The Flash Report is back after a two-week break and has a new look! You can now find all the industry related information right here at Eye On DVFlora. This will be the future home of the DV Flash Report and other sources of information that will be useful to our industry.
It’s that time of year again!
Before you know it Valentine’s Day will be here and we have lots to offer.
Supplies
- By now you should have received our Valentine’s Essential Supply catalog and flyers. This year we have a special discount program being offered on two of the Syndicate Sales glass flyers. The more you buy the more you save! Supplies are limited on colored glass. Don’t wait – order now.
Flowers etc
- We started mailing out your purchase history for Valentine’s Day on Friday 1/8. Please look for it in your mail. Our Holiday prebook price list is out! Also, there is still time to order some Valentine’s Bouquets. These are made by DV in our Edison location and are great!
- Rose Prebook deadline is Wednesday 1/20
- Other items the deadline is Wednesday 1/27
- Double up Standing order customers, the deadline is Tuesday 1/19
Novelty
- Tulip season is in full swing. Next week customers will receive their first standing orders. It is still possible to add standing orders. Please speak to your Sales Associate this week.
- We have Mexican French Tulips available for next week. We will also have some from Sun Valley California and we will fill in with French-grown which are more expensive.
- We are currently using Israel Anemone for open market sales. We also have access to NY and will be bringing in a small amount each week. White from NY is very limited. Please place a special order with your Sales Associate if you need NY anemone, at least a week out.
- There is a better supply of stock in the market mainly because the demand has slowed. Most of the growers are now harvesting their desert crop. There are still limited supplies of purple and pink and this will continue through Valentine’s Day.
- Larkspur will be scarce throughout January and February (similar to last year). There are a few smaller growers that have been able to supply us with very small amounts. For now California Larkspur is bunched in a growers bunch and not necessarily a ten-stem bunch. Larkspur from Ecuador has been very limited as well. The larger California Growers don’t expect to see volume until the end of February.
- At this time there is no California Hybrid Delphinium in the market and very little out of South America. Please be careful when promising this item in any large quantities.
- There is a good supply of Dark Blue Sea Waltz Delphinium, but very limited Lt Blue Sky Waltz.
- California Snapdragon availability is limited for next week again due to the short days and extremely cold weather at night. Yellow, purple and lavender will be very limited. Canadian colored snaps will be very limited, however Glanbrook farms will have plenty of White for the next two weeks. Looks like their Christmas crop came in late!
- There is a good supply of Hydrangea from South America in white, blue and greens. Pinks, hot pinks, dark blue and purple are limited. We will have some blue, pink and purple available from New Zealand this week.
- The Lisianthus market still remains tight and California is very limited. We are only able to get some Lisianthus from one supplier at the moment in California. Ecuador is limited in most colors and very limited in assorted. We will have some Israeli to help fill our needs.
- There are very little LA or Asiatic lilies available in the market. This is most likely the first week ever we could not come up with an assorted box to offer on the Distinctive Values mailer. Hopefully this will improve within the next week or so.
Fillers
- It is the season for Ginestra and we can get as much as you need and in all the lovely (dyed) colors!
- Finally the California Waxflower season is starting up. For now we have white, pink and violet. The varieties and volume should start to pickup in the next two weeks.
- There is a good supply of California Heather for this week.
- Continental Farms is having some quality issues with Solidago and Lavender Spring Aster. Other then that, Aster, Limonium, Statice and Laceflower are in good supply for now.
Botanical
- Our Florida truck that arrives on a Friday is typically on a bi-weekly shipping schedule. For the following three weeks, Jan 8th, 15th and 22nd it will be weekly and then switching back to every other week.
- We are keeping a very close eye on quality due to the very cold temperatures in Florida.
- Our local grower Windy Acres should be providing us with their beautiful Cyclamen through March.
- Check out some new items that arrived this weekend.
6in Pussy Willow – B1453 and Clivia – B1452, along with the following 4in
Crocus – B1463, Primula Obconica – B2117, Heather – B3753, Hyacinth – B2280, English Primrose – B1478 and Daffodil Tete- Tete – B1453
Roses
The rose market is pretty typical for early January.
