Flower Growers Prepare for Valentine’s Day

WHERE are all the flowers grown?Llano Grande, a farming communityeight kilometers northwest ofCartago, is known mainly for itsflower plantations. Most are small,family-owned operations, approximately45 of which are in the processof forming a small flower growers’association.Clockwise from top left, rows of colorfulchrysanthemums are ready forpicking at the flower farm of JoséMiguel Quirós and wife Denia Zúñiga;Quirós cuts flowers, which are thensorted by color, wrapped in plasticand tied, and shipped to the distributor;though beautiful, this rose is unfitfor commercial sale, its growth havingbeen stunted by January’s unusuallycold weather; Carlos Pérezarranges flowers at the distributor’sshop; Jeyson Quirós helps his parentswrap flowers in plastic for protection;Zúñiga and son Jeyson separatefresh-cut flowers by color.Flowers grown in Llano Grande aredistributed by Ticaflor, whose warehouseand offices are 450 meterswest of the main entrance to thePacific train station. Ticaflor distributesthe flowers for sale in shopsthroughout the country, and exports asmall amount to Panama andNicaragua. For information, call 239-9711 or 221-3473.