Greetings! Well Mother's Day is this Sunday, and I thought I would take this time to point out the good and the bad of commercial cut flower production. Did you know the majority of flowers at your local florist are imported? And did you also know that many shifty farms in South America are  major polluters? In addition, many farms do not have adequate worker protection standards, and workers are exposed to toxic chemicals on a daily basis with no protection.

There are however many good growers and importers. Many farms are now working toward being certified organic, as well as providing better treatment for their workers. How will you know where the flowers you are buying for Mom are coming from? Simple, just ask! Informed florists will make the choice to purchase organic or fair trade products, as well as purchase locally whenever possible. Lets look at some options to make your floral choice a more eco-friendly one.

1. BUY LOCALLY!!! Especially in warmer areas of the country right now, I urge you to find local farmer's markets and stands to purchase you flowers at. This saves gas and resources by not supporting imports, as well as helping local economies here in the USA. Hwever, I do also urge you to make an informed choice by asking local growers if they are organic, and if they have instituted any green initiatives in their business.

2.Buy organic and fair trade products!! Ask your florist  to carry these products. If t hey don't know anything about them, now is your time to inform them! Avoid sending wire service flowers such as FTD and Teleflora. You have no idea what the florist on the other end is using. You can also save yourself the wire service fee by simply looking up a florist onlibe and ordering a bouquet. I guarantee you will be much happier wit the results. Many florists take an extra percentage off of the wire service order to help cover fees. Cut out the middle man and just find the florist yourself.

Research organic and fair trade growers online at:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/flowers020204.cfm information and reasons to buy organic

https://californiaorganicflowers.com/ourstory

http://www.localharvest.org/organic-flowers.jsp

http://www.organicstyle.com/i_498/new-york-times-article-organic-flowers.html

http://veriflora.org/

3. Potted plants can be just as harmful as fresh flowers. If you read any of th articles I posted on the evils of the horticulure industry, you will understand why. If buying Mom plants, stick with perennials and leave the more wasteful annuals behind. Those hanging baskets are nice, but make sure Mom will have a use for the pot once it is done.  Only give these type of plants to people you are sure will recycle or reuse the pots. Houseplants are often produced with considerable chemicals. Once again, do your research and find a more ecofriendly and organic alternative. Plants are frequestky sprayed with antitranspirants when shipped long distances, That causes that nasty filmyou see on them at big boxes and supermarkets. Avoid places like that for plant purchases, and go local. Check out Veriflor as they also certify plant growers. In addition, whe you buy locall, you can be more assured that grower is more proactive about recycling by visiting several times a year. Support places that donate extra plants instea of dumping them in a landfill.

So what would I really recommend as a nice gift for Mom? If they have the space, purchase a nice native tree or shrub for their yard. This gift will be more long lasting, and provide more ecological benefit than fresh flowers and annuals. Perennials are also high on my list as they will keep growing year after year, unlike annual that need to be replanted yearly, which auses considerably more resource use. I would also recommend buying native plants and cultivars of native species that will be of more benefit to local wildlife such as birds and butterflies. They also require much less fertilizer and work to keep maintained. Check out my links for some good plant sources. You will also find many smaller growers online that are local.

I hope you have learned more about the floral industry and how to help stop the cycle of pollution. Put yourself in the shoes of the South American people who have been poisoned, and have their land and waters poisoned by chemical use. Support organic flowers and plants. Buy locally whenever possible.

Thanks for reading and Happy Mother's Day!