As a flower farmer, you want to keep clients and customers happy the whole year, not just during the growing season. Amaryllis and paperwhites will help you do that with gorgeous blooms sure to take leading roles in your winter floral arrangements.
Let’s take a look at some of these traditional beauties you can grow indoors and have ready for the holiday season.
Amaryllis are long lasting flowers with some of the most brilliantly hued blooms ever seen. As shown in the arrangement below, the Temptation Amaryllis flower features 8″ white blooms accented with red and the Picotee Amaryllis flower is white with red outline. Amaryllis arrangements are simply stunning—and sure to promise the return of spring. Just remember amaryllis bulbs take around 6-8 weeks to bloom once planted. So, you’ll have to do some planning to know when to plant the bulbs.
And don’t forget paperwhites. Their sweet, springtime fragrance are just the ticket for helping your clients and customers ward off those wintertime blues.
Be sure to grow paperwhites in abundance. They emerge from low-maintenance bulbs, and you don’t have to wait very long to reap the rewards. They bloom around 3-5 weeks after planted. Their dainty blooms are perfect for tucking into bouquets, where they will play a supporting role to the stars of the show. Or let them take top billing in an arrangement all their own. When you offer pre-planted paperwhites in decorative containers, you’re sure to see an increase in business around the holidays.
Shown below is the Grand Soleil d’Or Narcissus Paperwhite featuring yellow blooms with an orange center. It’s perfect for growing to sell pre-planted in attractive pots, and it has great yields. Even better, it allows you to give your clients and customers something to take home that will keep on living!
So, be thinking about what you can offer your clients and customers during the winter months and keep them coming back the rest of the year. Take a look at K. van Bourgondien’s amaryllis and paperwhites selections and find the bulbs that will produce the stars of your next winter season.
Garden Blessings!
—Pamela Anthony
Beehind Thyme Farm & Garden