Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Flowers by the Sea?
Flowers by the Sea is a highly diverse small family farm and nursery, located in Elk, on the coast of Northern California. We are proud to be a Certified Organic producer, as well as a Certified Biodynamic® farm. For over a decade, we have supplied our local customers with a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. We raise chickens and ducks for eggs, and have geese as watch animals. Our dogs protect the flock and our cats patrol for rodents. We have in the past been the home of the Elk Creamery, California’s first Certified Organic goat dairy.
And for even longer than that, we have been raising organically grown plants. Our nursery is a natural extension to our farming operation. We raise tens of thousands of seedling vegetables and flowers each season that we plant and harvest in support of our local food movement. In addition, we propagate many of the small fruits and fruit trees that we plant for production. Our facilities were designed and built by us to help us grow without the use of poisons and highly concentrated fertilizers, and with minimal fuel and electricity. Our ridge is in the watershed of Greenwood Creek, and we are very careful not to do anything that could injure the delicate riparian ecosystem that supports a small but growing population of ocean run Rainbow Trout.
We’re passionate about making a difference in our community and in the world as a whole. So we don’t use many of the allowed “organic” fertilizers and pest control agents because they don’t make for a better, cleaner environment. Or because transporting materials half way around the world to more profitably grow a plant for our garden is not a sensible solution at this point in time. I don’t suppose we’ll ever be the largest nursery in our area, or have the greatest selection or even the lowest prices. But we hope to be able to continue to grow the finest plants in a truly sustainable way, benefiting all those who work here, our community and our customers across the country.
Return to the top
2. Why should I use Certified Organic plants in my home and garden?
Simply, because you care.
The nursery industry is an especially egregious user of agricultural poisons: insecticides, fumigants, rodenticides, fungicides, moluscides, and herbicides. Many of these highly toxic materials are labeled with a skull and crossbones, with the words “Danger, Posion”.
The use of highly soluble chemical or even concentrated organic fertilizers are a serious environmental problem in many population centers, and nurseries are often major contributors to nitrates and nitrites in our aquifers.
The forcing (rapid, artificially accelerated growth) of nursery plants is energy intensive and absolutely non-sustainable.
Nurseries generally do not compost their weeds, old plants or used potting soil. Instead these are added to the waste stream.
The only way you can be 100% certain that the plants you purchase were produced without the use of highly toxic materials is to choose to support a Certified Organic nursery. No other certification has binding regulations that insure that you will receive clean plants. In addition, we suggest that you inquire about the growing practices of even a Certified Organic nursery, as many use materials that are allowed but perhaps not fully in harmony with the local environment. Ask questions, and don’t be fooled by claims of “sustainability”. Make sure the plants you use are helping, not hurting the earth.
Return to the top
3. What is a “Transitional” plant as opposed to an “Organic” plant?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the agency that regulates the National
Organic Program (NOP). Third party certification agencies administer the federal regulations, and audit organic operations to insure that all of the details are respected.
In order for a plant grown at our nursery to be salable as “organic”, it must meet these criteria:
• If grown from seed, it must be from Certified Organic seed, if available;
• If vegitativily propagated, the stock plants must be Certified Organic;
• Otherwise, plants need to be grown in accordance with the organic regulations for a period of 12 months before they can be labeled as organic.
So everything that we propagate here can be labeled as organic from the start. But if we purchase the wildest new Heuchera hybrid from our friends at Terra Nova Nursery, we must grow these plants for at least one year before we can label them as organic.
So we use the term “Transitional” to label those plants that we have purchased and grown in accordance with organic methodologies for at least three months prior to sale. These plants are clearly labeled in our nursery, and we are careful to segregate them. Our goal is to be able to offer you many of the newest and best plants (all of which we have test grown for some time) before the one year waiting period required by law to label them as organic.
We are very selective in selecting our sources for these special plants. And we grow them to our exacting Biodynamic standard, far exceeding the rulings of the NOP. So if you see the label “Transitional” on a plant, know that it has been grown cleanly and with great care by us, to ensure that it will grow well for you.
