FINAL REPORT
GRANT “NON HARDY BULB
AND PERENNIAL PRODUCTION IN NORTHERN CLIMATES”
RALPH THURSTON
DBA BINDWEED FARM
457 NORTH ASH
209-785-4687
As seen in the table below, the outcome of the grant project fell far short of expected revenue—barely more than one third of anticipated income was collected. However, $3010 of the expected income was from species that were not planted, due to changes in the grant—before planting but after the grant was written, fibigia was found to be an unsalable crop, sources could not be found for ismene, and tuberose (polianthes) was discovered to be unsuitable for growth in areas with cool nights. Actual revenue neared fifty percent of that expected once this was taken into account.
Unforeseen circumstances also affected revenue—although weather aberrations are perhaps to be expected. Record frost destroyed one species just as it was coming to harvest in the rollup, unheated house. The foxglove was just beginning to bloom when a 22 degree night damaged all spikes. An additional $1000-$2000 dollar revenue could have been expected had the flowers been marketable.
Another weather failure included the Kale crop, which was found to be unsuited to fall production, even in protected, but unheated hoophouse situations. It froze in late autumn.
Marketing failures included dianthus, which, while a productive species, was not highly marketable in the affluent markets sold to—in more traditional and conservative markets, hoophouse production would likely be very lucrative for this cutflower. Acidanthera was another marketing disaster, blooming no earlier under greenhouse conditions than in normal, outdoor conditions, and its delicate bloom too fragile to survive shipping. It is not a good hoophouse crop.
Also counted among the failures were ornithogalum and freesia, which did not produce a high number of stems to bulb, with many bulbs producing only foliage. Only 40 percent of the freesia bloomed, 30 percent of the ornithogalum. Freesia may require a longer period of cool temperatures; no explanation for the ornithogalum failure is available. Dutch iris also had a low bloom rate: 68 percent.
While brodiae (also known as tritelia) also had a low bloom rate, it was discovered to be a very good seller. Every stem was sold at a high profit. Convallaria (lily of the valley) also sold extremely well, though not at the price commanded by wholesalers. Most bunches were sold at eight dollars—prices of 40 and fifty dollars a bunch are not unheard of from wholesalers, but can only be achieved from special events, particularly weddings.
Ranunculus did not produce as expected, needing more weeks of cool temperatures for high numbers of stems to corm. However, it is highly marketable and under plastic and heated for a longer period of time would be a very profitable crop for northern growers.
Escholtzia (California poppy) was a prolific species, and while very salable, produced more than the local markets could bear. It is a very lucrative and easy crop with a long bloom period.
The anemone crop was disappointing, perhaps due to close
spacing. Blooms were not as attractive or as large as that brought in from
Lobelia was an excellent seller, and met expectations. Less was planted than intended, due to supplier failure, but it produced and sold well. One variety, “illumination”, proved to be less than prolific—one stem per plant—and susceptible to spider mites, but otherwise the crop was a success.
Oxypetalum (tweedia) produced only about one stem per plant. It should be planted earlier than it was in the grant project, for it needs a long period of cool weather. It sold well, and florists commented on the fine quality in comparison to that shipped in from outside sources.
Delphiniums were a failure, due to bug pressure in bud stage. Most stems were deformed and unmarketable. It would be a good hoophouse crop, however, if insects can be kept at bay.
Zantedeschia (calla lily) was both a success and a failure. The large flowering types, planted in the heated, small greenhouse, produced far less than the small flowering types planted in the unheated rollup. It is believed that the supplier of the tubers treated the small flowering types with gibberellic acid, but failed to do so for the large flowering types (gibberellic acid is a growth hormone commonly used to increase bloom numbers). Every stem was sold at a relatively high price ($1 per stem for large, 75 cents for small), giving a return that almost doubled the cost of the bulbs, making it one of the more successful species of the grant project. The tubers can be re-used in following years if dug up and stored—then treated with gibberellic acid before re-planting.
The project took far more hours of labor than expected, 850 hours—300 were expected. Mileage of 11304 was higher, too. At 32 cents per mile, the project routes cost $3617.28—slightly more than the 3500 dollars anticipated, without paying the driver. These were in-kind contributions, paid for by the grant recipient.
The tables below show the grant’s expected and actual outcomes in more detail:
CROP EXPECTED STEMS/ ACTUALSTEMS/
INCOME
INCOME
Freesia (Nov) 2000/$1200.00 200/$140
Anemones (Nov) 5000/ 1000.00 1110/$229
Ranunculus (Nov) 5000/ 1400.00 1130/$645
Tritelia (Nov) 1000/ 500.00 300/$175
Dutch iris (Nov) 1000/ 400.00 680/$270
Ornithogalum (Nov) 1000/ 700.00 310/$164
Convallaria (Feb) 500/ 750.00 407/$324
Scilla (Nov) 1000/ 700.00 did not plant
Acidanthera (Feb) 1000/ 700.00 does not ship
Lobelia (Aug. 2002) 2000/ 1200.00 990/$700
Escholtzia temptress 2000/ 1300.00 1830/$644
Zantedeschia 3000/ 3000.00 1707/$1465.25
Polianthes 1000/ 1500.00 not planted
Ismene 300/ 210.00 not planted
Oxypetalum 2400/1500.00 230/$161
Delphinium 2400/1200.00 36/$214
Note: sold in bunches
Foxglove 400/ 560.00 froze
Note: record cold froze budding crop (22 degrees)
Dianthus 5000/2200.00 272/$405
Note: sold in bunches
Fibigia 1200/ 600.00 did not plant
Ornamental Kale 800/ 800.00 crop failure
Note: bloom not cold hardy beyond 20 degrees, though plant is
Larkspur—not planted
TOTAL EXPECTED
INCOME: $15205
TOTAL ACTUAL INCOME: $
5637.25
STEMS SOLD (and
grown)
FLOWER HARVEST
DATES
STEMS or bunches
PRICE HARVESTED/ SOLD RECEIVED
RANUNCULUS APR
9-
DIANTHUS APR
24-
(ESTIMATED 60 BUNCHES LEFT UNHARVESTED WHEN ABANDONED AS UNMARKETABLE)
LILY OF THE VALLEY MAR 31-APR 12 407 STEMS/390 324
ORNITHOGALUM APR 28-MAY9 310 STEMS/310 264
DUTCH IRIS APR 23-
FREESIA MAR 26-MAY 3 204 STEMS/200 140
CANTERBURY BELLS APR 30-MAY 29 27 BUNCHES/16 101
ESCHOLTZIA APR
5-
ANEMONES MAR
10-
BRODIAE May
23
DELPHINIUM May 11-May 30 36 BUNCHES/36 216
CALLAS June
4—
LOBELIA June 30—
OXYPETALUM July
14--
ACIDANTHERA july 24—aug 13 does not ship well -----
IN KIND CONTRIBUTIONS
Hours total: 850.5
Q1:103
Q2:100
Q3:104 1/2
Q4:350
Q5:193
Route Miles total: 11304 (39 ROUTES)
Q1:--
Q2:--
Q3: 120
Q4: 6693
Q5: 4491
I would like to thank the Idaho Department of Agriculture for the opportunity to undertake this research project. It will aid my future growth as a cutflower farmer, and hopefully add to the state’s possibilities as an agricultural entity. I will be glad to share my experience with others.
Ralph Thurston
Bindweed Farm
457 North Ash
208-785-4687