Roses are Red, and the hottest, most exclusive commodity you can buy for your Valentine!
I know what you’re thinking,
“Too expensive!”
“Its just a mark up for the holiday!”
“Roses are $19 any other day!!”
These statements are not exactly how it works for Valentine’s Day. Allow me to explain.
Where are Roses grown?
There are only so many rose growers on the planet. Most of the roses come to the US from Ecuador and Columbia, the roses love the climate high in the mountains outside of Quito for example.
How many are grown?
Roses of all colors are grown on many hectares ( 2.5 acres approx.) , on almost 500 farms and employ most of the citizens of the nearby cities. The growers then ship through Miami for the eastern seaboard & Midwest US.,
So why are Red Roses so expensive for Valentines day?
Among the rose farms are only so many red rose plants. Typical gestation of a rose can be up to 90 days, so sometime in November, the farms have to cut the crops to get ready for February.
Valentines day therefore creates a demand for as many red roses as the growers can produce.
And a yellow plant can’t grow just red roses just for V-Day!
If you would like to get your gal the most exclusive gift, one of only so many in the world. Go the price and get her red roses, from your local florist this year.
Why Buy Local?
In Louisville, the local florists work directly with wholesale houses to pre-order the best roses on the open market. There are grades of roses, some better than others, depending on number of petals, size of the bloom, length of stem etc.,
Florists are stringent with the quality of stems they order, and hold Valentine’s as the “black Friday” in business. From the most trusted farms to the florists coolers, local florists use temperature control tags in each box and refrigetated trucks to ship the entire rose route. Farms and local florists also use the best care and handling techniques to ensure beauty and long lasting blooms.
* I’ll post an outline of care & handling from an Ecuadorian farm below
Why not order online?
First, the “handlers” are not florists who pack these stems. They are just assembly line workers in warehouses with little care & handling, if any, and no quality control.
The flowers are bought in bulk, and packed hastily. To make matters worse, they use FedEx or other carriers to ship your orders, which provide no temperature control whatsoevere, thus sealing the flower’s fate on a loading dock in freezing or excessively hot temps.
Yes, they say “Buy a one dozen roses for $19.99!” But I went online and here’s what I found:
Order: one dozen long stem red roses: $52.99
add glass vase: $12.99
Add shipping: $14.99 ( i chose delivery on Feb 7 just to see-)
Total $80.99 Whaat? – for roses that are not the best pick, handled incorrectly and shipped in unfit temperatures. Not good.
Flowers are living, breathing things.
They need the correct care to live a full lofe after they are cut at the farm. A few myths to dispel:
MYTH: Use hot water on roses
NO! Hot water causes the blooms to “blow open” very quickly, and thus shortens their vase life. COLD water, even ice, will slow down the growth process, and keep you roses alive longer. I used this and actually had an “Esperance” rose variety last 21 days!
MYTH : Use bleach in the water
NO! Bleach is like poison, this is an old remedy to kill bacteria in the vase. Naturally, roses/flowers will have some stem debris in the water. Just change the vase water as soon as it gets cloudy, and refill with cold/ ice water.
Other care tips:
- If your roses arrived in plastic water tubes, remove them before arranging.
- Remove any leaves that will be under water, taking care not to cut through or scrape the green bark.
- Recut stems by removing 1-2 inches with a sharp knife.
- Immediately after cutting, place roses in a clean, deep vase of water containing a flower food provided by your florist.
- Check the flower food solution daily and make sure to keep it full, clean, and fresh. If the solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely.
Keep your roses in a cool place, out of direct sun and drafts.
These details add to the importance of buying from a trusted farm and retailer ;
On the Farm
Consistent quality starts before the seed its planted. Our farms are situated in the finest growing regions of Ecuador and Colombia where they provide the best possible growing environment for flowers. Our growers use precise combinations of fertilizers to properly nourish the plants and use minimal amounts of pesticides to combat parasites. When ready for harvest, each flower is cut at the proper stage in its growth cycle to ensure maximum bloom development, optimal color intensity and the longest possible vase life.
Stringent Grading
Each and every flower we cut must meet exact grading standards. These grading standards include:
- Unique cut stage requirements for EVERY variety – Every variety is different, and each should be cut at a different time to yield the best possible bloom for the end consumer.
- Minimum head/bud size standards – Each grade and variety is measured against its ideal bud size.
- Consistent stem length for each flower in a bunch – Unlike other growers, bloom height is not included in the measurements of our stems!
- Foliage removal – Each stem is conveniently pre-processed with 12.5 cm of foliage stripped.
- Even stem cuts – All stems are cut evenly to ensure proper hydration.
Packing
We pack flowers in a manner that maintains their freshness and quality during transit, and makes unpacking easy for the customer.
- Flowers are packed in multiple rows for efficiency and protection.
- Rubber bands on the stem are placed above the bottom of the bunch so that it is not cut when the stems are cut and processed.
- Bunches are placed into sleeves for protection.
- Bunches are meticulously placed in the box and cushion covers are placed in key areas to prevent damage during transit.
Cold-Chain Shipping
Refrigerated shipping and handling at every step of the delivery process increases the life and health of our flowers. As soon as the stems are cut at the farm, we transport them in refrigerated cargo trucks and airplanes and only handle them in refrigerated facilities. Our state-of-the-art refrigerated storage facility maintains optimal temperature and humidity levels which are closely monitored by our experts. Cold-chain shipping continues when the flowers leave our distribution center and on to the retail florist.
No Rotation
we have the shortest open market maximum rotation in Miami
times cannot exceed- 48 hours for color roses; 72 hours for red roses;
