Easter Lilies in Clay Pots

Last week, we mentioned Pansies as a saturation crop—a product that is sold everywhere by everybody. Easter Lilies are another saturation crop, and garden centers suffer a great deal of pressure from the chains and supermarkets, who compete on price but not quality. To meet their price points, it’s necessary for them to make some key sacrifices that produce an underwhelming Lily—a practice that lowers the bar for other growers.

Many shoppers in Cincinnati want a choice Easter Lily—as a gift for a friend, for a classic presentation in a church or business, or simply to decorate their home for more than just a couple of days. Discerning customers don’t turn to supermarkets for their holiday flowers; it is for them that we grow superior Easter Lilies.

A quality Easter Lily should sport five or six buds drawn nice and tight, with one bud open to show off the size of the flower. Extra buds ensure a long and beautiful display.

Foliage should be a deep hunter green with a nice shine that doesn’t require a spray-on application to look fresh. Stems should be strong to support the flowers and reasonably flush with leaves—not stretched from fast heat and a quick turn.

Remember: we still ship our Easter Lilies in real clay terra cotta pots. The extra heft feels impressive, and it keeps our big Lilies balanced and anchored—while making them look even more attractive.

As always, we like to provide a variety of sizes, so we ship Easter Lilies in:

• 6.5-inch clay pots
• 7.5-inch clay pots
• 8.5-inch clay pots

Chains can compete on price and they will get some business; but, if you can compete on quality, you can bring that business back into your store.