Advice on Wheat Please!

Sprout

Sprout

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2009
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Worcester
www.sprout-flowers.com
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I have a corporate client (high end hotel restaurant) who wants permanent arrangements that are predominantly wheat.

I have a couple questions -
1. I know from past experience storing wheat from one season to the next, you can attract little rodent friends who regard it as a free buffet - do I mention this to the customer?
2. If they decide to go with real wheat, what should I tell them is a realistic lifespan for these arrangements? My head tells me it should be redone annually, but what do you guys think?
3. I don't generally work in permanent materials - is there such a thing as realistic looking faux wheat? Anyone have a source?

Thanks for the help!
 
Most definately tell them about the rodents. I actually had them in my old store, and baited traps with the wheat, that's how much they like it.

I have seen some pretty good permanents, Ricky would for sure know. They look great from a distance, but are shiney when you are near.

The real is SO brittle, though, any brushing up against it will be a constant mess.

I'll have to check, but I think it starts with a "t" that looks very similar to wheat, and is much more sturdy if they are adamantly opposed to permanent.
 
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definite on the rodents..........been there done it (shop cat is blind now and she can't catch them anymore)

Life, if in dry area, life probably less than annual.......

Messy, messy messy.... dusting impossible without sharp little buggers digging into everything...

Sullivans? have some of the best "faux" product I've seen..... pricey but worth it. sullivangift.com I believe
 
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we actually stopped carrying any kind of grain type stems, our rodents are highly sophisticated, and are trained in defoliation and chaff combat:duel:
 
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Hate dried wheat, the rodents, the catching on everything, the mess....I would push the faux just to not be responsible for all of the problems that go with it..Tapscotts has some poly wheat bushes for 7.50 a bunch packed 6...looks kind of chepish though...
 
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I just ordered great faux wheat from cri. I can get the phone # tomorrow. they are located in connecticut. It didn't look plastic at all. their prices are lower than merivick but not as cheap as tapscotts
 
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Thanks all! I will tactfully mention the rodent issue, but I would prefer to go artificial if I can find good quality. I don't think price is going to be a big issue. And Jenifer, if you have that phone number, that would be awesome!

Did I mention they want this done one week from today??!!! Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I got very nice faux wheat last fall at Hunter's in Boston across from the flower market. Give him a call and see if he still has any or can get some quick.
 
Every year for the last 15 years or so, I have purchased the most amazing fresh wheat sheafs from an old Czechoslavakian farmer in our area, to sell in my shop.
He grows his own wheat, and harvests it green, and then makes his sheafs Euro style, the way he learned how to do it when he was a kid back home, so that the "beards", or the tops of the wheat create a dome , but the bottom is arranged in concave concentric rings. Absolutely amazingly beautiful.
Anyway, my point is that I bought 2 for our home back in 1995, and I still have them in our home. They've been moved around many times, but never packed away, and they still look great. Maybe the trick is to pick it green, I'm really not sure. But no mice trouble here, ( or at work ) and I just dust them with a "swiffer" or vaccume over them. In a hotel environment, they would probebly only last a year or 2 because of the constant contact, but still great value for the money. Perhaps if you considered getting in the fresh product, and working up your arrangements fresh, then letting them dry, you would be better positioned to offer a more realistic price point for a natural product.
JP
 
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OB1 said:
Every year for the last 15 years or so, I have purchased the most amazing fresh wheat sheafs from an old Czechoslavakian farmer in our area, to sell in my shop.
He grows his own wheat, and harvests it green, and then makes his sheafs Euro style, the way he learned how to do it when he was a kid back home, so that the "beards", or the tops of the wheat create a dome , but the bottom is arranged in concave concentric rings. Absolutely amazingly beautiful.
Anyway, my point is that I bought 2 for our home back in 1995, and I still have them in our home. They've been moved around many times, but never packed away, and they still look great. Maybe the trick is to pick it green, I'm really not sure. But no mice trouble here, ( or at work ) and I just dust them with a "swiffer" or vaccume over them. In a hotel environment, they would probebly only last a year or 2 because of the constant contact, but still great value for the money. Perhaps if you considered getting in the fresh product, and working up your arrangements fresh, then letting them dry, you would be better positioned to offer a more realistic price point for a natural product.
JP
Click to expand...

all that means, is that OUR mice are MORE ambitious.....you ARE "close" to Ottawa you know :)
 
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