Cut flower farming is good business

Last column we discussed earning from your hobby farm planted to vegetables. This time, we will share with you another entrepreneurial farming hobby.

Johnny Advincula owns one such profitable venture devoted to cut flower farming. It is so generous of Johnny to share with us his business secret:

"Cut flowers is considered one of the best income generating business today. Yes, there are indeed beautiful varieties in shapes, forms and colors of cut flowers, however I choose Malaysian mums. Though sensitive in nature because of the present changing climate, simplified care and attention can result to a good production.

"Generally, the whole system in producing such is not as expensive as first-timer farmers would fear.

"All one needs is an area for a mother plant, a place for a rooting bed and a bigger enclosed place which is called the green house.

"A mother plant is the source of your materials for rooting bed and production. Here you cut the young stem and with the application of a rooting powder to the cut portion of the plant it is then planted in the rooting bed. When roots develop in 10 to 15 days after which your plant is now ready to be transferred to the production area.

"Certainly, soil preparation like clearing, cultivation and application of urea to the production area is done earlier to help the faster growth of the plant. Weeds and grasses will sprout more quickly than you can pull them out so you need to be very vigilant.

Proper schedule of watering, lighting, blacking out are necessary during the process of growth. If you want dark colored flowers, you need to deprive the plants of light. If you want them to grow tall, you need to give them lots of light. You can grow the flowers big, brightly colored, long stemmed or whatever depending on how you take care of them.

"A production area of 500sqm can have three (3) bays of four (4) plots totaling to twelve (12) plots. Each plot can produce 3,000 plants or equivalent to 250 dozens. You can produce 36,000 plants or 3,000 dozens of Malaysian mums for a period of three (3) months in an area of 500sqm."

Malaysian mums sell at Php180 per dozen at Dangwa and Php300 per arrangement of three at Holland Tulips. Less expenses on wages for helpers, water, electricity, fertilizer, pesticides, green house and others. Buyers will pick up the flowers from your farm. Do the Math. Still, that's better than your monthly salary you draw from employment. The bonus is that you have full control of your time and resources. And you don't have to jump at the whim of a boss. You are the boss.

Johnny now commutes as he pleases between his Metro Manila residence and his John's Farm in Tagaytay and another one in Baguio. On the side, Johnny also grows coffee for personal consumption and vegetables like lettuce and eggplant for extra income while waiting for the flowers to bloom.

But Johnny's passion, though, is singing and he is happiest when he is singing with his band, The Bedroom Boys, every Thursday at Chef & Brewer, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig. Catch him there and ask him more questions about his cut flower farm.

SGHR 2007. You still have time to sign up for the upcoming Summit on Globalization of Human Resources this September 28-30 in Taipei International Convention Center, Taiwan. For details, please go to www.sghr2007.tw or email Ms. Bronte Hsiao at sghr2007@tcfst.org.tw or hhhsiao@tcfst.org.tw.

Just in: "This is Vincens Cheng with Losang Precision Mold Co., Ltd. I am writing to explore possible cooperation.

"Losang Precision Mold Co., Ltd. belongs to Long Group and we specialize in plastic injection mold. Our sister company Losang Plastic Products Co, Ltd also undertakes injection molding and the secondary processes such as dust-free spraying, silk screen printing, hot stamping, ultrasonic welding, assembling and etc."

I don't know him or his company, but check them out. If you are interested, do visit Vincens' website http://www.losang.net.cn or email him at sales29@longmold.com.