[OMS_MANAGERS] Flower Baskets

Thu Jan 2 17:05:03 PST 2020

Hi All, 

 We have two flower programs going at present.  We plant 120 ground pots per year with volunteers.  Our city has a “Give Back Day” that provides as many high school students as need to get the panting done in one day. The local Garden Club mentors the students through the process.  We have a local high school with an agricultural program raise the plants from seeds.  (they charge us $1 per plant and they are about 3” when we plant)  We plant 11 plants per pot in Mid May.   We have freezes that happen up until that time so we can’t do it sooner.  We have a watering company prepare the pots with fertilizer and extra soil early in May. ($2,000 for this service)   They water 6 days a week until September 30th.  Our cost for the season for that is about $13,000.   

The hanging basket program is a little different.  They are planted in 18” baskets in January at a local nursery’s green house.  They are in full bloom when we hang them late in May.  Because we have a windy and dry climate, we have to have the 30 baskets watered two times a day.  It cost’s about $9,000 for this.  We hang these on our light poles at the intersections..  They have a great visual impact for car traffic.  As you can see in the picture, we only hang on one side of the pole and have a coordinating banner on the other side.  This cut our cost in half, (we used to do 60 baskets, two on each pole), yet we feel the impact is just as good.  Each basket as an aphid liner to deter them through out the season.

The watering company applies fertilizer off and on through out the season.  This is part of the cost.

I experimented with the self watering pots that Albany has, but I didn’t have much luck.  I also worried about the weight when they are at full capacity.  I would love a picture of the Albany pots late in the season??

We just did a city survey for our EID renewal and flowers were easily in the top two amenities that the community valued.  
Good Luck everyone!!

Thank you for all you do!!
Kendall

.  

> On Jan 2, 2020, at 2:47 PM, HARVEY W SCHUBOTHE <ninerharv2 at msn.com> wrote:
> 
> I am curious about that as well.
> 
> Harv Schubothe
> 
> From: OMS_MANAGERS <oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>> on behalf of Sarah Lu Heath <sarah at astoriadowntown.com <mailto:sarah at astoriadowntown.com>>
> Sent: Thursday, January 2, 2020 10:49 AM
> To: Oregon Main Street program managers <oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>>
> Subject: Re: [OMS_MANAGERS] Flower Baskets
>  
> Kendall, 
> 
> Could you share ballpark estimates of the cost from most of your RFP returns? 
> 
> Sarah Lu Heath
> Executive Director
> Astoria Downtown Historic District Association
> No.1-12th Street, Suite 114
> PO Box 261 
> Astoria, OR 97103
> 503.791.7940
> https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.AstoriaDowntown.com&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9d01fd1dae5547d55d8708d78fb480de%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637135877719433653&sdata=D%2BxIlAC3Lv9WAEacOgNj017%2BCSTK1%2BR%2FLklydoslGvk%3D&reserved=0 <https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.AstoriaDowntown.com&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9d01fd1dae5547d55d8708d78fb480de%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637135877719433653&sdata=D%2BxIlAC3Lv9WAEacOgNj017%2BCSTK1%2BR%2FLklydoslGvk%3D&reserved=0>
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: OMS_MANAGERS <oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>> On Behalf Of Karen Cooley Jennings
> Sent: Monday, December 23, 2019 4:13 PM
> To: Oregon Main Street program managers <oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>>
> Subject: Re: [OMS_MANAGERS] Flower Baskets
> 
> Alas, it is too windy for Port Orford to have hanging baskets (!!), but we have planters in our benches.  The first year watering was done by Coos Curry Electric.  This past summer we had individuals who were responsible for single planters.  Next summer, not sure.  
> 
> Karen Cooley Jennings, President
> Port Orford 
> 
> Sent from my phone...sorry this isn’t personalized. 
> 
> 
> > On Dec 23, 2019, at 2:19 PM, Lise Grato <director at albanydowntown.com <mailto:director at albanydowntown.com>> wrote:
> > 
> > Our hanging baskets are planted by a local grower and delivered to Albany.
> > Design Committee and additional volunteers hang them. The watering and 
> > fertilizer handled by seasonal staff who are hired and managed by ADA. 
> > This season we will hang 100 "self-watering" hanging planters after 
> > testing 4 last year. This should allow us to move to watering every 
> > other day (half each day - 7 days a week) and eliminate the double watering on "hot" days.
> > It will also reduce water use and the unavoidably watering & 
> > fertilizing of bicycles, sidewalks, etc. We also water 50-75 member 
> > owner planters along the sidewalks.
> > 
> > Kendall - Thank you for sharing your RFP. I'd love an idea of what it 
> > costs to hire it out.
> > 
> > Wesley - I'd love to hear where you end up on this. Are you moving 
> > from internal to external for the first time?
> > 
> > Thank you,
> > 
> > Lise Grato
> > Executive Director
> > Albany Downtown Association
> > 126 SW Ferry Street
> > Albany, OR 97321
> > 
> > Email: director at albanydowntown.com <mailto:director at albanydowntown.com>
> > Phone: (541) 928-2469
> > Cell: (541) 905-2908
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: OMS_MANAGERS 
> > [mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>]
> > On Behalf Of Kendall Bell
> > Sent: Monday, December 23, 2019 12:25 PM
> > To: Oregon Main Street program managers 
> > <oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>>
> > Subject: Re: [OMS_MANAGERS] Flower Baskets
> > 
> > Hello Wesley,
> > 
> > The attached RFP was developed over several years and in conjunction 
> > with our city.  It includes the scope of work for both ground pots and 
> > hanging baskets.
> > 
> > Let me know if you have any questions.
> > 
> > Good Luck! 
> > 
> > Kendall in Klamath Falls
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 

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