A History of Minnesota Floriculture

Many young growers began to enter the floriculture business after World War II. Cooperation across the industry increased in step. Crop production in greenhouses in the northern tier of states was approximately 80 percent cut flowers and 20 percent container grown plants.

Chrysanthemum stunt disease was first observed in 1946. It threatened to eliminate the nation's most widely grown cut flower. Two Minnesota natives and University of Minnesota Plant Pathology graduates Curt J. Olson and Herbert G. Johnson, while employed at Yoder Brothers in Ohio, helped determine the cause of chrysanthemum stunt. They also developed control methods which saved the species as a commercial crop. In 1951, Herb was a graduate research assistant in Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota, and later became a Minnesota Extension Service specialist.

Florists' Public Relations Committee

The Twin Cities were and continue to be a hub for floriculturists in the upper midwest who also looked to the University of Minnesota floriculturists for assistance, guidance and leadership in their professional activities.

The Minnesota Florists' Public Relations Committee was formed in 1950 to develop greater public visibility for the industry, and to counter the increasing number of 'please omit' notations found in obituary notices. Perry Williams, a former newspaper man, was hired as Executive Secretary. In 1960, the Committee and the Minnesota State Florists' Association merged to become the Minnesota Allied Florists' Association. Stuart Gang then replaced Perry Williams, who retired. Jim and Gen McCarthy replaced Gang in 1967.

The effectiveness of the association improved under the combined efforts of the McCarthys and the organization's elected officers. Their advertising program became a statewide effort. In 1967, when a group of South Dakota florists joined the Association, president John R. Johnson's plans for a regional organization became a reality. The name was changed to North Central Florists' Association in 1969. Florists from several other states have also become members.

Industry Continues to Develop

Bob Anderson of Tonkadale Greenhouses, designed a unique greenhouse in the 1950s. It was 16 feet high with a flat, non-translucent roof and glass sides to minimize heat loss while growing African Violets, which require relatively high temperatures. Photo shows two of the three bench levels used to maximize production per square foot of floor space. Heat was provided from below the plants through hot water pipes which also supported the concrete, water-tight benches. Florescent lamps illuminated the plants. (Photo courtesy Bob Anderson)

Bachman's grew rapidly and a plant leasing department was added in the early 1950s. A close business relationship was initiated with Dayton's Department Stores in 1951, and they opened Dayton's Flowers by Bachman's in Dayton's Minneapolis headquarters and flagship department store. Bachman's expanded with Dayton's into the new Southdale shopping mall in 1957. By the end of the 1950s, Bachman's had five retail floral shops, 34 greenhouses, a year-round garden center, plant leasing and landscaping businesses and a nursery growing range. Sales totaled $2.2 million in 1959.

Adam Gerten started growing vegetables in Ramsey County around 1890. His son Frank was a county agent who eventually turned also to the vegetable growing business. Frank's sons, Robert and Jerry, took over the business in 1951 and started growing some floral crops by 1959. Most of their products were sold at retail.

Sam Rutman started selling fruits from a cart on Hiawatha Avenue in 1948. He moved to South Lyndale Avenue in 1952 and opened Lyndale Fruit and Vegetable Market, adding bedding and flowering plants, nursery stock, etc., as his garden center grew over the years. His son Burt, and son-in-law Palmer Siegel, both became active in the business by 1960, and started a growing range in Lakeville.

In 1952, the Hans Rosacker Company opened a wholesale growing operation in Del Ray Beach, Florida. Arthur Rosacker, his son Arky, and Dick, a son of the second generation Hans, started the unit which grew to about 100 acres of production area. It eventually became an independent wholesaler. The Minneapolis firm also leased land at the New Brighton Arsenal after the Korean War for the production of cut chrysanthemums outdoors under saran mesh cover, as well as for growing azalea and hydrangea plants during the summer. Marv Saline, an employee who became a partner, and Hans Donald (Don), a second son of Hans, took charge of Rosacker's business in the 1960s, and were sole owners by the end of that decade.

The Vietnam war ended the land lease at New Brighton, so Rosacker's bought a farm in Lino Lakes. The firm continued the outdoor production until it was no longer economically feasible. It has since gradually developed a 150,000 square foot greenhouse range on the farm to supplement the production in Minneapolis. Don (third generation) made a mobile bridge on wheels to facilitate installing two layers of plastic film on quonset houses in one operation. He later updated the greenhouses with his own designs.

