Flower Farming

in Delaware

We believe in the power of supporting our local communities and environment by choosing blooms that are cultivated right here in our own backyard. From vibrant wildflowers to elegant bouquets, Delaware boasts a rich diversity of flora that reflects the unique character of our region. Join us in embracing the freshness, fragrance, and charm of locally sourced flowers while supporting our local farmers and growers.

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Growing Season

Zone 7B

According to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map the majority of Delaware falls within zone
7b. This allows flower farmers and cut flower growers to determine which plants they may be able to grow as perennials and planning out their calendar to plant tender
annuals.

Frost Dates

Using resources like The Old Farmer’s Almanac, flower farmers can plan out their seed sowing and planting calendar based on average last spring frost dates and first fall frost dates. Using Dover (the capital of the first state) as the example location in Delaware,
the last spring frost date is April 9th and the first fall frost date is October 31st.

Farming Period

This means here in Delaware most tender annuals will be planted out after the dangers of the last frost in the spring in mid-April. Tender annuals can be grown through first frost dates all the way through October in the fall.

Hardiness Zone

Flower farmers can also plant hardy annuals based on their plant hardiness zone that can grow outside the last and first frost dates over winter.

Choosing Local Flowers

Buying local means that you are buying flowers that are not being transported as far, which translates as buying flowers that are more recently harvested. Why does this matter? The more fresh the cut flowers, equals more time the flowers are in your vase being enjoyed.

Typically when buying local, there is a greater variety of cut flowers being offered in mixed bouquets.

You are more in touch with the seasonal nature of cut flowers as the local cut flowers you enjoy throughout the growing season will change from spring through summer and into fall.

When you buy locally grown cut flowers you are supporting your flower farmer as a small business, which in turn benefits your local economy.

In supporting your local flower farmer, you are also able to learn about their growing practices as well as work environment. Locally grown flowers tend to be more sustainably grown in farming practices and done so with a healthier work environment.

Supporting your local flower farmers also benefits all our pollinator friends, like bees.

Buying locally grown flowers also allows you to be 100% confident of where the flowers you enjoy are coming from, right there from the grower in your area!

Grown Not Flown

While there are consumer trends in choosing local produce and food sources that have been identified with phrases such as “slow food” or “farm to table”, the same consumer consideration is taking root in floriculture as well with ideas such as “slow flowers”, “field to vase”, and “grown not flown”.

With a global market for cut flowers valued at over $30 billion and with the United States being the biggest consumer of cut flowers globally spending $1.83 billion annually.

Approximately 80% of cut flowers are being imported into to US, meaning there is a lot of room for consumers to choose local flowers.

Majority of cut flowers grown global are from countries like Columbia, Ecuador, Kenya, and Ethiopia. These longer travel times for the cut flowers to get to your table mean a higher carbon footprint. Also think about the amount of time those cut flowers have spent in transit, versus being enjoyed fresh by the consumer. Of course, this is not to mention concerns of heavy chemical applications and work environments in these industrialized flower growing operations.

First in Flowers encourages you to make your first choice in cut flowers a local choice.