Conditioning and Storing Cut Flowers and Greens Mr. Wilson Uintah High School

Unit Objectives 1. Students will explain the basic care requirements of cut flowers. 2. Students will explain causes of rapid flower deterioration. 3. Students will properly mix floral preservatives. 4. Students will describe the steps of effective conditioning of flowers and foliage. 5. Students will properly cut and prepare flowers for storage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyf4HsxvZAM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE9PRXOmodY

Long lasting flowers Important – saves $$$ Pleases customer happy customers return to the florist when they need flowers in the future

In your notebooks: New page. Title: Where do flowers come from?

Chain of Life Researched and followed procedures for handling, conditioning and storing cut flowers! developed by the Society of American Florists Helps growers, wholesalers, and retailers lengthen the life of flowers

Chain of Life – steps Instructions: Label each stop on a separate chain top. On bottom of chain describe step. 1. Grower – grows and harvest flowers. 2. Broker – Buys large volumes of flowers from growers all over the world. 3. Shipper – ships to the wholesalers.

3 more steps – Chain of Life 4. Wholesaler – Receives flowers from growers and brokers. Conditions them to sell to retailers. 5. Retail Florist – Buys from wholesaler and growers. Conditions flowers for sale to public. 6. Customer – Purchases arranged & conditioned flowers for enjoyment, gifts, celebrations.

Flower Deterioration – new page in your notebook. Deterioration - The process of progressively becoming worse. Question? Why or how do plants deteriorate? Poor or low water absorption. Stem blockage Bacteria or Fungi Flower death – Senescence Removal from mother plant Plant is still growing (photosynthesizing) 1. Plant needs light and food! 2. Cut flowers cannot produce their own food.

Water Problems Low water absorption most flower stems are at least partially blocked when they arrive at the retail florist

Stems Internal Structures: Xylem: Tissue responsible for carrying water and nutrients from roots to leaves; located near center of stem Xylem Up!! Phloem: Tissue responsible for carrying food produced in leaf to rest of plant; usually located near outside of stem Phloem down and around!! Label Xylem and Phloem in your notebooks on the diagram you glue in.

Put these in your notebooks in color! Causes of blockage Put these in your notebooks in color! 1. Cutting stems with dull tools 2. Cut with shears that pinch the xylem (water conducting tubes in the stem) 3. Bacteria or minerals in the water clog the stem

Causes of blockage 4. Air can enter the stems at the time of cutting and partially block the stem (best to cut under water) This can become so severe that flowers wilt in their container

Loss of water Transpiration - process by which plants lose water through their leaves. Gases and water vapor move from an area of greater concentration to an area of lesser concentration. water vapor moves out of the plant through the stomata (stomates) tiny openings in the underside of the leaf https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=mc9gUm1mMzc

Loss of Water flowers wilt when moisture is lost through transpiration quicker than it is taken in through the stems. occurs more rapidly at higher temperatures Turgor Pressure – the water pressure inside the plant cells. Makes the plant rigid! Drawn a diagram to show this in example in your notebook!

Loss of Nutrients flowers are still living and need a source of nutrients flowers continue to photosynthesize after they are cut must be given the proper light and a source of sugar

Environmental/Sanitation Conditions can cause Diseases! Put in your notebook Prevent Disease by: Proper temperatures of storage cooler and preservative solution. Use only CLEAN Hands, tools, knives, shears, containers and work area. Humidity needs to be controlled.

Poor Sanitation and Environment can cause. Put in the notebook! Poor Sanitation and Environment can cause. Botrytis – Disease a fungus which causes brown spots on petals

Preventing Botrytis (In notebook) do not allow flowers to get wet before putting them in the cooler allow wet flowers to dry before putting in the cooler

Ethylene Gas naturally occurring gas (hormone) in flowers that speeds up maturity. causes rapid deterioration of cut flowers. many sources of ethylene gas

Ethylene Gas Sources fruit, especially apples diseased or injured flowers

Ethylene Gas rotting foliage below the water line exhaust fumes from cars

Symptoms of ethylene premature death flower and petal drop yellowing of foliage loss of foliage upward cupping of petals - known as sleepiness in carnations.

