Conditioning and Conditioning and Storing Cut Flowers Storing Cut Flowers
and Greensand Greens
Long lasting Long lasting flowersflowers
importantimportant pleases customerpleases customer happy customers return to happy customers return to
the florist when they need the florist when they need flowers in the futureflowers in the future
Chain of LifeChain of Life developed by the Society developed by the Society
of American Florists of American Florists 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
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
TranspirationTranspiration gases and water vapor gases and water vapor
move from an area of move from an area of greater concentration to greater concentration to an area of lesser an area of lesser concentrationconcentration
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
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 flowers that speed maturitymaturity
Ethylene GasEthylene Gas causes rapid causes rapid
deterioration of cut deterioration of cut flowersflowers
many sources of many sources of ethylene gasethylene gas
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
premature deathpremature death flower and petal dropflower and petal drop yellowing of foliage yellowing of foliage
Symptoms of Symptoms of ethyleneethylene
loss of foliageloss of foliage upward cupping of petals upward cupping of petals
- known as sleepiness in - known as sleepiness in carnations.carnations.
Water qualityWater quality hydration, process where hydration, process where
flowers draw water and flowers draw water and nutrients up their stems nutrients up their stems to the leaves and flowers to the leaves and flowers through capillariesthrough capillaries
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
Total Dissolved Total Dissolved SolidsSolids
TDSTDS measure of the dissolved measure of the dissolved
salt and mineralssalt and minerals
TDSTDS some minerals are some minerals are
beneficial to flowersbeneficial to flowers floral preservatives are floral preservatives are
formulated for varying formulated for varying water types and pH’swater types and pH’s
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
UnpackingUnpacking excessive damage should excessive damage should
be reported to the be reported to the wholesalerwholesaler
Re-cut the stemsRe-cut the stems stems are cut with a stems are cut with a
knife rather than shearsknife rather than shears shears can pinch the shears can pinch the
xylem tubes causing xylem tubes causing partial blockagepartial blockage
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
Re-cut the stemsRe-cut the stems stems that have a milky stems that have a milky
sap must be blackened sap must be blackened over a flame or put the over a flame or put the tips in boiling water for 10-tips in boiling water for 10-30 seconds to seal the sap 30 seconds to seal the sap so water can be absorbed.so water can be absorbed.
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
Clean Containers Clean Containers and Coolerand Cooler
there are commercial there are commercial products available that products available that disinfect, clean and disinfect, clean and deodorize in one stepdeodorize in one step
Non-metallic containers Non-metallic containers should be usedshould be used
Metal ContainersMetal Containers decrease the decrease the
effectiveness of effectiveness of preservativespreservatives
ContainersContainers should be short enough should be short enough
so that the flowers do not so that the flowers do not come in contact with the come in contact with the sides of the containersides of the container
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 temperature of the temperature of the
solution should be solution should be between 100 degrees between 100 degrees and 110 degrees and 110 degrees FarenheitFarenheit
PreservativesPreservatives extend the life of flowers extend the life of flowers
in three waysin three ways provide a food source provide a food source
needed for respirationneeded for respiration
PreservativesPreservatives contain sugar which contain sugar which
flowers use to flowers use to manufacture food to manufacture food to replace that lost through replace that lost through respirationrespiration
PreservativesPreservatives provide an acidifier which provide an acidifier which
lowers the pH of the lowers the pH of the waterwater
water moves through the water moves through the vascular system of the vascular system of the flower at a pH of 3.5flower at a pH of 3.5
PreservativesPreservatives Acidic solution reduces Acidic solution reduces
bacterial actionbacterial action contain a bactericide contain a bactericide
which kills bacteriawhich kills bacteria
PreservativesPreservatives can be purchased in can be purchased in
either liquid or powder either liquid or powder formform
follow directions for follow directions for mixing the preservativemixing the preservative
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
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
Allow flowers to Allow flowers to absorb H2Oabsorb H2O
all flowers except roses all flowers except roses should remain in the should remain in the warm preservative warm preservative solution outside the solution outside the cooler for one to two cooler for one to two hourshours
Allow flowers to Allow flowers to absorb H2Oabsorb H2O
roses should be stored in roses should be stored in the cooler immediatelythe cooler immediately
this treatment allows this treatment allows flowers to absorb the flowers to absorb the maximum amount of maximum amount of waterwater
Allow flowers to Allow flowers to absorb H2Oabsorb H2O
at the end of this time for at the end of this time for water absorption, the water absorption, the flowers should feel turgid flowers should feel turgid - full of water- full of water
Allow flowers to Allow flowers to absorb H2Oabsorb H2O
flowers that are shipped flowers that are shipped in the bud stage such as in the bud stage such as gladioli, lilies, and gladioli, lilies, and carnations could sit at carnations could sit at room temperature room temperature overnight to open upovernight to open up
