Imported Flowers VS Home-grown
Choosing the best flowers, whether they’re for simple decoration around the home or for more formal events such as a wedding, can be tricky, especially if you’re looking for a specific kind of bunch. Flowers bring a special kind of peace and harmony to your home, but achieving the right look is a combination of planning and careful flower selection. The first place you’re likely to visit in your quest is a florist where you can browse through a large selection of cut flowers and decide which ones will work best for your purpose. While you’re hunting for that perfect poinsettia to weave into your Christmas wreath or choosing roses for a wedding bouquet, you may want to think about where those flowers could be coming from.
You see, florists can’t always get the amount of cut flowers they need locally. This is especially the case during holidays like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day and throughout the wedding season. To keep up with demand, florists will often import flowers from other countries. This in itself is not necessarily harmful, but those imported flowers often come from countries such as Kenya or Zimbabwe where there is less concern for worker conditions. Workers in these countries are often forced to endure 12 hour workdays for less than a dollar of pay. They may have to handle harmful chemicals without sufficient protection in their work; all while enduring less than ideal living conditions.
Additionally, the practice of importing flowers means that they can be bought and sold cheaply by supermarkets, which can be a mixed blessing. That bunch of cheap flowers at the grocery store might look gorgeous at first, but chances are that the flowers have been sitting in a warehouse or storeroom for a few days before being bought. Flowers such as these will only last a day or two, and will not provide the longevity of the locally grown equivalent.hyl bromide is used to kill any pests on the plants. These chemicals harm the flowers and decrease their lifespan, which could disrupt your plans for them. They may also be unsafe for pets or children that could be around the plants.
These problems are all made worse by the fact that it is difficult for the consumer to find out if a flower is imported or not. When you’re out shopping for flowers, you’ll rarely find a label anywhere to let you know if a batch is imported or not. However, if you would like to avoid imported flowers, there are things you can do. Farmers’ markets often sell flowers that have been raised locally by growers. You can also ask your florist about whether or not a batch of flowers has been imported or not. Finally, it’s always possible to grow your own flowers or buy them from a neighbor with a garden. You’d be surprised at how much more rewarding your flowers can be if you have a hand in their growth and care.