Episode 101: The Business of Blooms

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Ever wondered how cut flowers make it to the vase on your table? San Diego is one of the nation’s top cut flower producers. These crops generate almost 78 million dollars a year. The cost of land and water challenges local growers but those that remain are going strong. We visit some of those growers and trace the path of their blooms from field (or greenhouse) to vase and give you some ideas about how to arrange them for the table. We’ll see how new varieties make their way into the trade as well. Host Nan Sterman visits:

A protea grower in Rainbow
A foliage grower in Escondido
A greenhouse grower in Encinitas
A company that imports and tests new varieties of flowering plants, then propagates the successful ones to sell to flower growers and nurseries
The wholesale flower market in Carlsbad
A floral design studio and school in Carlsbad where she gets a lesson on creating an arrangement of local flowers