Cut Flower Production
Browse a series of presentations delivering research, best practices, and practical production guidance to help cut flower growers improve crop quality, efficiency, and market success.
Optimizing Lisianthus in Utah (2022)
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Lisianthus is a heat loving, mid-summer blooming cut flower that has a significant potential for Utah cut flower farms. The rose like blooms have a long vase-life and come in a wide range of colors making them highly desir d by florists. USU trials in Logan, UT evaluated the production of ‘Roseanne’, ‘Doublini’, ‘Correli’, ‘Mariachi’, ‘Bolero’, ‘Rosita 2’, and ‘Rosita 3’ cultivars in high tunnel and field systems. Stem quality, harvest timing, and yields were recorded to establish production guidelines for Utah growers and will be shared in this presentation.
Dahlia: the (ongoing) saga to improve production in Utah (2022)
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 Dahlia is in high demand and commands premium pricing on local markets, but underperform as a crop in Utah. The USU Small Farms Lab has trialed various aspects of production since 2019. This presentation highlights early findings on nutrient management and protected cultivation topics to increase yield and extend harvest.
Cut Flower Diseases Identified in Utah in 2021 (2022)
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Cut flowers are a new and growing crop in Utah, as well as across the US, but disease challenges and management have been less documented than in other horticultural crops. The USU Plant Pathology and USU Small Farms Labs have paired up to survey diseases of cut flowers across Utah. This presentation highlights emerging findings and management recommendations. Â
The Market for Local Cut Flowers: Florist Preferences, Needs, and Hurdles (2022)
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This presentation will discuss the results of a recent survey of florists in Utah and surrounding communities. Florists’ preferences and attitudes toward purchasing locally grown flowers will be discussed as well as the hurdles they see in doing so. Additionally, florist specific needs related to flower varieties and colors will be presented.
The Value of Cut Flowers to Utah's Economy (2022)
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Cut flowers are a young but growing industry in Utah. As part of a class at USU, students working with the Utah Cut Flower Farmers Association examined the economic impacts of the cut flower industry. This presentation will go over the findings. This includes both the current estimates as well as how different assumptions affect the overall results.
Perspectives of a Local Flower Farm (2022)
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This presenter will be talking on growing the kinds of flowers that people want, maximizing profits from unsold flowers and minimizing waste, and how to provide the best customer service ever.
Session Intro and USU Trials: Improving Mountain West Anemone and Ranunculus Production (2023)
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Anemone and ranunculus can be challenging cut flowers to grow because of their narrow window of optimal flowering temperatures. The USU Small Farms Lab tested pre-sprouting, cultivars, planting dates, and combinations of winter protection for high tunnel and field production in Northern UT from 2019 to 2022. We will share how these management practices impacted cut flower harvest timing, yield, quality, and profitability and our final recommendations to optimize production.
Dried Florals: Grow, Preserve, Sell (2023)
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Dried florals have made a comeback and are an excellent season extension/off season product. Today we’ll be discussing some things to consider and the basics of adding drieds to your cut flower program.
CSI Cut Flower Farm: Disease and Insect Cases from 2022 (2023)
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Cut flowers are a new and growing crop in Utah, as well as across the US, but disease challenges and management have been less documented than in other horticultural crops. The USU Plant Pathology Lab has surveyed insects and diseases of cut flowers across Utah. This presentation highlights emerging findings and management recommendations.Â
The Utah Premier Flower Collective: What It Is and Why It Works (2023)
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I don't have enough time! Understanding this problem for both growers and florists was the catalyst for the Utah Premier Flower Collective. We will unravel what it takes to work in a collective setting and if this partnership is right for your farm.Â
Florist Market Needs and Preferences (2023)
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In the fall of 2021 and 2022 online surveys (via Qualtrics) of florists in Utah and surrounding communities were conducted by the UCFFA (with the help of USU) to better understand their needs, preferences, and hurdles to sourcing cut flowers locally. Today we will discuss the survey results highlighting florist preferences and needs for local cut flowers. Preferred flower types, colors, and market capacity will be discussed.
The Ins and Outs of Adding a High Tunnel: Grant and Build Considerations (2023)
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Working with the NRCS on cost share to building a high tunnel and incorporating function with style in your design. This presentation provides all the details of making your high tunnel dreams come true.
USU Kickoff: Welcome & New Research Highlights (2024)
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Welcome to the 6th annual cut flowers session! We'll have a short survey on farm demographics and then share snippets of the projects that began in 2023, including our: delphinium and larkspur trials, dahlia irrigation trial, warm-season annual trial (aka the wool mulch), and what is next on the horizon.
Pest Identification and Management for Cut Flowers (2024)
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This presentation will cover insects, arthropods, and other pests that are commonly found within cut flower production in Utah. We will cover identification, monitoring, and management strategies.
Business in Bloom: Agritourism on a Flower Farm (2024)
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Agritourism is a unique combination of farming and tourism. What are the benefits of this rapidly emerging Utah market? What are the risks? How do you find your niche among other farms? What types of experiences would you like to offer? Let’s discuss together!
Updates on Cut Flower Diseases and Pests in Utah (2024)
Cut flowers are a new and growing crop in Utah, as well as across the US, but disease challenges and management have been less documented than in other horticultural crops. The USU Plant Pathology Lab has surveyed insects and diseases of cut flowers across Utah. This presentation highlights emerging findings and management recommendations. Â
Intermountain Florist Preferences and Needs for Local Cut Flowers (2024)
In early 2024 and online survey (via Qualtrics) of florists in the Intermountain West was conducted to better understand their needs, preferences, and hurdles to sourcing cut flowers locally. In this presentation, we will discuss the survey results, highlighting florist preferences and needs for local cut flowers. Preferred flower types, colors, and market capacity will be discussed.
Utah Production Guide Listening Session (2024)
We received funding from Western SARE to produce a Utah Cut Flower Production Guide Book! This book will help organize, combine, and streamline fact sheets, as well as introduce new, needed material for successful farming in Utah and the Intermountain West. Input from our farmers is essential for determining key information to include and prioritize. ALL farmers are welcome - we appreciate diversity in experience levels, farm size, marketing channels, and regions (out-of-state are welcome too!). Help us make the best book we can, with topics chosen by you.
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