Roger O. Schnabel, who had worked for the Hans Rosacker Company, bought St. Anthony Roses, previously known as St. Anthony Floral Greenhouses, in Minneapolis from Fred Edmond in 1953. Roger improved the range and was quite active in national and local florists' circles and the United Minnesota Horticulture group. He was President of Roses Inc. from 1967-1970. The range was sold to John R. Johnson and Rachel Case in 1973. In 1980, the range was demolished and the land used for housing.

Snyder's Greenhouses was established in Carlton in 1954. It produced floral products for the wholesale market the year-round. Jim Fahrenholz, a former Bachman grower, bought the business in 1986 and is still operating it.

Flowers, Inc. imported baby Vanda orchids from Hawaii in 1954 for use as incentives in charitable fund drives and special events. Red Goldstein also sold at wholesale from his floral shop. Mike joined his father in the business in the early 1950s and his brother Jim joined the firm about 1955. In the later 1950s, Red sold 1,500 anthuriums to Bachman's for a Valentine's Day promotion. In 1967, Flowers, Inc. bought a run-down orchid farm called Island Orchids in Hilo, Hawaii. Mike ran the farm and also sold anthuriums from a bordering farm which they acquired. A wholesale house was opened in Minneapolis as a branch of Flowers, Inc. in 1969. Island Orchids was sold to Florafax in 1973. Red passed away in 1973. At its peak, anthurium production totaled 26 acres. Mike remained with the firm after it was sold.

Growers panel at the 1957 annual meeting of the Minnesota State Florists' Association in St. Paul. From left to right are Nick Lebens II (St. Paul), Bill Dey (St. Paul), Hans Zoerb (La Crosse), W.J. Haney, Ph.D., (Michigan State), R.E. Widmer, Ph.D., (University of Minnesota) and Roy A. Larson (University of Minnesota graduate student and currently Professor of Floriculture at North Carolina State-Raleigh). (Photo from Florists' Review. Used with permission.)

In 1956, the Society of American Florists again held its annual meeting in St. Paul. In July 1956, the FTD held its Sales and Management Rally for Florists on the Minneapolis Campus of the University of Minnesota. Local and national florists joined University personnel as participants in the program of the five-day session.

In 1957, the American Carnation Society National Meeting was held in Minneapolis. Carnation production in northern states was decreasing at the time. Colorado production was increasing and the growers were shipping carnations throughout the country.

Vince and Florence Dooley started Dooley Gardens in Hutchinson in 1957. They specialized in garden chrysanthemums, originating some of their own cultivars and offering University of Minnesota introductions. The Dooleys sold at retail, including mail order, and at wholesale and are still in business.

Sunnyside Floral opened as a floral shop and greenhouses in Hibbing in 1957. Louis Bachnik bought the business and renamed it Range Floral. Later, he sold the company to John Knuckey. The present owners, Jack and Jill Trenbeth, purchased the firm in 1987 and operate the greenhouse for spring crops.

Joe Holasek, a truck gardener, moved to Chanhassen in 1957. Joe's son Earl built a greenhouse and started growing flowers. The business grew rapidly and in time Earl was joined by Earl Jr. to form Earl Holasek and Son, Inc. They burn sawdust and woodchips for 70 percent of their heat. Earl Jr., his wife Sharon and his sister, Carol H. Thuening, work in the business.

John Bauer, an apple grower, opened a roadside stand in LaCrescent in 1953 and started Bauer's Greenhouses in 1958. He added greenhouses regularly thereafter and the range was completely rebuilt in 1983. Crops grown in the two-acre range have included bedding plants, fall chrysanthemums, and poinsettias sold at retail and wholesale. John's son Eugene took over the greenhouse operation about 1992. Another son Bruce took over the garden center-apple market.

Successive ownership of Hallstrom's (1886) in Red Wing descended directly through Frank, then Evan to present owner David. Evan experimented with air-supported greenhouses since 1958, but most of the growing houses are conventional greenhouses. They also operate a retail shop.

Dudek Supply Company of Minneapolis was started by Don Dudek in 1958 to sell hard goods to retail florists. Current owner is Tim, Don's son.

National Industry Developments in the 1950s

The flowering of chrysanthemums the year round was becoming more widespread. Production of cut flowers was increasing rapidly in Florida and California. Shipments of cut flowers to the north, including Minnesota, meant less cut flower and more container grown plant production in this region. Bedding plant production in Minnesota increased about 280 percent in wholesale dollar volume, and the number of growers increased from 161 to 227 establishments in the 1950s.

