Free Range Flowers at Martin Farm

Free Range Flowers @ Martin Farm

We bought our farm in 2000 and immediately began planting a small orchard, later adding a little nursery and cutting garden. The area we use for growing for market is less than an acre so as you can imagine, it's quite small. We grow apples, plums, a variety of small fruits for jams and jellies, herbs, and cut flowers. We sell our products at the farmers' market in downtown Hopkinsville, just 10 miles away. The market is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from mid-April thru October.

As our interest in cut flowers has grown so has the variety and volume of flowers we grow. We sell flowers by the bouquet, by the stem and by the bucketful. With advance notice we can provide flowers for weddings and other special events.

In 2013 we joined the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers Growers, an excellent organization for small growers. Many of the things we have learned through our membership have improved our production and marketing practices.

Unlike the flowers you might purchase from florists or stores, our flowers are seasonal. Peonies, for example, are available only in May. Other flowers like zinnias and sunflowers have a long season and are available from June until frost. The first fall frost usually brings an end to our growing season.

At market frequently someone will ask how long a bouquet will keep. Typically our bouquets last 5-7 days. The best way to keep a bouquet fresh is to change the water every 2-3 days. Otherwise bacteria can build up and clog the vascular system of the stems. If flowers droop, try cutting their stems underwater to revive them. When preparing bouquets, we use a solution of 3Tbs sugar, 1/2 tsp bleach, and 1/4 tsp vinegar in a gallon of water. Sugar provides carbohydrate; bleach inhibits bacteria; and vinegar acidifies pH which enhances uptake. A 1:1 dilution of clear soda like 7-Up (regular, not diet) can also be used. Readymade packets of floral preservative are available at some stores.

Some kinds of flowers naturally last longer than others. Zinnias and lisianthus, for example, last longer than dahlias and bearded iris.

You may have noticed that the buds of some flowers continue to open in the vase after you get them home. Peonies are the quintessential example. They are picked and sold in bud. After purchasing peony buds, cut off the end of the stem and stand in a vase of water; the flower will open overnight. Lilies also are sold in bud because once open petals are easily dislodged by handling. However, in the vase, buds will continue to open one after another over several days, even smaller ones. Other flowers like zinnias and dahlias stop growing when picked and are harvested when fully open.

We love to talk flowers! Visit us at the Hopkinsville Downtown Farmers Market and check out our plants and flowers. We are happy to answer your questions (or at least try!). Feel free to contact us via email at freerangeflowers@yahoo.com.

We look forward to seeing you at market!

-Martha White and David Martin