Daughter continues family’s legacy by taking over greenhouse for her late father

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

The spring planting season brings vibrant hues to life — a welcome respite to a cold and dormant winter season.

Soon, those flowers and plants will be in full bloom, providing a kaleidoscope of color to brighten anyone’s day.

That was Delwin “Matt” Bluhm’s favorite time of the year.

So when the trucks pulled up Friday morning on the outskirts of Charles City just off of Quail Avenue, Kylie Knecht (Bluhm) knew that what she was doing was the right thing.

The delivery of geraniums will be the first of many deliveries to her family’s longstanding greenhouse business in Floyd County.

It’s a yearly ritual for Bluhm’s Greenhouse, which was owned and operated by Matt Bluhm for more 30 years until his passing this past January of colon cancer at the age of 55.

Now Bluhm’s daughter, Kylie, is in charge of the greenhouse operations. The decision to take the reins of the family-run business is an ode to her late father and her family’s legacy, she said.

Knecht talked about her father not being a part of this year’s planting season. The greenhouse will be open for business the first weekend in May.

“He was amazing. God, it’s so hard. Today, we’re planting for the first time. I bawled when the truck came in because this was dad’s favorite day — his favorite day of the whole season,” said Knecht.

Knecht will be a fourth-generation owner in the Bluhm family business. Her great grandparents, William and Daisy Bluhm, sold bare roots in the 1930s out of their country store located west of town.

Knecht will balance school and operation of the business, which has 11 greenhouses for growing and raising plants on the Quail Avenue property. There are six greenhouses at the Highway 14 location, where anything from rose trees, hanging baskets, vegetables, petunias and perennials are sold to customers from around the area. A temporary greenhouse is also erected in the Ace Hardware parking lot for customer’s convenience.

The last greenhouse built was completed just before the snowfall came in November. Matt helped erect it, and Kylie said she was thankful he could take part in that.

“He was working on a greenhouse one day and we were in the hospital the next day,” said Kylie. “It was just totally unexpected. This whole spring was not planned. We planned on him being here for many, many years.”

Knecht is two months away from obtaining her master’s degree in post-secondary education: student affairs at the University of Northern Iowa.

She and husband, Will Knecht, will help run the family business while Kylie finishes her studies. Will also took over the four family car washes that Matt used to operate — two in Charles City and two in Mason City.

Kylie said she couldn’t have taken on such a big task alone.

“I’ve had an absolutely phenomenal support system. Whether it’s been my faculty members, my supervisor, my classmates — everyone. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to do both,” she said.

Kylie, 24, has been around greenhouses since before she could walk. She says she’s helped her whole life, watering the plants, marking boxes or helping customers take their plants out to their cars. When Kylie entered high school, that’s when she started to help with the sales portion of the business.

“This is in my blood,” said Knecht. “My dad was my best friend. I learned everything from him. He was the smartest man I’ve met in my entire life. It’s hard without dad. He knew everything about everything.”

Matt purchased the business in 1988 from his father, Don Bluhm, who is still living. Don and his brother, Allan, took over the business from the oldest brother, William “Bud” Bluhm, in 1972. Bud Bluhm had started Bluhm’s Greenhouse on 4th and Clinton Street in 1959.

Kylie said she doesn’t plan any major changes to the business.

“Everything that we have is exactly like Dad’s done it in the past,” she said. “Our order was placed in the early fall so it’s going to be continuing business as usual. The same products will be offered.”

Geraniums are what Bluhm’s is known for, Kylie said. She said more than 31,000 have been ordered.

“Once we start planting, we’re here every day. Whether it’s caring for the ones already planted or receiving new inventory,” she said.

Kylie said she has a team of four in addition to many family and friends who volunteer their time to help out with the business.

“It’s a huge honor to be able to take this over,” said Kylie.

“He loved the people,” she said, talking about her father.

“Our community has been what has made this a wonderful experience. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t be where we are today.”