PIERSON, Fla. – Freezing temperatures are headed to Volusia County, threatening fern crops and the $100 million fern farm industry. About 80% of the green foliage sold in bouquets across the U.S. and Canada comes from northeast Volusia County.
Companies growing ferns are watching the weather closely because freezing conditions can kill plants before their busiest season.
“This is our busiest week out of the year and we’re behind because of harvesting,” said David Register with Fern Trust, Inc.
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Register said freezing temperatures this weekend will reduce what they can harvest for the upcoming holidays.
“The tender stuff might be damaged a little bit but with the added ice it means we won’t be able to get it into harvest because everything will be coated in ice,” he said.
News 6 visited Register’s fern farm two weeks ago. He showed the technology used to monitor their 200 acres and the water system they turn on once temperatures hit 33 degrees to keep plants warm and alive.
That system is designed for temperatures in the 30s, though.
[WATCH: Pierson fern growers brace for freeze threat]
Register said they will need to add another layer of protection this weekend by turning on a larger water system earlier and running it longer.
“We’ll crank it one evening and run for 24 to 48 hours possibly straight, hoping that a pump doesn’t break down,” he said. “It becomes a test of man and machine when you get into the marathon freezes.”
If the water system isn’t running, the plants will die.
Even small losses will cut profits at a time when fern growers need it most. Register said some fern farms have closed in the last decade due to rising costs and shrinking profits.
Costs for fertilizer, labor, and gas have skyrocketed over the last year, making it harder to keep businesses running.
Register said they have thankfully harvested a lot already for Valentine’s Day, but this cold snap could have a domino effect.
“Everything is really important farm-wise now and holidays like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter is really important for our industry because it gives us a little bit of a bump at a tough time,” he said.
When it gets this cold, workers don’t go out to harvest. So while they might be okay for Valentine’s Day, the freeze could seriously impact production for Mother’s Day.
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