There was a trend toward growing and selling bedding plants in packs and other containers, rather than growing in flats, digging the desired number of plants and wrapping them while the customer waited. Although customers liked to buy their bedding plants in bloom, there was also a marketing trend toward selling plants in the vegetative state, labeled and with a color picture of the flower in each container. Plants of some species induced to flower in the pack were in a reproductive stage and they did not produce as much vegetative growth in the garden.

The University of California manual on the fine sand-sphagnum moss peat growth media, and the Cornell peat-lite mixes, among others, motivated the movement toward using soilless growth media. Evaporative pad cooling for greenhouses was developed, as were automatic watering systems and fertilizer injectors.

Minnesota Commercial Flower Growers

The Minnesota Commercial Flower Growers' Association was formed in October 1953. Its first objective was to initiate a program for securing adequate facilities for the University's floriculture section. They took over funding the printing and mailing of the Minnesota State Florists' Bulletin, and the Minnesota Spider Mites group was disbanded.

The commercial flower growers' group met ten times a year, with agendas that included tours of greenhouse ranges, followed by dinner and a business-educational session. The group remains active today with continuing goals of fostering education, research, a mutually beneficial working relationship between the University and people in the floriculture industry, cooperation among growers, and providing representation for the industry in government related subjects. They have cosponsored a floricultural technician in Agricultural Extension at the University since the late 1980s.

University Activities

The University's Soil Test Service for farmers was not adequate for greenhouse operators. Thus, arrangements were made to initiate an appropriate test for the florists in 1950. The testing was conducted by Muriel Widmer, the spouse of Dick Widmer, in the soils laboratory of the University's Paul Burson. In June 1951, the Minnesota State Florists' Bulletin was started, edited by Dick Widmer. Ewald Hermes founded the Minnesota Spider Mites group with annual voluntary dues of one dollar. The dues underwrote printing costs and, combined with the cooperation of the Division of Horticulture and the Agricultural Extension Service, made the Bulletin a reality six times annually. It was mailed to all known florists in the state for many years, but has been limited to subscribers, mostly in Minnesota but including others from around the world, for about 20 years.

An eight week, one night per week class, was offered retail florists in fall 1951. Another night class on flower arranging and business practices followed in 1952. Night classes for growers were presented in 1955 and 1956. The classes, held at the University with speakers from industry and the University, were well attended. Florist Conventions were held each February in Twin Cities hotels.

During a College of Agriculture reorganization in 1952, the Division of Horticulture was renamed the Department of Horticulture.

Honorary Floricultural Fraternity

The international honorary floricultural fraternity Pi Alpha Xi was founded at Cornell University in 1923. Professor Arno H. Nehrling was Pi Alpha Xi's first president. Additional chapters were established, including the University of Minnesota chapter, Lambda, chartered in 1968.

Pi Alpha Xi sponsored the first of what was to become an annual Intercollegiate Flower Judging Contest in Toronto, Canada, in 1938. Six colleges which taught floriculture entered teams. Early contests were held in conjunction with the annual National Flower Show.

Dick Widmer coached and brought the first University of Minnesota team to the Intercollegiate Flower Judging Contest in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1953. A member of that Minnesota team was Roy A. Larson, who later became a president of Pi Alpha Xi. He is currently a Professor of Floriculture at the University of North Carolina, Raleigh. Later, the site of the annual contest was moved to the campus of the co-sponsoring university. Some years later, the SAF also became a co-sponsor.

The number of teams entered in the flower judging contest peaked at 24 in 1979. Over the course of that competion's existence, the University of Minnesota has entered teams 21 times with Dick Widmer and/or Harold Wilkins coaching most of them prior to 1988. Minnesota teams have placed in the top five at ten of those contests. The 1973 team, coached by Wilkins, placed first. The 1959 team, coached by Widmer, placed third with team member Ollie Hoffman the top judge in a field of 60 entrants.

University Staff

Leon C. Snyder, Ph.D., became head of the Department of Horticulture when William H. Alderman retired in 1953. By 1970, when Snyder stepped down as head, the faculty had grown from 14 to 28 members including a second floriculturist, H.F. Wilkins. Snyder attended many florists' meetings and florist's short courses while he headed the Department.

Louis Longley died in 1954. R.J. Stadtherr, a former student of Longley, was hired as an instructor in ornamental horticulture in 1954. Stadtherr also had some Agricultural Extension responsibilities and these included visiting outstate greenhouses to provide assistance to growers during the 1950s.

In 1955, Dick Widmer completed the requirements for his Ph.D. degree.