Return to the top
4. How do you choose what plants and varieties to grow?
We love plants, and are shameless plant collectors and breeders. And we love to be successful in our growing. So we choose the most interesting varieties possible – including some of the newest introductions from major plant breeders – and trial grow them for some time before committing them to production. We avoid plants that are only “nice” when grown with excessive use of fertilizers, plant growth regulators and poisons to control pests.
Our goal is to provide you with healthy, clean, organically grown plants that will thrive in your garden and excite the same reaction that we had. “WOW, what a cool Heuchera!” We want you to be wildly excited about the plants you get from Flowers by the Sea. That will allow us to grow a wider variety of very cool plants, which we can then pass on to our loyal customers.
Return to the top
5. Are your plants healthy? Do they have harmful pests?
Our plants are completely healthy, because we grow in a carefully controlled manner. The nursery industry profits greatly from “pushing” plants to their limits of growth, regulating the environment in such a way as to have a fast turnover. Often these plants will have a difficult time adjusting to a regular garden environment. Many will be stunted for their first season because of the use of plant growth regulators. These chemicals are used to restrict normal plant growth, allowing more pots to fit in a shipping container. The effect carries over into your garden.
In contrast, we strive to grow a balanced plant, with good roots and healthy, solid, vigorous shoots. We control pests by virtue of the diversity of the farm, and the health of the crops we grow. Healthy, well grown plants that are not pushed or poisoned by chemicals can be amazingly pest resistant. Additionally, we utilize many of the Biodynamic®preperations, which are in essence homeopathic remedies to balance the environment of the farm, to strengthen certain plants against particularly difficult pests. We just don’t believe that one must spray poison about in order to have healthy nursery stock. And for almost 40 years, we have successfully grown countless plants without having to reach for the bottle.
And let’s not forget our friends the frogs. Our frog population is strong, and every one is a hard worker when it comes to helping us keep our plants pest free. We love our frogs, and would never use any materials that would endanger their health, or the viability of their food systems.
Lastly, we check over every plant we sell, and will never send anything that has pest issues. You can be sure of getting the finest plants, and only the finest plants, from Flowers by the Sea.
Return to the top
6. Are your plants more expensive?
Generally not.
We are doing our very best to hold the line on prices, as we are being squeezed by the current economy the same way you are. Our costs are often substantially higher than non-organic operations. And because we often grow our stock to a larger size before offering it for sale we have more invested, and need to pass on those costs. All in all, we try to offer a very good value for those who appreciate the value of plants grown carefully and personally in a small nursery.
Return to the top
7. What sizes of plants are available?
We want the plants you purchase from us to thrive. So we grow in a container size that allows for a strong, established root system. The needs of the different varieties dictate what size will be offered. For example, Hellebores have extensive root systems, and to bloom a plant before sale and insure its quality we need to grow them in largish containers. We feel that most people want to buy a ginger plant that will bloom the first year, so we grow them for two years before sale in large pots. As a rule of thumb, we grow in the smallest container that will allow for good plant growth.
Occasionally, we will have the same plant available in different sizes. The smaller plants are less expensive and less costly to ship – the larger plants are often very much faster to fill their role in your garden. When we can, we’ll give you the choice as to what size to use.
That being said, we grow in deep 3 ½ inch perennial pots, quart pots, one gallon cans and two gallon cans. We are looking for alternatives to plastic containers, but have not yet found a product that is sustainable, cost effective and usable in a commercial nursery. When we do, we’ll let you know!
Return to the top
8. Do you guarantee your plants?
Absolutely. We guarantee our plants to be true to name, healthy and ready to plant. We take great care to pack plants for shipment. We want you to succeed. Read our full guarantee here.
Return to the top
9. What times of the year do you ship?
We ship whenever the weather allows. In many areas of the country, the fall-winter period is very appropriate for planting. Many of our cool growing orchids bloom in the winter, and our demand for them is highest at this time. We’ll let you decide when you want us to ship, but cannot be responsible for losses in shipment due to inclement weather.
