Ohio Florists' AssociationSTAFF "oi

Bulletin No. 690, April, 1987 Page'5

Field-Grown Fresh Cut-FlowersThe idea of field-grown fresh cut-flowers has been around for a longtime. Certainly many of common

greenhouse-grown fresh cut-flowers such asiris,chrysanthemum,and carnationwere grown

outdoors prior tothe popularity

of protected growing areas. Thereare very fine growers of gladioli,statice, gypsophila, and otherspecies in this country, but while

the market forthese flowers isincreasing, theacreage is not.

A.M. Armitagc

Today manySummer freshcut-flowers are

Terry Tatum being importedinto this

country from Israel, South Africa,southern Europe, and inparticular from Holland.Production of field-grown freshcut-flowers has been practiced inHolland for many years as asupplement to tulip bulbproduction, but recently theinterest in different fresh cut-flowers has resulted in morehectares of field-grown flowersthan ever before. The renewedinterest in fresh cut-flowers hasallowed the Dutch grower toexport his crops to surroundingEuropean countries and also togain a significant market in thiscountry. Although historically,importing flowers has been atremendous disadvantage to ourindustry, the aggressivemarketing of Summer flowers bythe Dutch have opened newmarkets for our own growerswhich hitherto had been non-existant. A good example isLiatris, which is fairlycommonplace in retail outletstoday. Liatris has been importedfor a number of years from placessuch as Holland and South Africa,

A. M. ArmitageDepartment of HorticultureUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, GA 30602

Terry TatumDepartment ofHorticultureUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, GA 30602

yet Liatris is a wildflower in largeportions of our country!

We have a unique opportunity inthis country at the present time.We have many growers ofperennial plants who routinelycut-off the flowers once bloom hasoccurred. There are also manygrowers in both the nursery andgreenhouse trade who have asmall acreage of land not beingused which would be very suitablefor a Summer crop. The marketfor these flowers is increasing.This does not mean that there arenot problems in getting some ofthese "different" species into themarketplace, but if the quality isgood, the material fresh, andhandling and care instructionscan be provided, then the demandwill be there.

Types of Flowers: If one studiesthe types of flowers being sold inthis country and particularly inEurope, the list of potential cutsis quite impressive. A list of theseis found at the end of this article(Table 1). In choosing whatspecies to grow, there are anumber of questions to be asked.First, can I sell these if I growthem well (i.e. how do I marketthem?), secondly, can I grow themwell in my area, and thirdly, howdo I handle the flowers between

harvest and sale.

Marketing "new" crops is alwaysvery frustrating. It is a lot easierto sell these crops if you havesome flowers in hand so you canshow what they look like. Forinstance, many florists do notknow what Physostegia is. Theymust be shown. Show how to usethe flowers in a bouquet withother Summer flowers as well asby themselves. Have some goodphotos prior to Summerharvesting to show what theflowers look like and why youthink they are a useful addition tothe retailers or wholesalers freshcut-flower repertoire. Many ofthese crops have unique form(Echinops, Eryngium), fragrance(Acidanthcra), color (Montbretia),or use (yarrow for dried flowers).They are all "different" and thatin itself is often a good sellingpoint. We think you will find thatresistance to Summer flowers isless than you anticipate and if youoffer a fresh, high quality crop/then seller resistance will turnquickly into seller acceptance.Direct sales of bouquets toconsumers at farmer or floralmarkets has also been verysuccessful in some areas. Dealingwith local markets is probably thebest way to market when first

Table 1. Flowers being evaluated at the Univ

Acidantherci bicolorAchillea x 'Coronation Gold'Achillea tomentosa 'Rose Beauty'

'Cerise Queen'Asclepias tuberosaCentaurea macrocephelaEel)iHops ritroEryngium planumLiatris pycnostachyaLiatris spicata 'Floristan White'Liliitm 'Enchantment'LimoniumMontbretia 'Citronella'

'A. I']. Amos'

Ornithogalum thrysoidesPhysostegia virginiana 'Vivid'Salvia leucantlia

Thalictrum dipterocarpum

Others Planned

Achillea (ilipendula 'Parkers Gold'•Gold Plate"

Eremerus spp.Eryngium alpinumPolianthcs tuberosa

ersity of Georgia.

