Growing and selling cut flowers is a difficult niche to break into. With fierce competition from countries with more tropical climates, as well as local commercial wholesalers, it's hard to price your flowers competitively. If you are passionate and knowledgeable about flowers, market yourself away from the larger wholesalers to be successful selling your cut flowers.
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Decide what flowers to specialize in. Ask local florists what they use most often or have trouble finding. Balance that with the flowers that will grow well in your climate or greenhouse, as well as with how much time you plan to spend growing and cutting flowers.
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Create a pricing schedule for your flowers. Calculate the cost of the seeds or bulbs, dirt, fertilizer, water and greenhouse expenses, as well as additional labor expenses. Divide that by the number of flowers you plan to cut to find your per-flower expense. Ideally, you should try to at least double your expenses when selling your flowers. Consult the USDA Cut Flower Wholesale Price Report to make sure your prices are competitive, and adjust them up or down as necessary.
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Take samples and price lists to local florists and grocery stores. Create a flyer or brochure that provides information on the benefits of buying locally and supporting local growers, such as how the money stays in the community to support schools and local businesses. Make a personal connection with the stores' owners or managers to encourage them to buy from you. Promote flowers that may be difficult for many retailers to find on short notice, such as peonies or Casablanca lilies.
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Deliver the cut flowers on time and in pristine condition once you receive an order. Most wholesalers wrap the flowers in cones of paper or plastic to help keep stems from breaking during transport. Make sure the flowers have been in water since the moment they were cut to ensure longevity at the retailer.
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5.
Buy booth space at farmer's markets. In addition to seeking retailer support, sell your cut flowers in places where customers are looking for fresh, locally grown items. Many larger cities have farmer's markets all year, while smaller communities often have them on weekends during the warmer months. You can typically charge more per stem at farmer's markets than you can as a wholesaler. Also, you can create bouquets made of leftover flowers that help you get rid of extra product.