- Red Roses are still a bit pricey but we are starting to see signs of relief. There seems to be more supply than the demand, so prices are slowly starting to drop. We would expect by next week that red rose prices might even be lower.
- The Color market really hasn’t changed much. Prices are on the low side and availability is plentiful. Should be no significant changes until we hit Valentines Day.
- This week’s “Rose of the Week” is “Blush”. This really isn’t a brand new variety but it is really a nice bi-color rose. This variety has a very large head and this week’s product will come from a premium Ecuadorian farm- Agrocoex.
Basics & Greens
- There is a good supply of assorted Alstroemeria in the market place and prices are a little lower then normal.
- The Carnation market is forever changing. Banks are not willing to holdout on loan payments as in past years. The land is too valuable today. Another farm has been forced to close down their operations, Papagayo Farms. You will notice a new vendor has entered the market place, at least as a Carnation vendor, Elite Farms. Less then a year ago they purchased a farm and spent months improving quality and production.
- Vegaflor Farm is now very close to ending their production of Cremon’s. Many farms have made the decision to stop growing them, based on profitability. We would expect that pricing would probably increase, since there are no NEW growers of Cremons at the moment. Most farms have also reduced production of Spiders. We would expect availability to tighten and pricing to remain higher than in the past. We continue to have a relative good supply compared to the rest of the market.
Grower Direct
Grower Direct, which is unique to the floral industry, is only being offered by Delaware Valley to our customers. If you have a high speed Internet connection, a customer of DV with access to www.dvflora.com and an interest in buying farm direct fresh product at great prices – then is for you. Please ask your Sales Associate and start shopping today!
We have had two recent additions to the Grower Direct program….
- Mellano and Company – currently offering Ginestra, birds, and mixed greens boxes
- Esmeralda Farms – probably the most exciting vendor to join program. We started off only listing a few selections and will increase the items over the next two weeks.
A new shipping schedule has been published for you to download. Customers can also download a version directly from the Grower Direct page on dvflora.com
Industry Info…
Freezing Temperatures
Florida is under a state of emergency because of the threat to the state’s lucrative crop industry. This aims to help farmers across the state salvage what they can by lifting weight limits on trucks and allowing them to get already harvested crops out of the cold.
In Florida, growers are spraying water on their crops to form a protective coating of ice. As long as temperatures don’t drop below 28 degrees for more than four hours, damage should be minimal. Precautions have been taken, and so far we are not hearing of any major damage to Greens crops.
Bogotá Weather Report by Jorge Montenegro (QA South America)
Most of the days are sunny with temperatures reaching 25ºC during the day and as low as -6ºC (20 F) at night. These low temperatures are causing damage to perimeter areas of the farms. This weather has been ongoing for the last three days and the forecast states that there will be no change for at east two weeks. This is happening in all the sectors of the Sabana in Bogotá.
Farms are taking steps to reduce or eliminate any potential damage to their crops. Some are making bonfires inside the greenhouses. So far all our farms are reporting very little damage to none. The sooner it warms up the better it will be for all farms in this critical growing region of South America.
DV’s Inspirational Corner
20 Tips for a Positive New Year By Jon Gordon
1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can know that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.
2. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement: My purpose is_______________________.
3. Take a morning walk of gratitude. It will create a fertile mind ready for success.
4. Instead of being disappointed about where you are think optimistically about where you are going.
5. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
6. Transform adversity into success by deciding that change is not your enemy but your friend. In the challenge discover the opportunity.
7. Make a difference in the lives of others.
8. Believe that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.
9. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
10. Mentor someone and be mentored by someone.
11. Live with the 3 E’s. Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.
12. Remember there’s no substitute for hard work.
13. Zoom Focus. Each day when you wake up in the morning ask: “What are the three most important things I need to do today that will help me create the success I desire?” Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions.
14. Instead of complaining focus on solutions. It’s the key to innovation.
15. Read more books than you did in 2009. I happen to know of a few good ones.
16. Learn from mistakes and let them teach you to make positive changes.
17. Focus on “Get to” vs “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.
18. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
• I am thankful for __________.
• Today I accomplished ____________.
19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.
20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.