Abysinnian gladiolusYarrow (Yellow)

Common yarrow (Red)

Butterfly weedBasket flowerGlobe thistle

Sea hollyGay featherGay featherHybrid LilyStatice

Montbretia

ChincherincheeObedient plantVelvet sageMeadow rue

Yarrow

Foxtail lilySea holly"Tuberose

Many other bulb crops from Brodiaea to Zantedeschia.

Page 6 Ohio Florists' Association

starting, but the other option isdealing with distributors andwholesalers. At this point, volumemust be such that wholesalers arewilling to work with you.

Yield: Most crops of herbaceousperennials yield sporadically thefirst year and it is not until thesecond year that yield rises. Weare working with differentspacings and have included sometwo year yield figures for a'Coronation Gold' yarrow and forLiatris pycnostachya (Table 2).Note also how the stem length ofyarrow increases with age (Table3).

Growing a good crop is nodifferent for outdoor flower cropsthan for greenhouse crops.Quality demands attention! Thereare some crops which are moresuitable for Northern growingareas {Aconitum, Delphinium)while others are particularly goodfor the South {Salvia leucantha,Acidanthera). Many like theAchilleas and Echinops will dowell in a wide range of climates.The following cultural guide togrowing many field crops is onewe have designed based on ourwork at the University of Georgia.It is rather simplified and moredetails can be obtained from theauthors.

CULTURAL GUIDETO FIELD-GROWN

FRESH CUT-FLOWERS

Selection of Plants: There aremany perennnial plants which arecultivated for fresh cut-flowers.Some, such as gladiolus, statice.and baby's breath, are typicalflorist's crops.

Others may be so common theyare not considered for use as freshcut-flowers. Solidago species, orgoldenrod, is one such group ofplants which has great potentialas a cut-crop, but has unjustlybeen accused of causing hay feverand thus is overlooked.

The list of plants from which tochoose is practically endless. Butother factors will limit what canbe successfully grown. Theseinclude soil type, averagetemperature, length of growingseason, season of flower, and soforth. The grower of field-grownfresh cut-flowers must switchgears and think like a farmerinstead of a greenhouse grower. Itis much easier to control andmodify growing conditions in the

Bulletin No. 690, April, 1987Table 2. Some examples of yield.

Achillea x 'Coronation Gold' (5-1J to 6-25)

Spacing 1984

7.0

7.54.1

9.0

7.0

1.9

0.5

0.6

1985

46.5

74.2119.1

158.4

45.2

17.0

13.2

9.9

{{

Flowers/Plant t 2

1

Flowers/Square foot -( *

4

Liatris pycnostachya (6-13 to 7-15)

Spacing

1

Flowers/Plant

1984

4.2

4.6

4.7

5.3

4.2

4.6

4.7

5.3

1985

6.7

7.9

9.0

12.4{{Flowers/Squarefoot < ^

3

6.3

2.0

1.0

0.8

Table 3. % Stem lengths Achillea x 'Coronation Gold'.

Spacing (Ft)

4{{!1985

5 12(in)

2.9

2.2

6.0

4.1

8.5

6.2

8.96.6

greenhouse than in the field, butit is also much more expensive.There are many species availableand one can put in enough plantsto fill a hundred square foot plotor several acres.

But—do not overdo it! Considerthe market first! There is noadvantage to growing ten acres ofbeautiful flowers if there is no oneto buy them. Dutch growers havelong recognized the problem ofoverproduction of field cut-flowersand most growers there "farm" nomore than one to two acres. Thefloral industry has traditionallyused the "staples" like carnations,roses, chrysanthemums, andbaby's breath. Thanks to theDutch influence and Europeangardening traditions, America'staste for more interesting plantmaterial is growing. However, newideas must be introducedgradually. Availability andconsumer demands do not alwayscorrelate, especially in thefloriculture industry.

