Floral Is Busy in the Summer Months Ahead!

May 24, 2023

We’ve just wrapped the Floral Conference Miami and it was a great opportunity to meet with members of our industry to come together. I’m looking forward to sharing our takeaways from that event. The Miami conference is one of two floral-focused IFPA events that happen each year in addition to the Global Produce & Floral Show each October (this year we’ll be back in Anaheim), but there are other events that bring together the floral community each year. For example:

On Thursday, April 27, the Fresh Produce & Floral Council held their annual FPFC Expo, Cultivating a Healthy Future. The Floral Achievement Award was announced this year and I’d like to extend my congratulations to winner, Erin Caird of Por La Mar Nursery. Congratulations, Erin, for being a true leader!

Stay tuned for the upcoming Floral Marketer of the Year award nomination process which will open soon! The winner will be shared at the Floral Reception in Anaheim in October. If you know someone who has shown true leadership and ingenuity in the industry (or you are such a person), make sure you submit your nomination!

Another great event to mark on your calendar is Colombia’s Chrysanthemum Week 2023 which will take place August 28 to September 1.   This event showcases the top Chrysanthemums and you can learn the story behind the flower and have the opportunity to discover many Chrysanthemum varieties that will appeal to our consumers. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone in the floral industry to be one step ahead and stay on top of the latest innovations.  

Speaking of staying on top of things, I came across the following quiz and wanted to share it for everyone to get a reminder on how much we know about florals!

True or False?

Q: If you smash end of the flower stem, water flowers more freely.

A: False!   This and using blunt scissors destroys water vessels in the stem making it more difficult to take up water.  It also causes bacteria to form quicker and causes the flower stress,  thus, shortening vase life.

Q: Cut flowers like bright sunlight and breezes just like they were outside.

A: False!   Draughts or breezes chill the flowers and cause bacteria as does Sunlight.  Keep cut flowers away from direct sunlight or warm or cold air movement directly on them.

Q: You must not put daffodil type flowers with other types of flowers in a vase.

A: True!  The sap (latex) within the stems of these flowers when cut will shorten the vase life of the other flowers.  If you use special bulb food you can mix them right away or place all daffodils alone in a vase for at least 12 hours before you arrange them with other flowers.

Q: If flower food is not readily available use copper pennies, aspirin, bleach or a Sprite type soft drink in the water.

A: False!  These are widely know but are not in any way helping your flowers last longer.  This will actually cause more harm than good.

One last tip to keep in mind as we move into the summer months. Part of being innovative is not just in our products but in how we manage our businesses day to day. Is your company still relying on paper checks? Check fraud is always on the rise and does impact the floral industry as well. One solution is to convert your business to electronic payments. This is safer for you and your business, easier to trace and track and will save you money in the long run!

Debbie Zoellick

IFPA Director of Floral Programs

Floral Is Busy in the Summer Months Ahead!

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