farmer feature
The 411 on 288s with Bleeding Heart Flower Farm
Bleeding Heart Flower Farm lies tucked in the Bitterroot Valley of Southwestern Montana, not far from Missoula. Peaks tower above, and a river flows beneath the land of flower farmers Cindy Smith-Putnam and Greg Putnam, who returned to their home state after successful corporate careers in Idaho.
Bleeding Heart Flower Farm grows a diverse array of cut flowers, many of which begin as Farmer Bailey plug plants. Cindy is a particular fan of the 288-cell trays offered by our plug grower Plug Connection in California.
Though some farmers may feel wary of 288-cell plants because of their smaller size relative to 125-cell trays, 288s have some considerable advantages. 288-cell trays provide outstanding value by plug price and shipping cost, and the small size of the plant minimizes the risk of transplant shock. Read on for Cindy’s honest experience with 288s and tips for other flower farmers interested in this format.
Why do you choose 288-cell trays?
Essentially, for about the same amount of money, I can double my production. Fewer boxes, more plugs, way lower cost per plug.
What do you do with your 288 trays when they arrive?
I bring them in early (Week 12, usually), bump them immediately to 72s, and hold them to bulk. When I plant them out (combo unheated tunnel and field), they're a nice good-sized plant.
When 288 is more than I want of any one color or variety, I split with another local farm and both of us can grow more kinds, more growing groups, and more colors. We each get the economies of more plants per tray and shipment. We double the colors and varieties for each farm compared to if we didn’t share.
What other plugs do you purchase?
I still buy Gro n' Sell smaller quantities on some things that I can't get from Plug Connection, but Plug Connection/West Coast is closer to me so the cost of shipping is less. Compared to other brokers, Farmer Bailey plugs are less expensive, not CRAZY quantity (like 385 of one thing), and not teensy weensy.
I also buy perennials that are hard-to-seed-start and/or from tissue culture, Colibri Poppies, and Eucalyptus, which is treated as an annual in my zone. This season, I'm also adding some of Terra Nova’s fancy Echinacea and Penstemon.
Tell us about your growing conditions.
We are zone 5. I stick to mostly Group 1s and 2s because of our short intense growing season.
Providing some growing-on time in larger cells before planting out gives a higher survival rate because we’re transplanting a beefier plug, and also allows earlier harvest in our short and intense growing season than if we ordered them for the week we intended to plant them and never bumped up.
Who are your customers?
I use Lisianthus mainly in weddings and for florists, but also for my luxury resort customers and I even sprinkle some in my 90-member CSA, which they love. For the high-end work, I get ruffly/petal-y/fancy varieties, and Rosannes. For the CSA, I get less fancy (ABCs or Echos) and more colorful.
What’s your favorite flower to grow?
The variety I absolutely could not live without is Lisianthus Celebrity Beige Neo. My florists are hooked.
288 Trays