Another thing to consider whenselecting plants is the useintended. Many flowers are best

12-20 (in)

94.8

97.7

94.0

95.9

52.6

60.6

63.5

64.8

£ 20(in)

1.2

38.8

33.0

27.4

28.4

used fresh, while others areconducive to drying. Many aregrown for something other thanthe flowers —like the seed pods ofBaptisia australis (false indigo)and Hypericum calycinum (St.Johns-Wort).

Site Selection: The grower mustconsider the site when selectingplant material. If the plot youhave chosen is equivalent to aSouth Georgia peanut farm, itwould be wise to avoid growingshade-loving plants like Astilbe.But, if this is the only ground youhave to work with, it is possible toshade the area with lath or shadecloth, or you can select sun-lovingcrops like Rudbeckiu and yarrow.If you have an area whichexperiences high winds, youmight avoid long-stemmed flowerslike Liatris or use wind breaks oftrees, fencing, or windbreakmaterials. They also can bestaked, but this is time consumingand difficult. Many problems canbe overcome but it is wise toconsider them before selecting thecrops, and make plans accordinglyrather than "after-the-fact."

Ohio Florists' Association

Soil: The soil in the Athens,Georgia area, like many otherparts of the country, is typicallyheavy clay. We have problems withdrainage and nutrition, but withproper preparation, we haveovercome these inconveniencesand created very good growingbeds. In our test plots, we haveraised beds which have been tilledbelow the 6 to 8 inches of topsoil,and into the subsoil as deep asour tiller will go, and incorporatedmany truckloads of horse manure.We always try to obtain agedmanure, but we used some whichwas not well rotted. We paid theprice dearly when the weed seedsstarted to germinate. . . andgerminate . . .and germinate somemore following the Summer rains.If you are preparing beds, wellrotted cow or horse manure isgreat if you have a readilyavailable source. Also, it is a goodidea to fumigate the soil prior toplanting. Of course, you mustweigh the costs (and otherdisadvantages such as loss ofbeneficial organisms) against theadvantages (less disease, lessweeds, less labor...). We definitelybelieve the advantages outweighthe disadvantages.

If you are unfamiliar with the soilin your area, you probably shouldhave a soil test done by your localagricultural extension office. Theywill be able to tell you if you needto lime the soil or incorporatesuperphosphate or whatever. Besure to check the requirements forthe plants you intend to growbefore making major modificationsto your soil.

Planting and Spacing: The firstcriteria is to start with healthyplants. You can find informationon planting time, flowering time,and depth of planting fromvarious books on perennial plantsand from the seed or plantsuppliers. At the University ofGeorgia Athens, we are testingdifferent spacings (l'xl',2'x2',3' x 3', and 4' x 4') to determinewhich is most suitable for the cropover several years. It may be thata close spacing is fine the firstyear, but the plants may becometoo crowded the second year. Thebest spacing will vary fromspecies to species. (See theexperimental data at end of thisarticle.) Yield per square foot isvery important to the commercial

grower. However you do not wanthigh yield one year if you loseproduction time and have toincrease labor the next in order todivide and replant. Yield persquare foot is much moreimportant than yield per plant(See data at back). Field grownherbaceous perennials should beat least a 3-year crop with properspacing before division andrejuvenation are necessary.

Fertility and Water: We used 10-10-10 in 1986, early in the Springat the rate of approximately Vhpounds per 100 square feet. Weapplied it as a side dressing, beingcareful not to get the fertilizer onthe foliage or against the stems.The same rate was applied laterin the season after harvest tostimulate healthy root and foliagegrowth prior to winter dormancy.

