Our conversation this week will focus on sharing some of the challenges our California flower farmers have to face. Although the first thing that comes to mind is the drought conditions California has had over the past few years there are many others that have to be overcome. So, let’s start with the drought. Most flower farmers have learned ways to be more adaptive to the drought. Through water saving measures such as the use of drip irrigation and recycling water growers have been able to reduce their use by upwards of 20% over the past few years. This has not been enough to offset the water restrictions that are currently in place but it has helped them to keep pace.
It may seem obvious but weather is a potential challenge. California has so many micro-climates that it is truly a unique flower growing region. It is a perfect place to grow almost all varieties of cut flowers. The challenge with that is deciding what flowers will do well in each region. Farmers are constantly challenged by changes in temperatures, whether it be cold or heat waves. These fluctuations can be enough to wipe out crops or might create heavy flushes of flowers to the market. Flower farmers have always had to deal with these challenges but now there are some better tools to measure productivity and efficiency that help to mitigate some of the risks. We will discuss those in future blogs.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Eye On DVFlora