BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Think of Kentucky agriculture and you’d be right in saying corn, soybeans, hay, wheat and tobacco are the top crops in the state. Few people, however, put Kentucky and cut flowers in the same sentence, but perhaps they should. After all, Kentucky is home to roughly 125 commercial cut-flower operations. Horticulture experts say there’s room for plenty more.

“The number of farmer-florists continues to increase each year, with a 20 percent increase just in the past year,” said Cindy Finneseth, Kentucky Horticulture Council (KHC) executive director. “Selling through local retail and wholesale markets can be profitable for small-to-large-scale growers. We continue to see demand for locally grown products in both urban and rural areas, and our flower farms are growing high-quality, diverse products to meet that demand.”

To highlight the importance and need for fresh cut flower operations across the state, the KHC and the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service have designated July as Kentucky Grown Cut Flower Month.

“Kentucky cut flower growers offer a wide variety of unique plant material from fresh to dried in the form of buds, flowers, stems, colorful budding branches, seed heads and stalks throughout the different growing seasons,” said Warren County Extension horticulture agent Kristin Hildabrand. “There is always room on your table to have fresh, locally-grown flowers.”

Roughly 80 percent of cut flowers are imported for U.S. markets from counties such as Colombia, Ecuador and the Netherlands. Kentucky farm conditions are well-suited for high-quality commercial production of cut flowers. The current market value for Kentucky’s cut flower operations is nearly $700,000 annually.

Craig Wallin, expert gardener and author of Backyard Cash Crops, said the cut flower market is a great one to get into, even as a beginner.

“Flowers are one of the best cash crops for small growers who want income right away,” Wallin said. “Cut flowers are easy to grow. They produce quickly and supply a good income all through the growing season.

“Startup costs are low because most gardeners already have the required garden tools. All you need is to buy the seed.”

According to Wallin, cut flowers can fetch profits up to $30,000 per acre. Most growers, he said, start part-time, growing for market at local outlets like the farmers market, florists and restaurants.

“When going to farmers markets, I suggest sharing a booth with another grower who is selling compatible items such as vegetables or herbs,” he said. “And it’s best to stick to proven cut flower varieties when starting out so you have a better chance of selling out on market days. For example, sunflowers are a very profitable farmers market flower. Mixed bouquets are the best as they allow you to blend in a variety of cut flowers so you don’t end up at the end of the day with too many unsold stems of individual varieties.

“Most growers use gypsophila (baby’s breath) as a bouquet filler, as it’s easy to grow and blends well with other flower varieties. Gypsophila is so widely used by florists, they’ve nicknamed it ‘florist’s hamburger helper.’”

Wallin and others in the know suggest targeting restaurants, hotels, florists and grocery stores.

“Upscale restaurants and hotels use lots of cut flower arrangements to decorate tables, rooms, lobbies and for special occasions,” he said. “Chain stores such as Safeway or Kroger are hard to sell, as they usually have to buy through central purchasing or company approved vendors. Local independent grocers are your best bet. Growers report 90 percent of consigned flowers are sold within four days.”

While some growers offer a U-Cut patch, others look into subscription sales of cut flowers. Some have targeted wedding planners and event planners as their customers. And most all agree that cut flowers are best sold for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day and Christmas.

“It has been great to see the growth that cut flowers have had in recent years in Kentucky’s horticulture industry,” said Alexis Sheffield, Boyle County Extension horticulture agent. “No longer are we seeing just a few zinnias at a farmers market booth but an increase in commercial farms, dedicated to producing cut flowers and making a living doing it.”