Color: Green

Name: CSP-113-ANEMONA

Color: Yellow Novelty

Name: Cherry Brandy

Color: Pink

Name: Amposta

Color: Red

Name: Romance

Color: White

Name: Whistler

Photo: Jaiver Nieto Álvarez / Archivo EL TIEMPO

The Antioquia region, where Medellin is located, is the second largest flower-growing area in Colombia. It is a region full of folklore, tradition, and a vibrant energy, but also an incredibly fertile land with perfect conditions for growing a variety of beautiful flowers.

The western towns on the department of Antioquia, like Rionegro, La Ceja and Marinilla, to mention a few, are home to several flower farms that grow mainly Daisies and other Pompons, Chrysantemums, Hydrangeas and different types of Asters among other crops.

At an altitude averaging between 2100 and 2200 meters above sea level and temperatures ranging between 19 and 29 degrees Celsius (66 and 85 Fahrenheit) year-round, the Western highlands in Antioquia have excellent climate conditions to grow beautiful flowers. Since the Antioquia region is located very close to the equator, our the area receives 12 hours of consistent sunlight year-round, making for stronger, brighter, prettier flowers.

Because of the fertility of the area, and the abundance of flowers and natural beauty, flowers have been a fundamental part of the culture in the region for many years.  “La Feria de las Flores”, or the flower fair, was started in Medellin in 1957, to commemorate and remember the values of the region through beautiful floral creations. In the first parade of the Silleteros, 40 farmers participated, exhibiting their flowers on chairs which they carried on their backs from Santa Elena to Medellin.

The festival has grown throughout the years, and in recent years there have been more than 500 Silleteros in the parade. Designs have become more and more elaborate, with artists rendering landscapes, religious and patriotic symbols among others, made entirely from local flowers, and drawing spectators from all over the world.

We are incredibly proud to contribute to the continual growth of the flower-producing region and the local workers, and to celebrate the folklore and vibrant energy of the region through exporting its most beautiful flowers.

Photo by Gabriel Porras on Unsplash

Colombia has been a leader in the worldwide import of roses and other flowers since the early 1980’s, exporting flowers of the highest quality year-round. A great part of the success of our flowers can be attributed to the fertile lands in the Sabana de Bogota, or the Bogota Savanna, which create perfect conditions for our flowers’ growth. Below are a few facts about the area:

      • The area’s high altitude of roughly 8,700 feet above sea level creates a perfect, year-round temperate climate, ideal for the flowers’ growth.
      • Because we are close to the equator, the farms receive the same amount of sunshine throughout the year – about 12 hours of sunlight per day!
      • Due to the altitude and latitude, temperatures stay pretty constant year-round, ensuring the same quality for every season.
      • The soil in the Bogota Savanna is incredibly fertile, since the area used to be a former lakebed. This makes for dense, nutrient and clay-rich soil, which strengthens the flowers and helps them flourish.

“The Bogota Savanna’s ideal qualities for growing flowers”

