Conditioning and Conditioning and Storing Cut Flowers Storing Cut Flowers

and Greensand Greens

Long lasting Long lasting flowersflowers

Very important b/c it Very important b/c it pleases customerspleases customers

happy customers return happy customers return to the florist when they to the florist when they need flowers in the need flowers in the futurefuture

Chain of LifeChain of Life Helps growers, Helps growers,

wholesalers, and retailers wholesalers, and retailers lengthen the life of lengthen the life of flowersflowers

Chain of LifeChain of Life provide information on proper provide information on proper

care and handling throughout care and handling throughout the marketing chainthe marketing chain

proper care and handling proper care and handling results in longer lasting results in longer lasting flowersflowers

Flower Flower deteriorationdeterioration

The cause is:The cause is:– low water absorptionlow water absorption–most flower stems are at most flower stems are at least partially blocked least partially blocked when they arrive at the when they arrive at the retail floristretail florist

Causes of blockageCauses of blockage cutting stems with dull cutting stems with dull

toolstools cut with shears that cut with shears that

pinch the xylem (water pinch the xylem (water conducting tubes in the conducting tubes in the stem)stem)

Causes of blockageCauses of blockage bacteria or minerals in bacteria or minerals in

the water clog the stemthe water clog the stem

Causes of blockageCauses of blockage air can enter the stems air can enter the stems

at the time of cutting and at the time of cutting and partially block the stempartially block the stem

can become so severe can become so severe that flowers wilt in their that flowers wilt in their containercontainer

Loss of waterLoss of water transpirationtranspiration

–process by which plants process by which plants lose water through their lose water through their leavesleaves

Loss of WaterLoss of Water water vapor moves out of water vapor moves out of

the plant through the the plant through the stomata (stomates)stomata (stomates)

tiny openings in the tiny openings in the underside of the leafunderside of the leaf

Loss of WaterLoss of Water flowers wilt when flowers wilt when

moisture is lost through moisture is lost through transpiration quicker transpiration quicker than it is taken in than it is taken in through the stems.through the stems.

Loss of WaterLoss of Water occurs more rapidly at occurs more rapidly at

higher temperatureshigher temperatures

Loss of foodLoss of food flowers are still living and flowers are still living and

need a source of foodneed a source of food

Loss of foodLoss of food flowers continue to flowers continue to

photosynthesize after photosynthesize after they are cutthey are cut

must be given the proper must be given the proper light and a source of light and a source of sugarsugar

DiseaseDisease BotrytisBotrytis a fungus which causes a fungus which causes

brown spots on petalsbrown spots on petals

5th per. 1/20

BotrytisBotrytis do not allow flowers to do not allow flowers to

get wet before putting get wet before putting them in the coolerthem in the cooler

allow wet flowers to dry allow wet flowers to dry before putting in the before putting in the coolercooler

Ethylene GasEthylene Gas naturally occurring gas in naturally occurring gas in

flowers that speed maturityflowers that speed maturity causes rapid causes rapid

deterioration of deterioration of

cut flowerscut flowers

Ethylene GasEthylene Gas fruit, especially applesfruit, especially apples diseased or injured diseased or injured

flowersflowers

Ethylene GasEthylene Gas rotting foliage below the rotting foliage below the

water linewater line exhaust fumes from carsexhaust fumes from cars

Symptoms of Symptoms of ethyleneethylene

flower and petal dropflower and petal drop yellowing of foliage yellowing of foliage loss of foliageloss of foliage

Water QualityWater Quality pHpH measure of acidity or measure of acidity or

alkalinity on a scale from alkalinity on a scale from 0-14 with 7 being neutral0-14 with 7 being neutral

pHpH pH of 3.2 - 4.5 pH of 3.2 - 4.5

maximizes hydrationmaximizes hydration floral preservatives floral preservatives

commonly added to commonly added to prolong flower life lower prolong flower life lower the pHthe pH

Conditioning Conditioning flowersflowers

techniques of treating techniques of treating flowers to extend their flowers to extend their life.life.

Begins when flowers Begins when flowers arrive from the arrive from the wholesalerwholesaler

UnpackingUnpacking as soon as they arriveas soon as they arrive

loosen paper or plastic loosen paper or plastic sleeves which they have sleeves which they have been wrapped inbeen wrapped in

UnpackingUnpacking flowers will expand as flowers will expand as

they maturethey mature flowers will be crushed if flowers will be crushed if

the sleeves are not the sleeves are not loosened.loosened.

UnpackingUnpacking do not loosen sleeves on do not loosen sleeves on

rosesroses customers prefer roses in customers prefer roses in

the bud stagethe bud stage

UnpackingUnpacking check for signs of check for signs of

disease, damage or disease, damage or wiltingwilting

remove damaged or remove damaged or diseased flowers from diseased flowers from the bunch before storagethe bunch before storage

Re-cut the stemsRe-cut the stems stems are cut with a stems are cut with a

knife rather than shearsknife rather than shears

Re-cut the stemsRe-cut the stems cut stems on a slantcut stems on a slant this helps them to absorb this helps them to absorb

more watermore water prevents the stems from prevents the stems from

sealing to the bottom of sealing to the bottom of the containerthe container

Re-cut the stemsRe-cut the stems stems should be cut stems should be cut

under warm waterunder warm water warm water contains less warm water contains less

air than cold waterair than cold water

Remove lower Remove lower foliagefoliage

remove all foliage from stems remove all foliage from stems that would be underwater in that would be underwater in the storage containerthe storage container

foliage left underwater will foliage left underwater will decay and lead to bacterial decay and lead to bacterial growthgrowth

Remove lower Remove lower foliagefoliage

rotting foliage clogs the rotting foliage clogs the stems and releases stems and releases ethylene gasethylene gas

Remove lower Remove lower foliagefoliage

use a glove or rag to pull use a glove or rag to pull the leaves off quickly the leaves off quickly down the stemdown the stem

remove outside or remove outside or damaged petals on rosesdamaged petals on roses

Clean Containers Clean Containers and Coolerand Cooler

containers for flower containers for flower storage should be storage should be cleaned with hot cleaned with hot detergent solution, detergent solution, disinfected with bleach disinfected with bleach and thoroughly rinsedand thoroughly rinsed

Clean Containers Clean Containers and Coolerand Cooler

a 10% bleach solution is a 10% bleach solution is used for disinfecting the used for disinfecting the containerscontainers

Metal ContainersMetal Containers decrease the decrease the

effectiveness of effectiveness of preservativespreservatives

PreservativesPreservatives Place a warm Place a warm

preservative solution in preservative solution in the container prior to the container prior to adding flowersadding flowers

PreservativesPreservatives extend the life of flowers in extend the life of flowers in

three waysthree ways– provide a food source needed provide a food source needed

for respirationfor respiration– contain sugar which flowers contain sugar which flowers

use to manufacture fooduse to manufacture food– provide an acidifier which provide an acidifier which

lowers the pH of the waterlowers the pH of the water

PreservativesPreservatives too much preservative too much preservative

can burn the flowercan burn the flower too little will not be too little will not be

enough to keep flowers enough to keep flowers freshfresh

PreservativesPreservatives home made preservative home made preservative

can be made using 50% can be made using 50% Sprite or 7Up, or similar Sprite or 7Up, or similar drink containing citric drink containing citric acidacid

Another homemade Another homemade PreservativesPreservatives

50% warm water 50% warm water 1 1/2 teaspoons bleach 1 1/2 teaspoons bleach

to each quart of solutionto each quart of solution