Toward Longer-Lasting Flowers- Grow Keeping Quality in Yours Flowers
Subject:
New York State Flower Industries , Inc
Abstract:
It has been estimated that one-third of the cut-flower life is influenced by the pre-harvest environment and the other two-thirds of the cut-flower life by the handling and environment to which the crop is exposed after harvest. At this point, let's take a look at the pre-harvest environment and see what the grower can do to grow keeping quality into flowers. —Fertilize plants for good yields and normal growth. —Use an automatic watering system that does not per mit areas to become dry in benches. Determine the optimum moisture leveHor growing in your soils and do not let it become dryer than this. —Control temperatures even when outdoor tempera tures are high. Avoid extreme fluctuations in day— night temperatures, day to day, or week to week. —Provide plants with all the light possible and adjust temperatures to prevailing light conditions. Green house coverings, glass, fiberglass, or polyethylene, should be clean year round. —Manipulate your environmental and cultural factors to produce a high percentage of dry matter in your product. —Harvest and ship your flowers at the peak of their potential value.
Keywords: Preharvest environment Environmental Fertilize Automatic watering system
Libraries: Floriculture