Are you interested in turning your passion for growing flowers into a small business? The two-day Wisconsin Cut Flower Growers School is designed to help new and beginning growers learn how to start a cut flower business, grow flowers using organic and sustainable practices, and market cut flowers.

This workshop will be held March 13 and 14 on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. A $195 fee covers registration, lunches and refreshments. Enrollment is limited, so early registration is strongly recommended.

Three experienced growers will teach the course: third-generation flower grower Joe Schmitt, Jeanie McKewan of Brightflower Nursery and Carol Larsen of Sunborn Gardens and Fairfield Flowers.  They will share a wealth of practical information gained from years of experience growing and marketing cut flowers.

The curriculum covers variety selection for farmers' markets, florists and other sales outlets, planting and harvesting methods, pest management, post-harvest handling and direct marketing. There will be opportunities to network with other growers and learn about new tools, gadgets and techniques at show-and-tell tables.

The Cut Flower Growers School is part of the Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers, which has been helping people grow and market fresh produce since 1998. Both programs are offered through the UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems. For more information about the Cut Flower Growers School or the School for Beginning Market Growers contact John Hendrickson at (608) 265-3704 or [email protected], or visit the CIAS web site: www.cias.wisc.edu.