Put this scale in your notebook! Water Quality pH - measure of acidity or alkalinity on a scale from 0- 14 with 7 being neutral

pH pH of 3.2 - 4.5 maximizes hydration (slightly acidic) floral preservatives commonly added to prolong flower life by lower the pH!

Water quality & pH hydration, process where flowers draw water and nutrients up their stems to the leaves and flowers through capillaries A flower is 90% water

Preservatives A commercial product designed to make flowers last longer. Temperature of the solution should be between 100 degrees and 110 degrees Fahrenheit! Luke warm. Warm water increases uptake and contains less trapped air.

Preservatives Contains some of all of the following: 1 –Sugar (carbohydrates) provides a food source needed for respiration 2 – Acidifiers to lower pH for more absorption. 3 –Wetting agents – break of surface tension, increases absorption. 4 – Growth regulators – controls excessive growth. 5 – Biocides – to control the growth of microorganisms like bacteria and fungi!

Preservatives can be purchased in either liquid or powder form follow directions for mixing the preservative

Preservatives too much preservative can burn the flower too little will not be enough to keep flowers fresh

Preservatives home made preservative can be made using 50% Sprite or 7Up, or similar drink containing citric acid

Preservatives 50% warm water 1 1/2 teaspoons bleach to each quart of solution

Requirements For Quality Cut Flower Care 1. Good water and nutrient absorption. 2. Healthy Environment/Sanitation 3. Water Quality 4. Available Nutrients (preservatives)

Conditioning flowers Techniques of treating flowers to extend their life. Begins when flowers arrive from the wholesaler

Flower Conditioning steps! 1.Sanitizie - clean tools, cooler, containers 2. Water Quality – make sure clean, right temp, pH 3. Use preservatives 4. Unpack – carefully unpack 5. Remove foliage, thorns – prep 6. Re-cut stems 7. Put in water at right temp with preservative 8. Rotate stock – throw out old dead flowers!

Allow flowers to absorb H2O all flowers except roses should remain in the warm preservative solution outside the cooler for one to two hours

Allow flowers to absorb H2O roses should be stored in the cooler immediately at 34 – 38° F this treatment allows flowers to absorb the maximum amount of water

Allow flowers to absorb H2O at the end of this time for water absorption, the flowers should feel turgid - full of water

Allow flowers to absorb H2O flowers that are shipped in the bud stage such as gladioli, lilies, and carnations could sit at room temperature overnight to open up

Steps to Unpacking and Conditioning Flowers

Unpacking as soon as they arrive loosen paper or plastic sleeves which they have been wrapped in

Unpacking flowers will expand as they mature flowers will be crushed if the sleeves are not loosened.

Unpacking do not loosen sleeves on roses customers prefer roses in the bud stage

Unpacking check for signs of disease, damage or wilting remove damaged or diseased flowers from the bunch before storage

Unpacking excessive damage should be reported to the wholesaler! You paid $$$$. Don’t let them send you crap!

Re-cut the stems stems are cut with a sharp knife rather than shears, if you can use a knife properly! Dull shears can pinch the xylem tubes causing partial blockage

Re-cut the stems cut stems on a slant this helps them to absorb more water prevents the stems from sealing to the bottom of the container

Re-cut the stems stems should be cut under warm water (if possible) warm water contains less air than cold water

Re-cut the stems stems that have a milky sap must be blackened over a flame or put the tips in boiling water for 10-30 seconds to seal the sap so water can be absorbed.

Remove lower foliage remove all foliage from stems that would be underwater in the storage container! foliage left underwater will decay and lead to bacterial growth! Rotting foliage clogs the stems and releases ethylene gas!

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

Clean Containers and Cooler a 10% bleach solution is used for disinfecting the containers

Clean Containers and Cooler there are commercial products available that disinfect, clean and deodorize in one step Non-metallic containers should be used. Don’t use metal containers.

Metal Containers decrease the effectiveness of preservatives

Containers should be short enough so that the flowers do not come in contact with the sides of the container

Now lets prepare some new flowers for storage!