Herbert G. Johnson, Ph.D., became an extension specialist in plant pathology in 1956, working part-time with greenhouse operators. Plant pathology researcher and teacher Louise Dosdall, Ph.D., was also very cooperative to the floriculture industry. In entomology, L. Cutkomp, Ph.D., and A. Granovsky, Ph.D., helped growers solve their insect related problems. Dosdall died in 1958.

University of Minnesota nematologist Donald P. Taylor, Ph.D., surveyed Minnesota fields and found that, contrary to popular belief, nematodes were just as common in the north as in the south. He noted that greenhouse crops were as severely attacked by nematodes as were any other group of crops.

United Minnesota Horticulture

United Minnesota Horticulture was organized in 1959 to seek a new horticulture building at the University of Minnesota, new and improved greenhouse facilities, and to generally support the University's horticultural programs. Its members came from a wide array of commercial horticultural interests, with additional members drawn from the Department of Horticulture. Early members included Lloyd Bachman, John R. Johnson, Gordon Bailey, Sr., Ken Law, Eugene Peterson, Fred Gerten, Leon Snyder, Dick Widmer and other faculty members. Other industry individuals who became involved with the group included Bruce Johnstone, Don Rosacker and Roger Schnabel.

A new 5,400 square foot, aluminum research greenhouse with glass glazing was erected for Department of Horticulture (including floriculture) use in 1959. This was the first greenhouse constructed on the St. Paul campus for horticulture since 1900, when a 4,000 square foot greenhouse had been added on to the horticulture building.

University of Minnesota Floriculture Research

Floricultural research in the 1950s at the University of Minnesota included investigations of soil fertility and amendments, climate, rooting techniques, and alternative glazing materials. Examples of this reseach abound:

• Symptoms of deficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium and boron were induced and documented in plants of three poinsettia cultivars. Sodium delayed the development of visible potassium deficiency symptoms. Fluorine supplied in the nutrient solution applied to the sand growth medium at 20-25 times the quantity added to city water supplies had no negative effects on the poinsettia plants.
• Low temperature sensitivity levels of garden chrysanthemums were determined. Plants hardened by exposure to cool (around freezing) temperatures showed limited injury to the crowns (not plant tops) at 15ø Fahrenheit, severe injury at 5ø, and were killed at lower temperatures. Degree of injury was also influenced by soil moisture, premature foliage loss, type of plant development, cultivar and length of exposure to low temperature.
• Trials determined the best production schedules and Minnesota garden chrysanthemum cultivars for spring flowering pot plant production. Replicated field trials evaluated preferred herbicides for weed control.
• Studies with Croft Easter Lilies showed that a steady supply of nitrogen fertilizer of appropriate types, high soil calcium levels and a soil pH in the vicinity of 6.5 virtually eliminated leaf scorch.
• Several years of experiments determined the best rooting media, temperatures and conditions for rooting poinsettia cuttings including directly in pots with intermittent mist.
• As plastic films of various types became available for glazing greenhouses in the 1950s, trials were established to evaluate light transmission through the films, their useful life span, and plant growth under the films. The variety of useful results included findings that polyethylene had a useful life of up to one year and transmitted a lower percentage of the available light than did glass in the winter. Polyvinyl cost more, had a similar life span at the time and had an affinity to dust. Weatherable Mylar and Scotch-Pak, a polyester film reinforced with nylon mesh, had appreciably longer service lives, but were much higher priced. Polyethylene film provided a great potential for use in building low-cost, wood frame greenhouses, especially for bedding plant production. Crop quality in such structures was quite good. Rigid plastic, fiberglass-reinforced panels which were much more resistant to breakage than glass, were also available starting in the late 1950s. Light transmission through the rigid plastic panels was appreciably less than through glass and decreased as the material weathered.

Development of new cultivars in the plant breeding programs also continued apace. New cultivars of garden chrysanthemums developed by the breeding program are listed in Appendix B. In 1957, the introductions 'Minnpink' and 'Minnbronze' marked the beginning of a popular series with a cushion growth habit, all of which were given names with the 'Minn' prefix.

Como Park Conservatory

After years of neglect, the Como Conservatory was partly rehabilitated in 1953 and 1957. Damage from a 1962 hailstorm necessitated an emergency appropriation of $75,000 for additional repairs. Fiberglass reinforced plastic glazing was used extensively in replacement of the glass. Concern over the safety of persons in the structure during sudden storms helped influence the selection. A reopening was celebrated on October 1, 1962.

Produced by Communication and Educational Technology Services, University of Minnesota Extension.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact your University of Minnesota Extension office or the Extension Store at (800) 876-8636.

University of Minnesota Extension is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.