A Colorful Market Table

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Cole, It actually shocks me that people buy a sunflower blooming in a pot... that lasts no longer than a cut bouquet. good for you. And yes, it is a lot of work to raise a 4.00 sunflower. I am lucky to get a dollar for the exact same cut flower.

Shocks me too, and that is the reason I am poor.

[Gerardo]

Loaded up superhots sell, especially if you tout their testosterone raising powers, or at least that's what the youngins believe when they scarf them down.
I took some to market and sold almost all. For the men, testosterone-hair on your chest.

For the ladies just have them visualize the male in their lives that likes spicy food, and how with these peppers they can make them cry. You will see a smile form and they'll buy it.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Shocks me too, and that is the reason I am poor.

You are buying all of Cole's flowers? I see why you are poor then. You silly man.

[Al@NC]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

Loaded up superhots sell, especially if you tout their testosterone raising powers, or at least that's what the youngins believe when they scarf them down.
I took some to market and sold almost all. For the men, testosterone-hair on your chest.

For the ladies just have them visualize the male in their lives that likes spicy food, and how with these peppers they can make them cry. You will see a smile form and they'll buy it.

Hahaha that's awesome!



Al

[bower]

Anything with fruit on should be an easy sell IMO!! I've always thought that micro toms would be a great product for late fall or pre-christmas markets. Who wouldn't want a little fruiting plant in the house when winter's coming on!!

[Cole_Robbie]

Another Saturday, another colorful market table. The dust on the sunflowers is diatomaceous earth. I have gotten lazier about washing it off. Telling the customer what it is makes for good conversation.

[bower]

Your blooms are pristine as always! I love the variety of petal shapes and colors on the zinnias..

[clkeiper]

very nice.

[clkeiper]

"The dwarf sunflowers in pots are my biggest summer success, and much easier to sell than cut flowers. I keep growing more and they always seem to sell. They are so much work to raise, at least the way I do, that I'm not worried about any other vendors copying me. Doing so much work to raise a $4 flower is not exactly an enticing proposition. I am most interested in automating the procedure and being able to produce on a larger scale, but that is a long term endeavor.

Cole, what variety is the sunflower again? I am searching but I can't find what you told us before... and why are they so much work? how are you growing them that you think it is such?

[Cole_Robbie]

I have tried a lot of dwarf varieties. I think I like Big Smile, Sunny Smile, and Firecracker the best. They are just a pain to keep watered in the hot weather. Right now I have holes eaten in leaves, might be some sort of worm. I am gping to get some bt spray.

[clkeiper]

Oh.. okay... just the watering then? what size pot are you using? and one per pot? I have a bunch of 1 gallon nursery pots I was thinking of doing a sunflower grow out for a customer but I wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time and energy making mistakes when I could just ask someone who has done some...
have you grown the vincent series for cut flower sales?

[Cole_Robbie]

Mine are in trade size gallons, which I think are about 85% of a true gallon. And yes, one per pot. And no experience with the vincent cut kind. I had one variety for cut sales, Autumn Beauty mix fron Eden Brothers. They have done well.

[clkeiper]

perfect. thanks for the info. I was just wondering about the vincent as they are day length neutral and downy mildew resistant. I truly did not realize sunflowers were day length determined...I think I will give them a try next year for cut flowers, their down side is one head per stem I think.

[Cole_Robbie]

Harris sells Vincent's Choice and describes it as less day length sensitive. I'm glad you mentioned sunflowers being day length dependent. I don't know how long my fall sunflowers will keep blooming. I still sold all that I took yesterday, even though they were bug-eaten and not exactly my best work. I even sold a few of the zinnias on the right. That is one of the Zahara series from Harris. Selling annuals in mid-August in zone 6 is a crazy enough idea that no one else is trying it, so I am pretty much the only one at market with blooming flowers. I think I saw some butterfly weed go by in a customer's hand, but for the most part, perennials have finished blooming by this time in the season.

[clkeiper]

:I try to take plants if I have room left in my van. I don't always manage that. Produce is far more important for me to take. That said... As a roadside stand I am still selling potted flowers. I probably sold 200.00 worth from my driveway this week...which was a shocker for me. I have never tried to keep annuals for the summer. This year I kept nursing along the pot toppers and hanging baskets, herbs and herb gardens. I just went to shop at Goodwill last night for unique pots...never know what you find there. I found one nice heavy bowl planter marked from Mexico... And a few nice baskets. Those I lined with screening and filled them all with herbs this morning. I have the plants already so I am not out anything. If I don't sell them I still have the containers for next year.

sold another hanging basket this morning...
I also ordered my dwarf sunflower seeds. we will give that a try yet this Fall. along with the vincent variety I will grow those in the high tunnel.