Dahlia Business Is A Family Affair
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Katie Byler likes to say her mom, Bonnie Ranck, is “the root” of Byler’s business, Greystone Manor Gardens. About 7 years ago, Byler realized how much she loved growing dahlias, influenced by the beautiful flowers her mom always grew. Now, with the help of her family, parents, siblings and nephews and nieces, Byler supplies flowers to wedding and event planners, florists and individuals in the Philadelphia and Lancaster, Penn., region.
“Dahlias are a difficult flower to ship,” Byler says. “We pride ourselves in picking and delivering fast and they are always in water. It’s a great local market flower and they give roses a run for their money.”
With about 200 varieties that range in size from 2 to 14-in. in dia., Byler says she’s barely scratched the surface of the number of available varieties. Planting them is a family affair with her husband and four children, two of her sisters and their husbands and children and her parents. Byler rents an acre from her parents’ farm and has access to a well and stream for drip tape irrigation under landscape fabric, which reduces weed growth.
Her workforce has a system. Adults auger holes and lay out the tubers and children drop them in the hole and cover them up. To support the plants, stakes are installed every 12 to 15-ft. to support Hortonova plastic mesh. Later, there is weeding and harvesting to do. All are paid on a sliding scale according to age (5 to 18) and the work they do. Byler emphasizes making workdays fun with music, a meal and milkshakes, with cousins spending time together.
Greystone Manor Gardens also offers a subscription service with Byler’s mother, making bouquets (once a week for five weeks) that customers pick up. Customers also like the Flower Bar, with a workbench, shears and flowers that can be delivered for baby or wedding showers, a girls’ night out, etc.
The long season, including growing some early dahlias with cuttings under growing lights and ending with digging the tubers after a hard frost, is very busy, even with a family of helpers.
“I suggest starting small with dahlias because there’s a learning curve,” she advises, noting that tubers are a big investment, averaging $7 to $10/each. But they multiply, and at the end of the season, she stores her tubers in kiln-dried cedar chips (sold as livestock bedding) in slotted crates on shelves in an insulated room in a barn.
“This year we will have about 3,000 dahlia plants (plus other flowers and greens),” Byler says, noting she can rent more land from her parents as she expands.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Greystone Manor Gardens, 3831b Oregon Pike, Leola, Penn. 17540 (ph 717-823-3425; GreystoneManorGardens@gmail.com; www.greystonemanor-gardens.com).
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Dahlia Business Is A Family Affair Katie Byler likes to say her mom Bonnie Ranck is “the root” of Byler’s business Greystone Manor Gardens About 7 years ago Byler realized how much she loved growing dahlias influenced by the beautiful flowers her mom always grew Now with the help of her family parents siblings and nephews and nieces Byler supplies flowers to wedding and event planners florists and individuals in the Philadelphia and Lancaster Penn region “Dahlias are a difficult flower to ship ” Byler says “We pride ourselves in picking and delivering fast and they are always in water It’s a great local market flower and they give roses a run for their money ” With about 200 varieties that range in size from 2 to 14-in in dia Byler says she’s barely scratched the surface of the number of available varieties Planting them is a family affair with her husband and four children two of her sisters and their husbands and children and her parents Byler rents an acre from her parents’ farm and has access to a well and stream for drip tape irrigation under landscape fabric which reduces weed growth Her workforce has a system Adults auger holes and lay out the tubers and children drop them in the hole and cover them up To support the plants stakes are installed every 12 to 15-ft to support Hortonova plastic mesh Later there is weeding and harvesting to do All are paid on a sliding scale according to age 5 to 18 and the work they do Byler emphasizes making workdays fun with music a meal and milkshakes with cousins spending time together Greystone Manor Gardens also offers a subscription service with Byler’s mother making bouquets once a week for five weeks that customers pick up Customers also like the Flower Bar with a workbench shears and flowers that can be delivered for baby or wedding showers a girls’ night out etc The long season including growing some early dahlias with cuttings under growing lights and ending with digging the tubers after a hard frost is very busy even with a family of helpers “I suggest starting small with dahlias because there’s a learning curve ” she advises noting that tubers are a big investment averaging $7 to $10/each But they multiply and at the end of the season she stores her tubers in kiln-dried cedar chips sold as livestock bedding in slotted crates on shelves in an insulated room in a barn “This year we will have about 3 000 dahlia plants plus other flowers and greens ” Byler says noting she can rent more land from her parents as she expands Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Greystone Manor Gardens 3831b Oregon Pike Leola Penn 17540 ph 717-823-3425; GreystoneManorGardens@gmail com; www greystonemanor-gardens com
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