Growers 2 Home

  1. Start with a freshly cleaned vase
    Flowers hate bacteria, which can make them deteriorate much quicker. The first secret to extending their lives is to thoroughly clean your vase, making sure there is no harmful bacteria or mold that could help the flowers.
  2. Cut the flowers’ stems at least one inch, and at a 45 degree angle before you start your arrangement
    This ensures each flower has the ability to drink water, and prevents the bottom of the stem from being flat against a surface, which would block it from drinking water. Make sure to use gardening clippers, or a sharp knife so you don’t damage the stems. Remember to place the stems in water almost immediately after cutting them since they start to dry up, and thus absorb less water as soon as you cut them. When you buy your flowers you can keep them out of water for up to two hours if you make sure not to skip this step!
  3. Cold is good, and more is more!
    Always make sure to fill the vase you are using with fresh, cold water. You want to make sure you have filled at least half the vase, so the flowers have plenty to drink. The colder the water the better – you can even add ice cubes to help your flowers stay fresh longer.
  4. Remove any leaves that would be submerged under water in the vase
    Any leaves that touch the water will rot very quickly, and make the water moldy and a party for bacteria. Every time you change the water, make sure none of the leaves are touching the water.
  5. After a few days, you can trim the stems
    By cutting the stems a little bit more, you ensure the flowers are drinking as much water as possible. Again, remember to cut the stems at an angle, like the first time!
  6. Feed your flowers
    Our flowers always come with special flower food, that help them live longer. However, if you lost the package or would like to add more food after a few days, there are many easy flower food recipes using household items. Here is one we like: for every quart of water mix 2 crushed aspirins, 1 teaspoon of sugar, a few drops of bleach or vodka (which will help curb the growth of bacteria). Another easy one: for 1 quart water use 1 teaspoon bleach, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar.
  7. Vodka – the magic drink
    Who knew flowers liked alcohol? Many claim that adding a few drops of vodka and a little bit of sugar helps minimize bacteria, while providing nourishment to your flowers. Just be careful – you don’t want to get them drunk.
  8. Change water often
    As previously mentioned, flowers don’t do well with bacteria, and stagnant water is a great place for bacteria to accumulate. Changing your flower’s water daily, or every couple of days is the best way to keep them healthy. You can use this opportunity to trim the stems.
  9. Remove any dead flowers from the arrangement as soon as you see them
    Not only do they look like an eyesore in the middle of your arrangement, they can actually spread bacteria that will kill the rest of your flowers quicker.
  10. Keep your arrangements in cool dry places
    It sounds counterintuitive to say to keep plants away from direct sunlight or windowsills, however fresh cut flowers will last much longer if kept away from direct sunlight and heat. Sunlight contributes to bacteria growth, which we know we want to limit.
  11. Use an opaque vase if possible
    Glass vases are beautiful, but again allow the sunlight to penetrate easier, thus growing bacteria. If you have a nice ceramic, porcelain, or other opaque vase your flowers will thank you and stay healthier longer!
  12. Most importantly – start with fresh, strong flowers
    At Growers 2 Home, we pride ourselves in importing and distributing the freshest flowers from our farms to your home. This is the key element, as starting with fresh strong flowers will be key to having them last the longest in their best state.

“– MOST IMPORTANTLY – START WITH FRESH, STRONG FLOWERS”

Growers 2 Home

Everyone loves roses, but most people don’t know how many different types of roses there really are. Many people mistakenly think that a good quality rose should have as many petals as possible so that it looks full and opens beautifully, but the reality is that each species of roses has a different number of petals, and can be more suited for one use over another. Here are some interesting facts about rose varieties:

    • There are over 150 species of roses, and thousands of hybrids
    • Depending on the variety, a rose can have as little as 4 petals or as many as 100 in a single bloom! According to The American Rose Society these are the main categories of roses, based on their petal count:
        • Singles have 4 – 8 petals
        • Semi-doubles have 9 – 16 petals
        • Doubles have 17-25 petals
        • Full have 26-49 petals
        • Very full have 41 or more petals
    • There are three main classes of roses:
        • Wild Species Roses – generally these have around 5 petals, and are often seen in gardens. Wild Species Roses are not commonly used in arrangements since they don’t open to be very full due to the small size and low petal count.
        • Old Garden Roses – these have the strongest perfume, are easy to grow, and come in many colors, although most are pastel-colors. Their shape is more free-form, and the flowers tend to be very open. They have fluffy, romantic textures and have become very popular in wedding bouquets.
        • Modern Roses – all roses identified after 1867 are considered Modern Roses. Colors tend to be vibrant and are very varied. This is rose type we usually think of when we think of roses, and each stem only grows one bloom, making them perfect for fresh-cut arrangements.
    • Generally, roses with lower petal count are preferred for events, since the blooms open quickly and look very full, however they don’t last very long, which makes them unsuitable for home arrangements.
    • There is such as thing as roses with too many petals for fresh-cut arrangements. Although in the wild they would blossom with large full heads, in a vase they will probably wilt before they fully open, making them seem old and never reach their full potential.

“LIFE IS SHORT MAKE EVERY OUTFIT COUNT”

Phillip Caldwell

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All the rumors have finally died down and many skeptics have tightened their lips, the iPod does support video format now on its fifth generation. While the iPod is not the first to come up with this, it has certainly made its stature as the greatest in the market and can be dubbed as the best multimedia portable player available.

With its popularity and iconesque standing, the iPod has made sharing videos easier. You don’t need to be lugging around different equipments for your music, your notes, your photos and your videos. You can have the standard where every other portable multimedia players are gauged to and not need anything else.