Across Virginia, farmers markets, roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs are increasingly offering homegrown bouquets alongside fresh produce. Virginia Cooperative Extension agents see this as a budding opportunity for local growers.
Cut flowers generated over $3.3 billion in U.S. sales in 2023 with nearly 60 percent being imported, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Despite seasonal constraints, Virginia growers contributed $133 million in sales — about 4 percent of national sales in 2023. With growing demand for seasonal, locally grown "slow flowers," Extension sees potential to reduce imports and improve profitability for local growers.
"Cut-flower farming is a great market to enter if you don't have a lot of start-up capital or space," said Scot Ferguson, Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Hanover County. "We recommend soil testing for fertility management, but floriculture doesn't require the expensive and stringent water testing that food crops do for safety."
Read more at: Virginia Tech News
