Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Freeze Hurts San Diego Flower Growers

The January freeze has devastated many San Diego County flower growers. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce tells us the nursery industry faces huge losses.

Freeze Hurts San Diego Flower Growers

The January freeze has devastated many San Diego County flower growers. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce tells us the nursery industry faces huge losses.

The coldest January in more than 40 years has punished the county's billion-dollar agriculture industry. Eric Larson is the executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau. Larson says damage to nursery crops is worse than growers expected.

Advertisement

Larson: Because plants that looked thrifty and healthy after the freeze have continued to decline to the point that the flowers are no longer good on those plants.

Larson says nursery and cut flower growers expect multi-million-dollar losses. He says the freeze has delayed the growth of potted plants which means growers will miss the peak Spring selling season. There won't be a shortage of flowers for Valentine's Day. Larson says most of those flowers come from Mexico and South America. Ed Joyce, KPBS News.