.

[Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me several hours of plant and flower reverie. This is useful for cut flower gardeners, as well as farmers. The second half is on growing commercially. I may want this information some day, but I don’t need it now. However, it was still interesting to see that side of flowers. I would like to get a look at the newer edition. I’m sure it would be extremely useful.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to be a flower farmer. The flower farmer is a great gateway book into flower farming. I appreciated the easy to digest but detailed information and the tips interspersed throughout text. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in starting a flower farm.

[Karen Mahtin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should have started with this book instead of reading all those other ones first!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent resource but really needs to be updated. Suggests carbon copying your invoices and faxing things.

[Katina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much great info for anyone who wants to learn more about growing and selling cut flowers. Highly recommend!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with many resources for even the hobby gardener. I’m not a commercial flower farmer, but I love growing flowers and find the information in the book very useful.

[Jennifer King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loads of great info to get the farm started.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much crucial and good information! It took me awhile to read this book, but I soaked up a lot of it. Definitely highly recommend to anyone interested in flower farming.

[Alysa Meinke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible resource filled to the brim with digestible information I’ll revisit time and time again.

[Hannah Grimm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one I turn to annually!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. I am not going into business selling cut flowers any time soon, but if I were this book has everything I would need.

[Juliane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thorough book about all things flower farming. This is not a gardening book although some of the information about Flowers might be useful. It is definitely a book meant for beginner or experience growers looking to learn more about entering the floral market.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nuts and bolts or stamens and pistols (hehe!) of knowing how to grow and market flowers...

[Teresa Sabankaya]

I had to get this edition because I'm so sentimental about the 1st edition!

[Jess Macallan]

4.5 stars