Irrigation in our trials wasprimarily by overhead sprinklers,but we now have installed dripirrigation in the beds. This systemworks much better as more waterreaches the plant roots, and lessis lost through evaporation. It alsoreduces the incidence of diseasebecause there is less splashing ofwater and the foliage remains dry.It is important to soak the soiland apply a certain volume eachweek rather than irrigating a fewminutes every day. About an inchof water a week is usuallyadequate, but this depends on theamount of rainfall your areareceives and on the daytime hightemperatures. Many times growersuse degree of wilting as ameasure of when to apply water.It is important not to allowperennials to wilt repeatedly.Even though they will probablyrecover, growth and subsequentflower production will be reduced.Irrigation should also he done inthe morning and should never bedone so the plants go into thenight wet.

Weed Control: Not only areweeds unsightly, but they competewith your crop for nutrients,water, space, and light. Thus, it isimportant to keep them undercontrol at all times. We have trieddifferent kinds of mulch. Pinestraw is a cheap and readilyavailable source of mulch inGeorgia. We have also used abouta 2-inch layer of wood chips whichhas been very effective. Thisallows adequate drainage (unless

Bulletin No. 690. April, 1987 Page 7

we have heavy downpours) andprevents fluctuating soil waterlevels.

We have used chemical weedcontrol such as Fusilade and Poastfor grasses, and Dacthal, a broad-leaf preemergent control. All havebeen very effective. But these areonly temporary controls andshould be used with great care toavoid harming the perennial crop.In general, a good layer of mulch,along with a hoe and "hands-and-knees weeding" are the bestcontrol. As the mulch breaksdown, more humus is incorporatedinto the soil, and more fertilizerwill be necessary. A fresh layer ofmulch should be applied annually.We are also using weed matswhich allow water to penetratebut keep weeds down. We foundwe still need a mulch over theweed mat for best control.

Insects and Diseases: It isimportant to start with healthy,disease-free plant material. If thesoil is fumigated duringpreparation, soil-borne pathogenswill be reduced. Also, irrigationshould be done only during theday so that fungal spores whichoccur in fresh water will be killedby the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Spacing is also important fordisease control. There should beadequate air movement aroundthe plants to allow the surface ofthe soil and the foliage to dry. Wehave used Daconil for leaf spotand botrytis, and Pentac-Aquaflofor spider mites.

The best control is prevention. Payclose attention to the conditionand health of your crop. Use toolswhich are disinfected severaltimes during harvest. Applicationof chemicals may be necessary,but wise use is not only safer butmore cost-effective.

Also, become familiar with insectsand diseases which are commonlyassociated with various crops. Forexample, spider mites likeMontbretia and whiteflies are inlove with Rudbeckia.

Staking and Support: Someplants may appear to have strongstems but will require stakinganyway. Dahlias, for example,usually have fat stalks which looksturdy enough, but will snap andtopple in a hard rain or strongwind. The Liatris we grow,especially the L. pycnostachya, fell

Page 8 Ohio Florists' Association

to the ground when not staked,and the flower spikes wereirreparably bent after only oneday. It is important to stake theplants early before they actuallyneed to be staked. Different formsof support can be used. Tomatocages work well but can beexpensive. Individual stakesplaced at each plant may requirea lot of labor to install and keeptied. The use of wire or stringmesh system either hand made orcommerical quality is probablythe best system. Also, it maymake sense to simply grow dwarfcultivars or species. For example,Liatris spicata and L. callilepisare smaller than L. pycnostachyaand have similar market appeal.Harvesting may also be morecumbersome if the stems are hardto reach. You will have toexperiment with different systemsto see which is most suitable foryour crop, method of fertilizerapplication, harvesting methods,and so forth. Use of two to threelayers of floral netting will greatlyhelp support the plants.

Harvest and Postharvest: Theproper stage of development forharvest is very important. Wehave tested different stages offlower development to see whichwill give the longest shelf life.The fernleaf yarrow, if cut tooyoung, will not hold up at all. Ifcut too late, the golden color willturn to brown. However, ifharvested at the proper stage, theflower will last about two weeksas a fresh cut-flower, and thenwill dry and be of marketablequality for a long time.

Lilies should be cut before theflowers actually open, when thebuds are puffy and showing goodcolor. This facilitates handlingand shipping, as well as giving avery extended bloom period asmost of the buds will open.