Return to the top
10. What do you use for potting soil?
Our basic mix is comprised of four kinds of local sand and rock, mixed with finely sieved sawdust and bark from a local sawmill. To this we add our own compost, and a variety of organic fertilizers and rock dusts to support compact, healthy growth. We’ve worked for years to perfect our mix. This material is far too heavy for us to ship economically for your use.
Some smaller plants are grown in Certified Organic Black Gold potting soil, which we offer for sale for your convenience. This is an outstanding material.
Orchids are grown in a variety of medias – New Zealand sphagnum moss, volcanic rock, coir, and mixes.
We strongly urge you to source your potting soil locally. We all need to consider the carbon footprint of shipping relatively heavy material long distances. But if you live in an area where these supplies are unavailable, we’ll be happy to help you.
Return to the top
11. What kinds of fertilizer do you use?
Our basic potting soil is strengthened by the addition of our own Biodynamic® compost. We also add fish bone meal, alfalfa meal, greensand, Amozite, dolomite limestone and kelp powder to create an environment that will support a healthy and diverse soil micro life.
During the growing season, we use a Certified Organic hydrolyzed fish solution and soluble kelp powder carefully metered into our irrigation water to allow for normal, not highly forced growth.
Lastly, we employ the Biodynamic preparations to balance the growth of all of our plants, and to ensure a healthy farm organism.
Return to the top
12. What is the value of “sustainable” certifications, as opposed to Organic Certification?
Stay tuned for an upcoming discussion. Don’t miss this!
Return to the top
13. What is Biodynamic® agriculture?
Here is a great link to a concise definition. We couldn’t say it any more clearly.
Return to the top
14. What’s up with patented plants?
Stay tuned for an upcoming discussion. Don’t miss this either!
Return to the top
15. Why are so few nurseries certified as organic producers?
Because it doesn’t fit the traditional business model. Because it requires thinking “outside the box”. And because many nurserypeople believe that the buying public either doesn’t care about the environmental and social impact of the plants they purchase, or that they can be assuaged by the creative use of the words, “green”, “sustainable” and “natural”.
Growing nursery plants organically is more difficult, more expensive and slower than the “traditional” chemical approach. We believe that the earth must be respected, and so could do no less than growing with care and without poisons and fertilizers that cause problems large and small.
So Flowers by the Sea will always be a source that you can trust, both for healthy and interesting plants, but for growing in a way that shows the greatest respect for life.
Return to the top
16. How do you define the word “Hardy”?
In two ways.
Hardy temperature-wise to us is a plant that will generally survive in a USDA Zone 7 or above – surviving winter cold to 10° F with reasonable protection. Please click on this link for more Zone information.
Hardy culture-wise is a plant that grows well for its type, and can be relied upon to prosper with appropriate care. We love this sort of hardy plants.
Return to the top
17. Why do you offer fertilizers and other growing supplies?
To help those of you who cannot source these quality materials locally. These are the same products we use in our nursery, and we recommend them highly.
Return to the top
18. Can I visit?
We do our best to accommodate visitors during the April to October season. Please contact us as far in advance as possible so that we can work out a good time for all of us. This is a busy, working production farm, so there are times we just cannot receive visitors. But we’d love to meet you if you are in the vicinity.
19. How can I contact Flowers by the Sea?
We are a busy farm. Understanding that, we request that whenever possible you contact us by email, using this form for your initial contact. This will allow us to keep to our farm chores and still provide you with great service.
When you need to, feel free to telephone us at 707 877-1722. We staff the office from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M Pacific time, from Monday to Friday.
Or write to us at:
Flowers by the Sea PO Box 89 Elk, CA 95432
Please do feel free to contact us. We love compliments, and want to know if you have problems or need assistance. And please let us know what you want us to grow, so we can better serve.
Return to the top
| 
