FROM THE DESK OF: MANY OF OUR FOLKS HAVE SOME INSIGHTFUL THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A MULTITUDE OF TOPICS

A NOTE FROM THE DESK OF:

Mike A. Mellano

This year’s Ranunculus crop got off to a great start and we are looking forward to another stellar year at the world famous Flower Fields! So what does it take to create the beautifully striped fields that bring visitors back year after year? Well, it’s a lot more than just planting seeds and wishing for good weather! Here are just a few of the issues that we have to stay on top of to produce the best possible Ranunculus crop every season.

It takes 12 months of planning and care to create the 2 ½ months of beauty known as the Flower Fields, but it’s well worth it. The health of the soil is a year-round concern. For example we are currently in a trial of a microbial biological solution to enhance and improve root health of the Ranunculus. We also conduct soil testing so that we can adjust the nutrients each season as we plant the Ranunculus seed along with a mixture of vital minerals. After the tourists have all gone home and the flowers are picked and sold, we harvest the bulbs and spend a lot of time hand sorting and grading the bulbs for sale around the world.

Care for the environment is very important to us, so we are currently running herbicide trials to determine the best and most gentle way to control weeds, which can be a big problem at the Flower Fields. We are looking for an alternative to Methyl Bromide, a traditional herbicide that is being phased out of use in favor of more environmentally friendly products. We also have some test plots where we experiment with different color mixes and environmentally conscience procedures for growing Ranunculus as well as a few other crops.

Throughout the history of the Flower Fields it’s been important to us to maintain a good partnership with the City of Carlsbad. The new Mayor of Carlsbad, Matt Hall, as well as the current City Council are very supportive of the Flower Fields: they love the tourism and we love being a part of the Carlsbad community. Water is always a big issue for any farmer, and with the rising cost of water, we are creating innovative irrigation techniques to best conserve this resource, and keep costs down. It’s our goal to continue to work with the city so that they recognize the contribution of ALL agriculture to their community and continue help us succeed.