Handling the cut-crops is the leastunderstood and probably mostimportant aspect of fresh cut-flower production. Try to cutbefore the heat of the day andimmerse the stems immediatelyin buckets containing a floralpreservative. Flowers immediatelystart to degrade upon cutting andfloral preservatives such asFloralife inhibit the degradationof the flowers. Place the bucketsin the shade and grade them in acool area. Some growers do the

grading operation outdoors onmakeshift tables, but the coolerthe temperature, the less stresswill be placed on the cut stemwhen being graded. Since thereare few standards for field-grownspecies, most grading is still doneby stem length and sold inbunches of 12 to 24. Use a sharpclean knife to cut the ends of thestems to avoid injury and disease.Stems of some other species maybe pulled. If plants are going to beshipped any great distance, thenother pre-shipment treatmentsshould be considered. Plantswhose flowers abscise or fall offthe stem (e.g. Physostegia) can beeffectively treated with a 6 to 12hour treatment ofsilverthiosulphato (STS-0.5 to 1.0mM) and 5% sucrose solution. Thesugar aids in opening the flowerswhile the STS inhibits flowerabscission. A short treatment timesuch as this is referred to aspulsing because the treatment isnot continuous. Other flowerswhich benefit from this treatmentare Salvia, Liatris. andDelphinium. Plants whose flowersdo not abscise but tend to dry onthe stem will not benefit fromSTS, but 5 to 10°; sugar oftenhelps flower bud opening. If usingthese materials seems toocomplicated, then at least use anavailable floral preservative suchas Floralife. These preservativescontain hydroxy quinoline citratewhich aids a great deal in keepingstems fresh. After pulsing. theflowers can be shipped in waterand preservative and often timescan be shipped dry. Dry shippingafter pulsing is common withcarnations and chrysanthemumsand can be done with Summerflowering material such as Liatrisalthough little research has beendone to verify this. After receivingthe dry stem, they must be re-cutand immediately put in warm

Bulletin No. 690, April, 198'

water in a cool environment.

Winter Protection: Do not forgetabout your plants once the harvestis over. The health of the plantsshould be maintained so thatthere will be a good strong rootsystem going into winter. A lightlayer of mulch can be applied overthe dormant plants to providesome protection during the winter.In Georgia, we do not have ablanket of snow to provideinsulation, but nor do we have theproblem of repeated freezing andthawing of the ground. Althoughthe ground does freeze, it is onlythe top few inches and it does notsuffer a "hard freeze." Mostperennial species benefit from ahard freeze and all but a few ofthe herbaceous species mentionedare hardy in most parts of thecountry. Some of the bulb cropssuch as Aeidanthera need to bestored over winter or simplyreplaced. Consider what yourplants' needs are for your area.When growing herbaceousperennial species, you want to getup to three years of marketableflowers. If winter care does notappeal to you, grow annuals.

The bottom line of culture is thatwe are competing with foreigngrowers who are promising freshmaterial every day for areasonable price. If we cannotcompete with Holland forfreshness and quality, then wesimply cannot stay in this game.We have an opportunity torespond to an ever growingmarket. Let's take advantage ofour skills and supplement ourincome with fresh cut-flowersgrown in the field. With goodcultural methods, and properhandling techniques, growers inthis country should be able toprovide fresh, high quality flowersat a reasonable price to any floristor market who desires them.

Conference On Field Grown Cut-FlowersMay 28-29, 1987

University of Georgia, Athens. GA

"Everything you a/ways wanted toknow about field grown cut-flowersbut had no one to ash."

A half-day conference featuringwholesalers, growers, and otherspecialists in the fledgling summercut-flower industry in the United

States and Canada.

Participation is limited and will bebased on a first-come, first-servedbasis. Additional informationconcerning program andaccommodations can be obtainedby contacting Judy M. Laushmanor Dr. Allan M. Armitage at theDepartment of Horticulture,University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602,(404)542-2471.