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Paris Hilton And California Flower Growers Weather Cold Snap

Copyright (c) 2007-2023

The recent cold snap in California wasn't much more to pampered starlets like Paris Hilton than a reason to don designer coats and boots. But, for Californians who grow flowers or citrus fruits, the cold was nearly a disaster. Although it seems that flower growers, who were gearing up for Valentine's Day sales, may have escaped the worst of it. However, Ann Quinn of the California State Floral Association says, "Most growers I have talked to say it will be weeks before they know the full effect."

The bitter cold lasted for days and it was accompanied by damaging windstorms. The result was statewide damage to crops that, according to A.G. Kawamura, California's secretary of food and agriculture, was "even more widespread than a three-day freeze in December, 1998, which cost the state's growers about $700 million." Some citrus farmers in the Central Valley region lost whole fields. Avocados, strawberries, and lettuce were also harmed.

Flower growers whose products are grown inside greenhouses faired okay, but many of them also grow outdoor crops as well. Ed Van Wingerden of Ever-Bloom in Carpinteria, California suffered losses to avocado crop, but his greenhouse-grown flowers went undamaged. Van Wingerden said, "The December 27 windstorm blew off seventy percent of my crop. There was small fruit [on the trees] and the wind blew it right off."

Janet Kister of Sunlet Nursery in Fallbrook, California felt the effects of the storm, too. She grows both indoor and outdoor products, including jasmine topiaries that are popular for Valentine's Day. The topiaries, she says, "will not make it for Valentine's Day-we had to cancel orders [for the product]."

In addition to the damaged crops, Californians paid heating bills that were significantly higher than usual. Shelby Ebel of Koch California in Nipomo, California said, "The heating bills are astronomical." Jim Rietkirk of Kallisto Greenhouses in Fontana, California agreed, saying that the combination of the damaged crops and increased heating bills "is not a pleasant combination."

Oddly enough, the cold weather seems to have also sparked a run on flower orders. Van Wingerden said, "We are getting calls, offering ridiculous [high] prices, just to be able to buy flowers." Perhaps the frigid temperatures have turned Californians like Paris Hilton's thoughts to love?


About The Author: Shop Amazon - Top Gift Ideas
Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers, a successful multi-million dollar floral business that was established in 1946. He also works with funeral-homes.net to provide useful information about funeral homes across the nation. He has been recognized by florists nationwide as a leader in the flower business. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at www.800wesleys.com

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Last Distribution Date:
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